RFE Proof of Meeting

[Cori and Rob 55]

Hi all. Just to give you a little background, I filed for a K1 visa using an attorney before I discovered VJ, and I've regretted it ever since finding this website. That said, I got an RFE (email notification 7/13, hardcopy was received by the lawyer today). I'm not sure if I'll actually get a hard copy of the RFE- kinda hoping I will because I don't trust my lawyer- but as of now, the lawyer is the only one who got it. It said we need proof of meeting. Here is what I gave the lawyer to send in the initial filing:

1. 14 Pictures printed on 5 pages, each picture containing a description of location, the date it was taken, and names of individuals in each picture (mostly us, but sometimes family and friends with us).

2. Flight itineraries from both Rob and myself for each visit

3. Hotel itineraries for my visits (he always stayed at my place when he was here).

4. Passport pictures and stamps (did not submit all the blank pages, just the stamped ones and the front page with the identification part)

5. Receipts from a few things from my one of my visits to London (train tickets mostly from December of 2010).

6. Not that it's proof that we met in person (of course we did, though), but I also submitted about 30 emails and handwritten cards and letters.

I'm thinking the two things I should do are get copies of every page of both of our passports and see if I can try to scrounge up actual boarding passes from our visits. Admittedly, I'm not the most sentimental person so I probably don't have that many boarding passes. Anyway, the lawyer is saying that all I submit is the passport. I obviously have little trust in the lawyer, and I'm turning to you fine (and smarter) people to perhaps give me some direction about what else I can/should provide. Should I resubmit the evidence that was previously submitted?

Any help you can provide will be appreciated

[Xanax 349]

That sounds like heaps. Yes resumbit it all (yourself).

I did think the pictures had to be printed and actual pictures (I mean not just like computer printed).

I think we sent 5 pictures in total. That being said I believe photos are secondary evidence.

I will keep thinking, but I can't see what else they need!

Maybe someone else will chime in!

Edit: thoughts: passport copy all pages back and front, include actual boarding passes for flights, copies of your hotel receipts with both names on it, possible an affidavit from friends or family saying you were all together in X place, receipts from things you did together that have your names on them (like of you took a boat ride or something where your names and time is on the ticket).

Edited July 18, 2012 by Xanax

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Are you 100% sure your lawyer submitted everything you gave them? You provided a lot more than I did!

What was written for question 18 on your I-129F form?

[L+T 71]

Are you 100% sure your lawyer submitted everything you gave them? You provided a lot more than I did!

What was written for question 18 on your I-129F form?

I agree, are you sure the RFE is for proof of meeting or is it for the written circumstance of meeting? Tell your lawyer to send you a copy of the RFE. Perhaps they want to know HOW you met, not DID you meet. Both are required.

Edited July 19, 2012 by L+T

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

This is insane, I replied this once already and nothing here to show for it, lol...

Okay, have your attorney send you a copy of your filed petition. I have a feeling he/she didn't submit everything.

I had this happen to me so it can and does happen. If you have never received a copy of the petition, you NEED to have it, actually 2 copies, one for you and one for your fiance. Be sure they send you two copies.

[Cori and Rob 55]

I wish I could say for certain that everything I gave was submitted (the lawyer was the one who told me what to give, after all), but since I didn't get to see the final package before it was shipped off, I really don't know. I know I gave all that to them (and more) neatly organized.

As for what is filled out on the form, I also don't know. After I got the RFE on Friday, I asked to get a copy of the entire package back because Rob and I want to file the rest of everything on our own, but the legal assistant told me I couldn't have everything back and I'd have to talk to the lawyer directly. Unfortunately, I haven't directly spoken to the lawyer yet, and all the information I've received has been relayed through this legal assistant. Honestly, I could write an entire topic about why lawyers make this process more difficult.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Cori and Rob

[Cori and Rob 55]

I agree, are you sure the RFE is for proof of meeting or is it for the written circumstance of meeting? Tell your lawyer to send you a copy of the RFE. Perhaps they want to know HOW you met, not DID you meet. Both are required.

That is great advice. I wanted to send the information needed right away, but I'd rather be sure I am sending the right information. The legal assistant did say that the recommended evidence to provide according to what was written on the RFE was a complete copy of the stamped passport and that it said proof of meeting, but I agree, I was a little surprised when I hear that was what the RFE was for. I really thought it was going to be a bad UK passport picture or something.

[L+T 71]

That is great advice. I wanted to send the information needed right away, but I'd rather be sure I am sending the right information. The legal assistant did say that the recommended evidence to provide according to what was written on the RFE was a complete copy of the stamped passport and that it said proof of meeting, but I agree, I was a little surprised when I hear that was what the RFE was for. I really thought it was going to be a bad UK passport picture or something.

See this recent thread. It is about confusion in this exact same thing.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/378265-rfe-circumstances-of-meeting/

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I wish I could say for certain that everything I gave was submitted (the lawyer was the one who told me what to give, after all), but since I didn't get to see the final package before it was shipped off, so I really don't know. I know I gave all that to them (and more) neatly organized.

As for what is filled out on the form, I also don't know. After I got the RFE on Friday, I asked to get a copy of the entire package back because Rob and I want to file the rest of everything on our own, but the legal assistant told me I couldn't have everything back and I'd have to talk to the lawyer directly. Unfortunately, I haven't directly spoken to the lawyer yet, and all the information I've received has been relayed through this legal assistant. Honestly, I could write an entire topic about why lawyers make this process more difficult.

It is YOUR file and you are entitled to YOUR file if you request it. The legal assistant is right that she cannot give it to you without first speaking to the attorney, but she can pass on your request and the attorney should approve it. They are permitted to remove their internal memos, handwritten notes and things like that but they MUST give you the originals of anything submitted or received during the process (usually the originals). They can keep copies.

[L+T 71]

It is YOUR file and you are entitled to YOUR file if you request it. The legal assistant is right that she cannot give it to you without first speaking to the attorney, but she can pass on your request and the attorney should approve it. They are permitted to remove their internal memos, handwritten notes and things like that but they MUST give you the originals of anything submitted or received during the process (usually the originals). They can keep copies.

After paying the bill, the lawyer just doesn't want them to see how little work they actually did (incorrectly).

[P+J 47]

Hi all. Just to give you a little background, I filed for a K1 visa using an attorney before I discovered VJ, and I've regretted it ever since finding this website. That said, I got an RFE (email notification 7/13, hardcopy was received by the lawyer today). I'm not sure if I'll actually get a hard copy of the RFE- kinda hoping I will because I don't trust my lawyer- but as of now, the lawyer is the only one who got it. It said we need proof of meeting. Here is what I gave the lawyer to send in the initial filing:

1. 14 Pictures printed on 5 pages, each picture containing a description of location, the date it was taken, and names of individuals in each picture (mostly us, but sometimes family and friends with us).

2. Flight itineraries from both Rob and myself for each visit

3. Hotel itineraries for my visits (he always stayed at my place when he was here).

4. Passport pictures and stamps (did not submit all the blank pages, just the stamped ones and the front page with the identification part)

5. Receipts from a few things from my one of my visits to London (train tickets mostly from December of 2010).

6. Not that it's proof that we met in person (of course we did, though), but I also submitted about 30 emails and handwritten cards and letters.

I'm thinking the two things I should do are get copies of every page of both of our passports and see if I can try to scrounge up actual boarding passes from our visits. Admittedly, I'm not the most sentimental person so I probably don't have that many boarding passes. Anyway, the lawyer is saying that all I submit is the passport. I obviously have little trust in the lawyer, and I'm turning to you fine (and smarter) people to perhaps give me some direction about what else I can/should provide. Should I resubmit the evidence that was previously submitted?

Any help you can provide will be appreciated

Other than submitting copies of the boarding passes, I have absolutely no clue how you would respond to this RFE. You should have satisfied the requirement merely with the passport pictures and stamps (in addition to all the extra proof you submitted which was secondary evidence anyway). Sounds like someone lost something along the way, or there was a mistake that occurred during adjudicative review of the petition. Maybe describe the circumstances of the meeting? Although really the only requirement is the submission of proof that a meeting occurred a maximum of 2 years before filing the petition. Even if the passport stamps weren't dated they should have aligned with the itineraries. A strange RFE indeed. Especially if it asked for proof of meeting. You already provided the evidence....

[JnB 6]

As what everyone is suggesting here:

1. Make sure you get a copy of the actual RFE letter.

2. Make sure you get a complete copy of what was submitted (I-129F package) by your lawyer.

3. Respond to the RFE yourself.

4. Fire your lawyer.

I agree with everyone else here, either your lawyer didn't submit everything you provided or the RFE is actually them asking how you met.

I send the same thing you've listed and I got approve without RFE.

Good luck!

Edited July 19, 2012 by JnB

[Ryan&Rain 1]

i wonder if you have wrote the history of your relationship progression? or do you think it is detailed enough?

[P+J 47]

i wonder if you have wrote the history of your relationship progression? or do you think it is detailed enough?

They usually don't need such intricate details and even an interview conducted with a Service Center Director (VSC) and a former adjudicator indicated an emphasis upon establishing that a meeting occurred within the past two years as the most important criteria. I did include circumstances of meeting with my petition in addition to the above evidence. It was merely a paragraph, but it simply stated that I met her while she was on her J1 Work and Travel. It's unfortunate that they would have RFE'd you for something like that. Must have been an adjudicator on a bad day.

[HelenBradley 28]

As for what is filled out on the form, I also don't know.

Is this because you are the beneficiary? If your fiance filled in the form they would know what was written there, since they would have signed the form before it was sent.

I would submit a written request to your lawyer for the RFE and copy of the initial packet. Unless you have a situation that might make filing alone difficult (arrests etc), you can do the rest alone with the help of VJ!