What evidence do you need to support your claim of extreme hardship?
Letters from medical professionals, as evidence of physical and/or emotional conditions that will lead to extreme hardship to the U.S. relative. Copies of tax returns and/or pay statements as evidence of your household income. Copies of statements showing any debts that need to be settled in the United States.
- You have several children who do not speak the native language of your home country and would have to be educated in a foreign language;
- You and your qualifying relative spouse are members of a minority ethnic group that suffers persecution in your home country;
What is a J-1 Hardship Waiver in 2023? J-1 visa exceptional hardship waiver can cancel the requirement for the two-year home residency requirement. The hardship must be attributed to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, child, or other relatives that are relatively close to you.
Extreme Hardship
A qualifying relative, under most types of I-601 waivers, is a spouse, parent, or child. While it seems that the agony of being separated from a close loved one would be enough to qualify as extreme hardship it is not.
To propose an exceptional hardship argument, you must provide sound evidence that your circumstances mitigate the offence caused. This reasoning must be 'exceptional' and must cause external suffering to dependents.
The most common examples of hardship include: Illness or injury. Change of employment status. Loss of income.
- If a driver needs to to drive for their job (and losing the job will seriously affect their wellbeing).
- If they care for someone who can not drive and requires it to function, for reasons such as disabilities and health conditions.
Exceptional hardship has no statutory definition in case law and it will be at the discretion of the courts to decide if your circumstances warrant leniency. In effect it can mean a level of hardship that will also impact on innocent parties.
Substantial hardship means any condition which would cause gross monthly household income to be below the Federal Poverty Level.
No Objection Statement | 12 to 16 weeks |
---|---|
Interested U.S. Federal Government Agency | 8 to 12 weeks |
Persecution | 12 to 16 weeks |
Exceptional Hardship | 36 to 52 weeks |
State Public Health Department (Conrad State 30 Program) | 12 to 16 weeks |
How long does it take for hardship waiver?
The estimated processing time for an exceptional hardship waiver processing is 3 to 4 months.
The wait time for the waiver varies, and might be from 6 month to a year, sometimes even longer. It all depends on what application is filed, what bar of inadmissibility an applicant is asking to waive; the sped the adjudicator is working with, and the appeal process, if any.

For I-601 waivers, a qualifying relative is a U.S citizen or permanent resident spouse, parent, or child of the immigrant who seeks a family unity waiver to re-enter the United States after their consular processing interview abroad.
The most common examples of hardship include: Illness or injury. Change of employment status. Loss of income.
The five dependency tests – relationship, gross income, support, joint return and citizenship/residency – continue to apply to a qualifying relative. A child who is not a qualifying child might still be a dependent as a qualifying relative.
An exceptional hardship application can only be put forward once within a 3 year period unless you use completely different reasons/grounds therefore, it is essential that you give yourself the best chance of being successful by instructing expert lawyers.
A hardship letter explains to a lender the circumstances that have made you unable to keep up with your debt payments. It provides specific details such as the date the hardship began, the cause and how long you expect it to continue.
Exceptional Hardship applications can be advanced whenever you find yourself in the position of being a totter however, you cannot put forward the same grounds (reasons) more than once within 3 years.
You do not have to prove hardship to take a withdrawal from your 401(k). That is, you are not required to provide your employer with documentation attesting to your hardship.
- Illness or injury.
- Change of employment status.
- Loss of income.
- Natural disasters.
- Divorce.
- Death.
- Military deployment.
How do you declare a hardship?
To prove tax hardship to the IRS, you will need to submit your financial information to the federal government. This is done using Form 433A/433F (for individuals or self-employed) or Form 433B (for qualifying corporations or partnerships).
- Part 1: Explain what happened and why you are applying. ...
- Part 2: Specifically illustrate the time and severity of the hardship. ...
- Part 3: Back up the reasons traditional remedies won't work. ...
- Part 4: Detail why you are stable enough to succeed with a modification.
Financial information or documentation that substantiates the employee's immediate and heavy financial need. This may include insurance bills, escrow paperwork, funeral expenses, bank statements, etc.
Acceptable Documentation
Lost Employment. • Unemployment Compensation Statement. (Note: this satisfies the proof of income requirement as well.) • Termination/Furlough letter from Employer. • Pay stub from previous employer with.
What Is a Hardship Letter? A hardship letter explains to a lender the circumstances that have made you unable to keep up with your debt payments. It provides specific details such as the date the hardship began, the cause and how long you expect it to continue.
When you write the hardship letter, don't include anything that would hurt your case. Here are some examples of things you shouldn't say in the letter: Don't say that your situation is your lender's fault or that their employees are jerks.
Hardship case means a person who will suffer significant hardship because of valid financial, medical, or other good and sound reasons.
"Undue hardship" is defined as an "action requiring significant difficulty or expense" when considered in light of a number of factors. These factors include the nature and cost of the accommodation in relation to the size, resources, nature, and structure of the employer's operation.