RFE -- detailed anal highlighting fanatic

[KnJ 0]

So in response to my 11/21 RFE I ordered credit card statements and bank statements all the way back to 2009 through 12/2012.

I am now in the process of highlighting all relevant transactions

-- green related to joint expenditures on the joint credit and bank -- stuff we've both written checks for, like rent, and expenses like wedding rings and honeymoon or family expenses

-- blue related to my own earnings and expenditures that show on the joint accounts

-- yellow related to J's earnings and expenditures that show on the joint accounts

I also got a letter from the bank stating how long the account's been open and the average balance during that time

I also got a letter from the auto insurance stating the date I was added to the policy

I am also drafting a cover letter that states:

1. Everything enclosed that addresses gaps mentioned in the RFE

2. One additional document (supplementary health insurance I got to cover the gap before I was married)

Then adding two addendums, one for bank statements and one for credit cards wherein I list all transactions highlighted in *green* (most of the blue and yellow is self-explanatory, such as auto payments for utilities, and paychecks).

So that rather than just highlighting transactions and images of checks, I'm actually showing things and explaining them (like the check we wrote to J's mom reimbursing her for Nutcracker tickets when we went to see that with her)

Am I going overboard?

Also thinking of including passport stamps on J's passport showing he visited Canada with me. (I didn't save boarding passes, unfortunately)

I'm a disorganized fool, but this is making me get really #######. I don't want to fail to provide evidence.

But literally it's a stack of paper, I can't even imagine how much this is going to cost me to mail to VSC.

Can I get validation? Should I keep going since I started? Should I ditch the addendums and stick to just highlighting relevant transactions? (Highlights are already committed on some statements, whereas any cover letter or addendum could be simply abandoned and they wouldn't know the difference).

K

(still considering whether all the therapist bills should be highlighted..... )

[KnJ 0]

Also, I bought sticky flags. I am not sure whether I'll need them. At first I thought I might, to draw attention to important items in the giant stack of paper I'm sending. Not sure.

Seriously going bonkers over here!

I have til February but really would like to get this in ASAP, obviously

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Yes you are going overboard. it will just look like an undecipherable rainbow to an IO.

[Laura & Kyle 16]

I think you are going a bit overboard. I also tried color coding my different bank statements by month and year and then used sticky flags to separate other pieces of additional evidence. However, I wanted to make a copy of all the evidence I was sending them, and had to remove all of those things to make the copies at Kinkos/FedEx. I ended up just using a BRIGHT BLUE piece of paper (that I labeled with a silver sharpie) in between the different sections of evidence in the order presented on my cover sheet. I did also use some paperclips for a few documents (the tax return transcripts, etc.).

Overall, it was over 200 pages that I sent in my RFE. I think I went overboard myself. There is such a thing as going overboard to the point of causing confusion. Good luck!

Edited December 18, 2012 by Laura & Kyle

[KnJ 0]

Yes you are going overboard. it will just look like an undecipherable rainbow to an IO.

Hence the cover letter;

so I should skip any annotation and just send stuff blank, for them to wade through hundreds of pages?

I suppose a few months of highlighted statements is better than the entire thing being, as you said, a rainbow of highlighting.

I think you are going a bit overboard. I also tried color coding my different bank statements by month and year and then used sticky flags to separate other pieces of additional evidence. However, I wanted to make a copy of all the evidence I was sending them, and had to remove all of those things to make the copies at Kinkos/FedEx. I ended up just using a BRIGHT BLUE piece of paper (that I labeled with a silver sharpie) in between the different sections of evidence in the order presented on my cover sheet. I did also use some paperclips for a few documents (the tax return transcripts, etc.).

Overall, it was over 200 pages that I sent in my RFE. I think I went overboard myself. There is such a thing as going overboard to the point of causing confusion. Good luck!

Okay.

The pieces of paper in between the sections makes sense

And a cover sheet, maybe is a good thing, but I don't have to itemize (ie interpret) the statements in the cover letter, to prove anything?

Just let the evidence speak for itself..?

Thanks guys.

Edited December 18, 2012 by KnJ

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

They want to see activity on the account. They aren't interested in how you spend your money, just that there is activity. They don't care about Nutcracker tickets... really.

What did you send in initially? I think your response to the RFE indicates a misunderstanding that was also present at the initial submission.

Maybe better advice could be given if we could see what holes the initial application had. Did you send in zero bank statements the first time? What was in your initial package?

[missmissy 38]

I'll validate you! We received an RFE in October and it took me a month to gather what I "thought" they wanted. I sent over 6 pounds of paper to them. I highlited AND put notes all over it all, and I separated everything by colored paper. We got the text message last night - card production ordered.

If you didn't get an RFE, it's easy to brush this off and tell others to take it easy. However, having had an RFE - we freaked out. We are in our 50's and our lives are not as merged as other, younger couples are. We had to dig deep to find enough to send, thankfully - it was enough. Maybe the notes and highliting helped.

[bigdog 376]

I'll validate you! We received an RFE in October and it took me a month to gather what I "thought" they wanted. I sent over 6 pounds of paper to them. I highlited AND put notes all over it all, and I separated everything by colored paper. We got the text message last night - card production ordered.

If you didn't get an RFE, it's easy to brush this off and tell others to take it easy. However, having had an RFE - we freaked out. We are in our 50's and our lives are not as merged as other, younger couples are. We had to dig deep to find enough to send, thankfully - it was enough. Maybe the notes and highliting helped.

:thumbs:Good to hear real advice.

[Alijan 0]

I'll validate you! We received an RFE in October and it took me a month to gather what I "thought" they wanted. I sent over 6 pounds of paper to them. I highlited AND put notes all over it all, and I separated everything by colored paper. We got the text message last night - card production ordered.

If you didn't get an RFE, it's easy to brush this off and tell others to take it easy. However, having had an RFE - we freaked out. We are in our 50's and our lives are not as merged as other, younger couples are. We had to dig deep to find enough to send, thankfully - it was enough. Maybe the notes and highliting helped.

how come they updated your status , they never did to me i keep checking the uscis website it still shows the same things that they received my papers on july 2011 thats it , and i got RFE , they never updated i got interview they never updated yet

[ceadsearc 516]

What did you send originally? Without knowing that it is hard to say if you are being excessive.

Were it me, I'd probably send the statements but not highlight everything. They want to see continued activity, like Harpa said. I might highlight a few major things, but not everything.

[Dana and Divine 61]

Also, I bought sticky flags. I am not sure whether I'll need them. At first I thought I might, to draw attention to important items in the giant stack of paper I'm sending. Not sure.

Seriously going bonkers over here!

I have til February but really would like to get this in ASAP, obviously

If the RFE was to address gaps, organize all documentation into Monthly folders or Month/Year. They can easily see what was happening in the gapped time frames. Just include a cover letter and address each month/year they mention in the RFE.

[hikergirl 277]

KnJ: You are after my heart.

On our initial application I bought tiny little return address stickers and had petitioner’s name and DOB and stuck them at the top of each piece of evidence (in case they took our package apart) and then used the 3M Sticky tabs to label each section to make it really obvious to the adjudicator.

It wouldn’t hurt to highlight your different paycheques and then joint household expenses(rent, utilities). That way you’re showing that you both put money into the account and use the account for your living.

I wish you good luck and speediness for your approval!

[Laura & Kyle 16]

Okay.

The pieces of paper in between the sections makes sense

And a cover sheet, maybe is a good thing, but I don't have to itemize (ie interpret) the statements in the cover letter, to prove anything?

Just let the evidence speak for itself..?

Thanks guys.

I did itemize my cover letter, but I left off longer explanations. Here is a major part of our cover letter for the RFE. We did include a concluding paragraph in the cover letter stating that we do not have children as of yet (as that was listed as a way of showing a "valid" marriage) and other things that we wanted to briefly mention. Hope this helps!

Dear USCIS examiner:

Please find in the following section copies of additional evidence as suggested in the RFE letter we received in late October, 2012.

Evidence that we resided together and shared responsibility for a common residence

Joint renter's insurance pages from ......... Insurance for the dates of 1/9/10 - 9/8/11

Evidence that we have combined financial resources

Joint checking account statements

Letter from ....... Bank stating when account became joint

........... Bank - Every other month from 07/2010 to present

............. - Every other month from 9/2010 to present

Life Insurance Policies showing spouse as beneficiary

life insurance letter and print-out

life insurance pages

Joint federal tax returns

Tax Return Transcript - Tax Period Ending Dec. 31, 2009

Tax Return Transcript - Tax Period Ending Dec. 31, 2010

Tax Return Transcript - Tax Period Ending Dec. 31, 2011

Joint utility bills

Statement showing 11 bills paid for ..................

Statement showing 13 bills paid for ...................

Letters(2) from Power stating service dates of 1/5/10 - Current

Billing/payment summary for 4/28/2011 - 10/16/2012

Bill statements - 4/11, every other month from 10/2011 - Current

Joint installment loan

Auto account details

Auto payment details

Evidence of estate, health, and financial planning arrangements with each other

Will of ................

Will of ...............

Affidavits from third parties who have knowledge of the bona fides of our marital relationship

name1

name2

name3

name4

Other relevant documents

Auto Insurance-Updated

Letter from............stating auto insurance from 12/8/09 - 3/17/2012

.............. auto insurance coverage summary for 3/16/2012 - 9/16/2012

............. auto insurance coverage summary for 9/16/2012 - 3/16/2013

Vacation Information

Quote and down payment email

Online check-in email for recent vacation

[Chicagoguy 2 27]

For a short time we had a member here who worked at the Vermont center. He said these big packets were very anoying. Imagine you are the clerk. But these clerks are not the ones making the decsions. He added "Just follow the instructions"

[Laura & Kyle 16]

For a short time we had a member here who worked at the Vermont center. He said these big packets were very anoying. Imagine you are the clerk. But these clerks are not the ones making the decsions. He added "Just follow the instructions"

While I can understand that the big packets may be very annoying, I frankly do not care what the clerk thinks because I felt we provided enough information the 1st time and still received an RFE. The USCIS will most definitely be getting a bigger packet with the RFE so they see the big picture. I don't want them to have a question or doubt in their mind that we are not in a marriage of good faith.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Laura & Kyle