Approved 1 day after they received my RFE

[kirk and Jenny 0]

In the Philippines

FIRST- Make sure there are no mistakes on official documents. I did so many things to hurry along the process. I figured I could have my fiancee back here by mid-November. Then she remembered she had her middle name misspelled on her birth certificate, that takes 6 months to fix. It looks like March now.

SECOND-Make it easy for them. I don’t know what you call these. It was a plastic filer with 12 compartments. At the top of each compartment I put a label (Correspondence, Divorce decree, Birth Certificate, etc.) where the information was.

THIRD-I put a letter in the front describing the contents of each compartment (Correspondence=chats, Proof of visitation = pictures, visa photo copy etc.)

FOURTH-I put in a signed affidavit from myself. Stating things like. I am supporting her and her daughter. I paid for a private school for her daughter so she can learn English. I am paying for her to go through nursing school. I have gotten her an apartment because the house she was living in was falling apart.

The rest is on the instructions. I included everything they asked for. Also, I would add I think proof of our communications really helped. We were excellent chatters on Yahoo. I would suggest these as evidence. Our chats would be 30 pages or so. I put one in from each month. And yes, we discussed intimate things in those. Then in my affidavit I stated these were the kind of chats we had, had every day since we met and if they desired I could send them many more chats. Also, on the pictures. She felt non computer pictures were better, especially if you could date the picture from the Camera. I sent both types.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask me questions.

[meauxna 15]

SECOND-Make it easy for them. I don’t know what you call these. It was a plastic filer with 12 compartments. At the top of each compartment I put a label (Correspondence, Divorce decree, Birth Certificate, etc.) where the information was.

THIRD-I put a letter in the front describing the contents of each compartment (Correspondence=chats, Proof of visitation = pictures, visa photo copy etc.)

Sorry to be a buzzkill, but all of those things are stripped away in the mail room and your petition is reassembled before going to the officer. It potentially slows you down (but not by any measurable amount).

[one...two...tree 2,762]

SECOND-Make it easy for them. I don’t know what you call these. It was a plastic filer with 12 compartments. At the top of each compartment I put a label (Correspondence, Divorce decree, Birth Certificate, etc.) where the information was.

THIRD-I put a letter in the front describing the contents of each compartment (Correspondence=chats, Proof of visitation = pictures, visa photo copy etc.)

Sorry to be a buzzkill, but all of those things are stripped away in the mail room and your petition is reassembled before going to the officer. It potentially slows you down (but not by any measurable amount).

Phew...thanks for clarifying that Meauxna. Do you have any clue as to why Kirk and Jenny and a handful of others have gotten approved so quickly through CSC while there are so many of us that haven't even received our IMBRA RFE's that applied at the same time?

[Ladylethal 12]

I think on top of all you were lucky, ´cus it seems to me like you put in more than they require or care for.

[meauxna 15]

Phew...thanks for clarifying that Meauxna. Do you have any clue as to why Kirk and Jenny and a handful of others have gotten approved so quickly through CSC while there are so many of us that haven't even received our IMBRA RFE's that applied at the same time?

I suspect that Kirk used the once-well-known chicken bone voodoo spell that many used to get through Service Centers quickly. A google search will reveal the recipe.

for the ha-ha impaired: that was a joke. I don't have that recipe anymore and it never existed. Seriously. <braaawwwwk>

Steven: sorry pal, no idea. Having seen the back end of a very small DO, I can only shudder to imagine what the paper flow looks like in a place as big as the CSC. I know it's no comfort, but I really don't think there is anything you can do to influence your case at this point. Sit tight and stay happy.

PS: I am not recommending this, but sometimes a solution is to simply refile.

Edited August 21, 2006 by meauxna

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Phew...thanks for clarifying that Meauxna. Do you have any clue as to why Kirk and Jenny and a handful of others have gotten approved so quickly through CSC while there are so many of us that haven't even received our IMBRA RFE's that applied at the same time?

I suspect that Kirk used the once-well-known chicken bone voodoo spell that many used to get through Service Centers quickly. A google search will reveal the recipe.

for the ha-ha impaired: that was a joke. I don't have that recipe anymore and it never existed. Seriously. <braaawwwwk>

Steven: sorry pal, no idea. Having seen the back end of a very small DO, I can only shudder to imagine what the paper flow looks like in a place as big as the CSC. I know it's no comfort, but I really don't think there is anything you can do to influence your case at this point. Sit tight and stay happy.

PS: I am not recommending this, but sometimes a solution is to simply refile.

Refile? Would that mean they'd have 2 separate petitions with receipt numbers? Would that complicate anything should the first one finally get approved? After I called back on the 3rd of this month, they touched my file 3 times, but after that nothing. I was planning to call again on the 3rd of September if I don't see any progress. I also sent in the new I-129F form as an amendment - I did so after asking USCIS if this was okay.

I'm willing to hang tight if I can have confidence that they will eventually get back on track and process these petitions by order of the NOA1 dates. But it sure seems like CSC still hasn't recovered from the effects of IMBRA. Sure wish they would decide not to approve any newer petitions until all IMBRA petitions from March thru June are approved....wishful thinking I suppose...sigh.

[nfs 0]

Hey, it looks like Kirk and Jenny have been waiting since April 3. They deserve CONGRATULATIONS!

I hope I'm next--after some of those March people.

[michellek1976 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!! Your suggestions are a little late for us - we filed in March - but your time line is very encouraging. I want an approval like yours

[Kirsten L 0]

Congatulations to you both! Glad this part of your waiting is over. Best wishes for the next steps...

[GaryC 7]

Congratz! Good to see another Marcher getting some satisfaction!

[Milka 0]

Wow, that was really quick. Sometimes you just have to have luck. :-)

[Steve-n-Ana 0]

Congratulations kirk and Jenny...

[den_y2005 0]

congrats

[motu 6]

Congratulations, however I disageree with your approach as you sent in too much in my opinion - my total application was 16 pages using one paper clip (and NO chats, emails etc. - they were for the interview not for the petition.)

So! Do what makes you comfortable - I do not like the overkill approach and was happy to send more if asked for (but was never asked for more.)

I would add that my fiancee was not from a high fraud country (take that into consideration also.) Good Luck

[kirk and Jenny 0]

Congratulations, however I disageree with your approach as you sent in too much in my opinion - my total application was 16 pages using one paper clip (and NO chats, emails etc. - they were for the interview not for the petition.)

So! Do what makes you comfortable - I do not like the overkill approach and was happy to send more if asked for (but was never asked for more.)

I would add that my fiancee was not from a high fraud country (take that into consideration also.) Good Luck

Maybe so,

All I know is I got just one RFE the 325A form that I guess they checked to see if the first one I sent was accurate. Except for NOA's and that one RFE, there was no other contact needed. Just trying to pass on what seemingly worked for us.

Thanks for the encouragement on the board and the help I have been receiving.

Edited August 22, 2006 by kirk and Jenny