So, I finally heard something...RFE!

[Scafidi454 22]

I was Skype video chatting with my Valentine earlier, when I thought to check USCIS. There it was, a status change!!! Wonderful and full of meaning. Oh no, it's an RFE!?

So, I was kind of browsing through the RFE master list, but there's a lot in there. I don't know what they'll request yet. Can anyone tell me what they usually can request after such a long time, how long the deadline usually is, and how fast from RFE -> Visa in hand has it taken (minimum and maximums please)?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Unfortunately, nobody can tell you what your RFE likely will be. There's no way of us knowing. You just have to wait for the hard copy to arrive in the mail.

In the meantime, you can look through the copy of the petition that you sent in. Look to see if you missed checking any boxes, filling out any information. Look through the supporting evidence you sent. Pictures with dates on them? Passport stamps? Boarding passes? Birth certificates/proof of US citizenship ... look at all the requirements for the petition and see if you missed any.

That's really all you can do until you know for sure.

[Oliverpb 2]

It took a little more than a week for the hard rfe to arrive. But I was able to get it out the next day. Mine was simply they needed more evidence of meeting in the last two years. boarding passes only had the day and month and hand written dates on the back of pictures doesnt cut it either. I overloaded them then, hotel receipts, passport stamps, visas, registration forms from Yekaterinburg, and airline receipts, not just boarding passes.

I hope they update your status! mine still says that they received my rfe on Jan 19th and we just scheduled our interview. No email, text, or status change. About a week after they get your rfe, call to check on status if nothing changed. When I called mine was already on its way to the embassy from NVC.

Good luck to you!

[Scafidi454 22]

My fiance thinks that it's probably the picture evidence that I sent in. I just made a collage of all of a few pictures so that I could save pages. Plus, I don't think that they're time stamped. As far as everything else goes, I think we're fine.

I've got a bunch of Skype snapshots that I've taken over the past year (hopefully they're time stamped), chat logs, more phone records, etc. that I can send.

Hopefully we'll get this turned around fast. Russian man's day is next Thursday! Women's day is March 8.

[baron555 934]

My fiance thinks that it's probably the picture evidence that I sent in. I just made a collage of all of a few pictures so that I could save pages. Plus, I don't think that they're time stamped. As far as everything else goes, I think we're fine.

I've got a bunch of Skype snapshots that I've taken over the past year (hopefully they're time stamped), chat logs, more phone records, etc. that I can send.

Hopefully we'll get this turned around fast. Russian man's day is next Thursday! Women's day is March 8.

Pictures will not generate an RFE; they're considered secondary evidence. I can create time-stamped photos using my computer. I can create a time stamped photo with you dancing with Madonna at the Super Bowl......that's why they are secondary.

Look over your copy of the complete package that you made prior to mailing and try to determine what is missing or incorrect?

Vet your documents versus the Example Forms and your evidence against the list in the Guides.

Sometimes USCIS asks for documents that you have already sent; maybe they spilled coffee all over them and need another copy?

Just be ready to respond quickly because your petition is finally being worked on; after all these months of just sitting around in a box.

You're very close to the next step. Start ensuring you and she have all the next round of documents underway for the interview.....transcripts, employer letter, etc from you, police certs for her.

[litlmina 40]

::smacks head:: As I was reading your question, I just realized why *I* got an RFE. Question 18 asks for a statement of how you met IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, not just how you met in general. Whoops.

But regarding your question, I don't think you need to send in any pictures at all at this stage. They only ask for proof of meeting in person, NOT proof of the ongoing relationship. Although I don't know what your particular RFE is, I think we can rule out the picture collage since that's not needed with the I-129.

If you're confident that everything was filled out properly on the form (and your situation is uncomplicated, ie no divorces), it might be a request for evidence of meeting in person in the past two years. If I were you, I would get passport stamps ready and other primary evidence things. Heck, get your pictures sorted out, too, because you'll need them during the interview process. And I know how hard it is to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for the letter to arrive, so doing something semi-productive will hopefully take some of your stress away!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I was Skype video chatting with my Valentine earlier, when I thought to check USCIS. There it was, a status change!!! Wonderful and full of meaning. Oh no, it's an RFE!?

So, I was kind of browsing through the RFE master list, but there's a lot in there. I don't know what they'll request yet. Can anyone tell me what they usually can request after such a long time, how long the deadline usually is, and how fast from RFE -> Visa in hand has it taken (minimum and maximums please)?

They will ask for what you did not provide.

They will allow you 45-60 days to respond and from there it can take from 1 week to.......whatever for approval or denial.

Your file has now been adjudicated, they did their part. There is no timeline or guidelines for handling RFEs

I sincerely doubt it is the photo evidence. If the photos were legible that is all that matters. Photos are secondary evidence anyway. I sent ONE photo with no time stamp and we were approved without RFE. Timestamos can be set in the camera and are not evidence of anything.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[Scafidi454 22]

::smacks head:: As I was reading your question, I just realized why *I* got an RFE. Question 18 asks for a statement of how you met IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, not just how you met in general. Whoops.

But regarding your question, I don't think you need to send in any pictures at all at this stage. They only ask for proof of meeting in person, NOT proof of the ongoing relationship. Although I don't know what your particular RFE is, I think we can rule out the picture collage since that's not needed with the I-129.

If you're confident that everything was filled out properly on the form (and your situation is uncomplicated, ie no divorces), it might be a request for evidence of meeting in person in the past two years. If I were you, I would get passport stamps ready and other primary evidence things. Heck, get your pictures sorted out, too, because you'll need them during the interview process. And I know how hard it is to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for the letter to arrive, so doing something semi-productive will hopefully take some of your stress away!

If question 18 asks about how we've met in the past two years, then I messed that part up too.

(I just checked. It asks if we've met within the past two years of filing this petition. Then, it asks how we met, but it doesn't state whether it was how we first met or how we met last time)

I'll look through everything again.

She is going to pick up her police certificate Friday. She has her birth certificate. We've filled out the DS156 (English) and DS156K (Russian) with DS260 (English). I have the letter from my employer, copies of my 2010 and 2011 taxes, bank statements, bank certified record of total deposits for 2011, phone records, W-2s, Affidavit of Support, Visa Fee, Medical Fee, Plane Fee, Translation Fees (we still have to get this done), and her vaccination records.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Scafidi454

[Scafidi454 22]

I went through the G-325s and the I-129f. Everything seems in order...

[baron555 934]

If question 18 asks about how we've met in the past two years, then I messed that part up too.

(I just checked. It asks if we've met within the past two years of filing this petition. Then, it asks how we met, but it doesn't state whether it was how we first met or how we met last time)

I'll look through everything again.

She is going to pick up her police certificate Friday. She has her birth certificate. We've filled out the DS156 (English) and DS156K (Russian) with DS260 (English). I have the letter from my employer, copies of my 2010 and 2011 taxes, bank statements, bank certified record of total deposits for 2011, phone records, W-2s, Affidavit of Support, Visa Fee, Medical Fee, Plane Fee, Translation Fees (we still have to get this done), and her vaccination records.

You didn't list updated Letters of Intent.......did you send those, with original signatures from each of you, with the petition? If not, then you'll pull an RFE for that; it's specifically required and stated per the instructions.

The instructions state: "Provide copies of evidence that you and your fiance have personally met within the last two years"

What most people put into Question 18 is referencing a specific date or date range and then the evidence is dated (passport stamps, boarding passes, train tickets, hotel receipts, restaurant receipts, currency exchange receipts, and photos and other" that place you and your fiance in the same place together and reference the dates also. If you just sent a bunch of photos and such and did not "tie everything together", usually done within the cover letter, then the adjucator may not have been able to piece it all together. How you came to meet in the first place is not relevant for the petition even though a lot of folks tell the complete story. My Q18 answer was two sentences long, the first was how we met and the second was where and when we met. Then I attached tons of evidence with little descriptions below highlighting the where/when information just to make it easy. No RFEs for us.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I went through the G-325s and the I-129f. Everything seems in order...

It isn't. Hence, the RFE

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

If question 18 asks about how we've met in the past two years, then I messed that part up too.

(I just checked. It asks if we've met within the past two years of filing this petition. Then, it asks how we met, but it doesn't state whether it was how we first met or how we met last time)

I'll look through everything again.

She is going to pick up her police certificate Friday. She has her birth certificate. We've filled out the DS156 (English) and DS156K (Russian) with DS260 (English). I have the letter from my employer, copies of my 2010 and 2011 taxes, bank statements, bank certified record of total deposits for 2011, phone records, W-2s, Affidavit of Support, Visa Fee, Medical Fee, Plane Fee, Translation Fees (we still have to get this done), and her vaccination records.

You have to describe at least ONE meeting in person within the last 2 years before filing the petition. It can be the last meeting, first meeting, 2nd meeting 23rd meeting, it does not matter.

"I flew to Russia on January 3, 2011 and she met me at the airport" is sufficient. THEN you attatch documents to prove that statement is true or at least plausible. Airplane boarding passes, passport stamps and things like hotel receipts are primary evidence, a photo or photos of you together are secondary

Edited February 14, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[Scafidi454 22]

You have to describe at least ONE meeting in person within the last 2 years before filing the petition. It can be the last meeting, first meeting, 2nd meeting 23rd meeting, it does not matter.

"I flew to Russia on January 3, 2011 and she met me at the airport" is sufficient. THEN you attatch documents to prove that statement is true or at least plausible. Airplane boarding passes, passport stamps and things like hotel receipts are primary evidence, a photo or photos of you together are secondary

I did describe how we first met. I also included copies of my boarding passes and visa page from when I went to Moscow in August.

[baron555 934]

What about stamps in the passport?

Sounds like this is not the reason.

What about those Letters of Intent?

[dalatian 4]

It isn't. Hence, the RFE

Not necessarily true. To err is human. First, believe that the USCIS people have made mistakes. Second, check your petition package.

Edited February 14, 2012 by dalatian