Who Must Send the J-1 No Objection Statement to the Department of State?
A designated official of the foreign embassy in Washington, D.C. sends the No Objection Statement directly to the Waiver Review Division. DOS does not permit the applicant to submit the embassy statement personally.
The foreign government sends it directly. Normally, a designated official of the home country's embassy in Washington, D.C. transmits the No Objection Statement to the Department of State Waiver Review Division. The applicant cannot receive the official statement from the embassy and submit it personally. As an alternate route, a designated ministry in the home country may send the statement to the U.S. Embassy there, which then forwards it to the Waiver Review Division.
The embassy sends it directly
DOS currently requires the home country's embassy in Washington, D.C. to send the No Objection Statement directly to the Waiver Review Division.
Current DOS embassy inbox
DOS currently instructs designated embassy officials to transmit No Objection Statements to WRD-NOS@state.gov.
The inbox accepts emails from designated embassy officials. DOS states that applicant emails to that address will not be answered.
The embassy cannot hand it to the applicant for submission
DOS specifically states that the embassy cannot simply give the statement to the exchange visitor to submit personally.
There is also a ministry route
A designated ministry in the foreign country may issue the statement through the U.S. Chief of Mission, Consular Section, at the U.S. Embassy in that country. The U.S. Embassy then forwards the statement to the Waiver Review Division.
Frequently Asked Questions
What email does the embassy currently use?
DOS currently directs designated embassy officials to WRD-NOS@state.gov.
Can I email my No Objection Statement to that address?
No. DOS states that the inbox accepts submissions from designated embassy officials and will not answer applicant emails.
Can the embassy give me the letter to submit?
No. DOS requires direct governmental transmission.
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