The RFE Master List

[Johnnie Oz 0]

Got a RFE for the I-485 AOS after going through the K1 process. Received yday, 3/13, dated 3/5!!! Had the biometrics done on 3/8.

As seems to happen every so often: part of the application disappeared somewhere between the Chicago Lockbox and Missouri.

In our case, it was the applicant's birth certificate. And yes, it was submitted along with everything else!!!

So what gives? Perhaps they lost it. Or "misplaced" it.

But looking over the Swedish birth certificate, perhaps they just got confused.

It is not called a birth certificate but an "extract of the population register" or a "personbevis" in Swedish. Moreover, it doesn't say "date of birth" anywhere, but instead uses the "personal ID nr". This Swedish creation is like a Soc Sec nr, but it includes a person's birthdate plus a few extra digits.

Maybe the officer got confused by this.

Finally, this official document is actually in English and not Swedish. There are versions of the birth certificate in English, Somali, Finnish etc in addition to Swedish. Again, maybe the officer got confused since there was no Swedish language document and thought the original was in fact some kind of translation when it was not...

This cuts to the heart of the problem with the RFE letters we get. They do not contain enough information. We cannot tell if they lost e.g. the birth certificate or if they simply weren't satisfied with what they received. A quick phone call or e-mail could resolve this, but that seems impossible via the MISinformation line.

Anyone had success with a service request? Just calling and getting some answers. Something like "please look at the evidence I sent you. OK. That thing called extract of the population register is actually a birth certificate. You can verify this through the US Embassy in Stockholm or various other sources. OK? Thanks."

Anywho, sending the birth cert again, along with a letter explaining that it IS a birth certificate. Also, we've included printouts from the State Department and Swedish authorities explaining this. Good grief....

[ELW 5]

In my own opinion, you are doing the right thing in just sending the physical evidence again, along with a detailed explanation letter. Just offering the vocal info via phone is probably not going to help anything.

[psiprez 3]

WE just got an RFE, but it's for something simple...

What they are asking for is related to my previous marriage, as I would have guessed. They are asking for more proof that I had changed my name from my maiden name to my ex's when we got married (I haven't switched back).

So what they are asking for is:

1. Another copy of my birth certificate.

2. Another copy of my marriage certificate.

3. A copy of my old passport, which was issued in my maiden name. You'd think their system would show that I was issued a new passport in my married name, but I guess not.

I could also send copies of my old and new SS cards. Can't hurt!

Maybe my birth certificate looks a bit shady to them. You see, the computerized county records where I was born here in NJ were hacked and thousands of identities were stolen a few years ago. So the State of NJ declared all birth certificates ever issued in that county to be invalid. I had to go through the State of NJ to get a "new" birth certificate issued, and it looks much different from other birth certificates in NJ.

Either way, it will all be in the mail at 8:30am Monday!

[B'sA 0]

Didn't expirience this personally, but a couple got an RFe for living blank in the previous marriage question section on the I129F.

[debbylyn 0]

We got our RFE in the mail today. It was for just what I guessed, An official SIGNED copy of Barry's decree absolute. Seems the stamped copy sent out from the court there in the UK is not sufficient.

[Charliehereforyou 0]

I AM SO EXCITED I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO POST THIS. OUR K-1 VISA WAS RECEIVED IN VERMONT ON 2-22-08 AND APPROVED ON 3-14-08.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Herolmounia 0]

We got our RFE in the mail today. It was for just what I guessed, An official SIGNED copy of Barry's decree absolute. Seems the stamped copy sent out from the court there in the UK is not sufficient.

Hi !!!

could someone please help me !!!

i ve just received RFE and it says

You MUST provide “certified copies of all court and police records showing the charges and dispositions for every such conviction. This is required even if your records were sealed or otherwise cleared or if anyone, including a judge, law enforcement officer, or attorney, told you that you no longer have a record.â€

although my fiance indicated on the I-129F form that he has never been convicted of the crimes outlined on it, a government search of his records came back that he has been.

does anyone has the same RFE ??

does anyone knows if bad police report affect K1 visa????

PLEASE HELP

Edited March 17, 2008 by Herolmounia

[R de la R 2]

I AM SO EXCITED I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO POST THIS. OUR K-1 VISA WAS RECEIVED IN VERMONT ON 2-22-08 AND APPROVED ON 3-14-08.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations.

Lucky couple, it was fast.

[Nao 0]

That may be excellent advice for some situations, but not "always". In our case, we went through the whole process without ever sending in the USC's birth certificate at all (we used the passport to provide proof of citizenship).

Oh no. I sent only the "short form" of my birth certificate. Our state does have a long form option but it takes 6 weeks to obtain. And I didn't send copies of my passport pages.

Is it possible to make an addendum to an I-129F that's waiting for review. I already received NOA1 with case number. I wonder if I can "pre-empt" the RFE by sending my passport copies?

Thanks,

3AD

Hello.

I am not sure whether this is the right place to post this...

But, if anyone can answer my question, I greatly appreciate your help.

So, with regard to RFE, when do USCIS(My application is at CSC) actually send out

RFE? I believe that there are different divisions or stages which our applications go through

before they finally reach an adjucator. So, if they thought they want more evidence before it was handed to an adjucator, do they send us RFE then? Or, do they wait till it gets to an adjucator even though they are gonna RFE us anyway?

Since I am reaching 180days from NOA1 date and have not heard anything from CSC, I am afraid whether they will RFE us after 6 months of wait..... It would be really really bad.....

I am sorry if my question above is not clear.

I hope to hear some answers soon.

Thanks for your time.

[ELW 5]

Nao, I think the packet is received and only basic things are checked quickly, like the amount of the check and valid application date (new, updated forms come out now and then). After which, they send out the NOA1.

After that, the file waits for months in a storage room until an adjudicator gets to it (first come, first served - and they are ALWAYS waaaay behind ). Then, all your paperwork is gone through carefully and it is at this stage that an RFE, if any, is sent out. So basically, the RFE is usually sent out at the very last stage of processing. On the bright side, if you get an RFE, your files remains at the top of the pile and as soon as you send in the needed info, the file is usually approved quickly.

Wishing you good luck for an approval soon!

[Nao 0]

Nao, I think the packet is received and only basic things are checked quickly, like the amount of the check and valid application date (new, updated forms come out now and then). After which, they send out the NOA1.

After that, the file waits for months in a storage room until an adjudicator gets to it (first come, first served - and they are ALWAYS waaaay behind ). Then, all your paperwork is gone through carefully and it is at this stage that an RFE, if any, is sent out. So basically, the RFE is usually sent out at the very last stage of processing. On the bright side, if you get an RFE, your files remains at the top of the pile and as soon as you send in the needed info, the file is usually approved quickly.

Wishing you good luck for an approval soon!

ELW, Thanks a lot for your reply.

Ic... I guess our application was in the storage room for way too long(five and half months.......)

Anyway, I am glad to know that our file stays on top of the pile if we receive an RFE.

I thought there would be another few months of wait because of an RFE...

It has been almost two weeks since our file was assigned to an adjucator.

We hope we do not receive an RFE. But while waiting, we will check this discussion forum and learn what to do

in case we receive an RFE.

Thanks a lot

[william_wallace 8]

Last time I only sent in my itinerary because I was in the U.S while we sent out the packet but this time I will send the Boardingpasses as well...because I flew already back home, before I din't had my boarding passes...do you have any other idea what we should send??

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Nina

The itinerary definitely won't be enough. Anyone can produce an itinerary without having done any travel at all. Boarding passes are very good proof given they are difficult to fake and actually proves that you traveled.

Primary evidence:

Exit/entry visa stamps, airline ticket boarding passes, hotel receipts, ATM withdrawals in the subject country/city, apartment leases in both names, utility bills, etc. (for those that have lived together) are irrefutable as primary evidence.

Secondary evidence:

Photos, bus tickets, engagement ring receipts, affidavits from family/friends may be used to supplement weak primary evidence if the primary evidence can not stand alone on its own merits.

Not at all. I was asking basically if you sent any record of purchase of the ticket. Also did you print anything out showing the itinerary. Just trying to offer up some suggestions.

and my passport entry stamps and so forth, so I'll be adding those, as well.

Thanks! I appreciate your thoughts.

This is very good evidence but remember that if you traveled to someplace other than where your fiance(e) lives, say someplace in between e.g. a different city, a third country whereby it is clear you were there but it's not clear that your S.O. was also there at the same time, then all the passport entry /exit stamps and airline boarding passes in the world won't make your case.

I'm not sure if this situation applies to you but if it does be sure to prove somehow that both of you were there, wherever "there" might have been, at the same time.

It is probably best to explain your evidence piece by piece on a separate piece of paper, particularly if your travels were difficult to understand.

P.S. The affidavits from family/friends can't hurt as well as an explanation from you that you stayed with him/her and did not use hotels, etc.

Im from Scotland and my fiance is from South Carolina. Upto now we have met 4 times. Twice in Toronto and twice she came to Scotland. The first time we met was in Toronto. The reason we met there was because i was already married to a US citizen and wasnt sure if i could re enter the US or not. I didnt want to take the chance on a ban. I know its confussing lol. So i flew to Toronto from Glasgow and she drove up. I stayed there from 4 months as i knew a few friends there. The second time she came up by flight. All the dates etc will be confusing i'm sure for when we file for the K1. Does anyone have any ideas on whats the best way we can prove for primary evidence we met in Canada? We have plenty secondry eg- photos of CN Tower together, she has a boarding pass for the second visit but nothing really concrete for the first.

Thanks

Thanks

[ELW 5]

You can copy passport stamps and send copies of things like proof you changed money, a notarized Affidavit from the friends you stayed with, and any travel itinerary you may have. Actually the second trip is more recent so most important. Sounds like you have plenty of proof, at any rate!

[debbylyn 0]

as for length of time after submitting the RFE...I mailed mine back from the UK on March 22 and as of today CSC has not entered it into their system yet. I spoke with someone there today who told me it can take 2 1/2 to 3 weeks from the time their mailroom time stamps it until it gets to the desk of the officer assigned to the case. So if you receive an RFE...it can hold you up for a month or more....

[SterlingGirl 1]

I've read a few things in this thread that have made me nervous - the biggest is that even having boarding passes/stamps/pictures sometimes doesn't seem to convince the adjudicators.

I sent them every single boarding pass my fiance had when he visited. The trip went something like this for him: London-NYC-Cinncinati-my airport. I put all of his boarding passes in order of his connecting flights, both for his arrival and his departure. Are they going to look at those connecting flights and decide those passes don't prove he was in my state (even though we HAVE the boarding pass that puts him in the airport in my state). We also had a passport stamp, but I've been hearing about entry/exit stamps. He only had one stamp, with "WT" signed on it. Other than that, there is nothing else on any of the pages of his passport. Was sending just that one stamp for nothing?

It's so frustrating thinking of what some people will accept and what others won't accept.