RFE Notice received / USCIS asking documents already submited

[Laure&Colin 558]

Did you send a copy of the marriage certificate or did you send the original?? If you sent a copy thats the problem. You need to send in the original certificate.

Not true. At USCIS stage, you do not need originals or certified copy. A regular copy is fine.

What I would do Rujby is: make a new, clear and legible copy of the original certificate in French. Staple the English translation to it, together with the form saying that the translation is accurate. Send it back.

I don't really understand what happened here, unless the copy of the original in French is really illegible.

[Laure&Colin 558]

Again: do NOT send your originals to USCIS. You will need them at NVC stage.

Just make a clear copy of the certificate in French, and attach translation and statement.

It does NOT need to be notarized, and apostille is something completely different that has absolutely nothing to do with your situation here (an apostille is made for use in foreign countries, ie you could only have it done in DR through a complicated process, and it is NOT requested by USCIS, not even by NVC, thank god cause it can be long and costly).

Sorry guys if I sound harsh but don't give Rujby the wrong info, he's going through a lot already!

[Rujby 23]

Did you/or your wife use the translation statement:

The translation must include a statement from the translator that he or she is competent to translate and that the translation is correct.

Yes we sent that as well

[Rujby 23]

Not true. At USCIS stage, you do not need originals or certified copy. A regular copy is fine.

What I would do Rujby is: make a new, clear and legible copy of the original certificate in French. Staple the English translation to it, together with the form saying that the translation is accurate. Send it back.

I don't really understand what happened here, unless the copy of the original in French is really illegible.

That is what exactly happened, the copy of the marriage certificate ( french version ) was not legible. Here is the letter they sent to my wife, she texted to me last night : " The petitionner merely submitted the English translation marriage certificate without the foreign language document, therefore, he/she must submit a legible copy of the requested marriage certificate in its orginal language "

[Rujby 23]

Again: do NOT send your originals to USCIS. You will need them at NVC stage.

Just make a clear copy of the certificate in French, and attach translation and statement.

It does NOT need to be notarized, and apostille is something completely different that has absolutely nothing to do with your situation here (an apostille is made for use in foreign countries, ie you could only have it done in DR through a complicated process, and it is NOT requested by USCIS, not even by NVC, thank god cause it can be long and costly).

Sorry guys if I sound harsh but don't give Rujby the wrong info, he's going through a lot already!

Thank you Laure, thank you for your valuable support and information. I will not send original but just a legible copy of the marriage certificate ( french version) staple with the translation and the statement. Thanks again Laure, you were always there to encourage me when i post something each time you had a chance to

[Rujby 23]

After reading all of the above comments and suggestions, this is my suggestion:

Call them on the phone. Never be afraid to ask them directly! Many memebers here have great knowledge but merely all suggestions are only our opinions. When you call them, simply explain what has happened and ask them to clarify what exactly is the problem. Wether they need the original certificate or wether the copy sent was not legible... or whatever the reason may be they will tell you. Once you know the reason it was rejected fix the issue and return the proper documents as soon as you can to avoid more delays.

Good Luck and God Bless

THANK YOU

[Laure&Colin 558]

Thank you Laure, thank you for your valuable support and information. I will not send original but just a legible copy of the marriage certificate ( french version) staple with the translation and the statement. Thanks again Laure, you were always there to encourage me when i post something each time you had a chance to

You're welcome

This process is hard enough, we have to support each other, right?

You can call USCIS but honestly I'm not sure it will really help. You'll never get to talk with someone who actually saw your file. Well you know how call centers work, people who make decisions are not the ones answering the phone.

The good news is that this "silly" RFE you received can be addressed very easily, your wife can make a new photocopy, attach everything together and overnight the documents to USCIS. Crossing my fingers for a fast approval!

[Rujby 23]

You're welcome

This process is hard enough, we have to support each other, right?

You can call USCIS but honestly I'm not sure it will really help. You'll never get to talk with someone who actually saw your file. Well you know how call centers work, people who make decisions are not the ones answering the phone.

The good news is that this "silly" RFE you received can be addressed very easily, your wife can make a new photocopy, attach everything together and overnight the documents to USCIS. Crossing my fingers for a fast approval!

I will have my wife make color copies for more legibility. I did not think about it, smh....

[Rujby 23]

Waiting impatiently for my wife to call USCIS, she is driving back home now from work. What are they going to say?

[Laure&Colin 558]

Waiting impatiently for my wife to call USCIS, she is driving back home now from work. What are they going to say?

"Follow the instructions provided on the RFE letter", I bet a box of Life Savers

[Rujby 23]

lol well, in the letters they told us if we have any questions regarding the evidence or information they requested from us to call them at their number. So i do not think they would just tell us to follow the instructions.

[Rujby 23]

"Follow the instructions provided on the RFE letter", I bet a box of Life Savers

You were right, my wife just call them and they say:" follow the instructions in the notice. They did not want to have her talked to a tier officer...hum

[Udella&Wiz 325]

as the message says clearly that the copy of the marriage certificate was not legible in its orginal language, do you suggest i have my wife not only go to a place to make legible copy of the marriage certificate and also certified the copy?

Is there a reason why she cannot get several copies of the French marriage certificate? I'm not sure how it works in Haiti of course, but why not just go to the local registrar's office and get several original copies? Send in 1 of those originals and keep the others for yourself. If this is all about the quality of the copy, why not just send an original? I personally got about 6 copies of my marriage certificate because I knew I would need them for immigration.

[Rujby 23]

Is there a reason why she cannot get several copies of the French marriage certificate? I'm not sure how it works in Haiti of course, but why not just go to the local registrar's office and get several original copies? Send in 1 of those originals and keep the others for yourself. If this is all about the quality of the copy, why not just send an original? I personally got about 6 copies of my marriage certificate because I knew I would need them for immigration.

Going to the office to get the marriage certificate would take me a month and delays the process. My wife has the original marriage certificate but we can not send it as VJ told us that the original st USCIS not necessary. In addition, USCIS did not ask us to send original. My wife read quitely the letter for me, they just told us to send legible copy of the french marriage certificate ( Original version ). I told my wife to go to an office to make color copies of the marriage certificate ( french version ) and send it back to them, as it was the only thing they wanted from us. They run through our documents and only send us a RFE for " legible" copy. I feel an approval is on the way right after we resubmit the requested document. My wife will send it this afternoon i expect then to approve us in 10 days as we requested an expedite

[Laure&Colin 558]

I hate to say "I told you" but... I told you

Their call center is kind of pointless.

Anyway, I'm sure everything will start moving for you when they receive your new docs.

If I were you, I would get another original marriage certificate in Haïti, before leaving for the US, just in case. You might always need one of these for something.

I'm lucky here, I can have new originals by going to the city hall which is just a 5 min walk away. I have like 10 copies, in the two different formats they make.