The RFE Master List

[BexandAlan 0]

Hello VJ Friends

I wanted to update the RFE thread with our experience just in case it might help future filers.

Firstly we sent our package at the beginning of Feb but sadly USPS lost it and it never reached VSC - kind of irrelevant to this situation but just setting the scene ....

We re-sent a new package at the beginning of March and received NOA1 dated 3rd March 2008 (Yey) and then on the 6th March we received an RFE (Boo) and our whole package was returned to us. Unfortunately Alan had sent a cheque with the wrong amount - no biggy just a silly error. I had read on here that it wasn't a normal thing to get an RFE for and was surprised that they had registered our application (NOA1) and then returned the whole application to us. The way I understood it they should have done one or the other but not both. Well anyway we sent everything back the same day with the paperwork and new cheque enclosed. On the 12th March 2008 we received a new NOA1 with a different receipt number to the first one!

We put both numbers on the USCIS website to track them and called the RFE line to see if they could establish which number our application was actually coupled with. Alan spoke to 3 different people who had never heard of anyone being in this situation before and they advised us to make an infopass appointment in order to get it sorted. We never made an infopass due to the fact that it meant Alan would have to take a day off work to go and see them. He called USCIS again a couple of times and was eventually told that if there were two numbers they would be interlinked anyway so not to worry. They were really unhelpful on the phone line and because no one could give us any experience of this situation we did worry that it might cause us problems along the way.

ANYWAY...

We received our NOA2 on the 12th May 2008 for the second receipt number. We had no problems with the fact they had registered us twice and the 1st number has remained untouched since 6th March 2008 . The moral of the story is don't worry so much. Thats a lot easier to say now in all honesty, you read so often on VJ that people are held up because of problems caused by the USCIS. Well we were lucky and they used some sense I guess.

Good luck on your journeys

Bex xxx

[quarketry 0]

Great thread! Thanks to all who have contributed/shared - very valuable to us ...

So, to add our RFE experience:

May 13 - email notification of RFE (huge sinking feeling, as we were expecting our NOA2 any day)

May 13 - find and read this thread; feel somewhat less freaked out since so many of the stories did not seem too bad - assume we will need to provide additional Primary evidence of ongoing relationship/having met, or something more "official looking" for Amy's annulment in Philippines. Turns out we guess wrong [see below]

May 14 - our application was "touched" - looking back, this seems to be when the hard copy notice was mailed

May 16 - received RFE notice in mail, requesting two items:

1. That I check "Yes" or "No" for Question 2 of Part C on the original I-129F application - where we are asked to indicate if we have been convicted of any of the crimes listed below - and to sign in support of this. I look back at my copy of the I-129F application I submitted, amazed that I could have missed something so glaringly obvious on the form. Instead I see that there are no Yes/No checkboxes or place for signature on the original form ... only checkboxes for the various categories of crime they seem interested in. Am slightly confused ... but go ahead and sign where indicated on the RFE notice.

2. That I provide FULL copy of Divorce Decree from my first marriage (I had submitted just first page showing names, date of filing, and court stamp in original submission)

Mailed the packet off today, hopeful that we're back on track fairly quickly. But, want to post a question and a comment as a result of our experience:

Question: seeing that the I-129F form version "Rev. 05/23/06" does not have "Yes"/"No" checkboxes or signature space for Criminal Convictions Question on Page 3, I am left to wonder: wouldn't everyone get an RFE for this? Since I assume no, am wondering if anyone has any clarification? Or similar experience?

Comment/Advice: if submitting a Divorce Decree as supporting evidence that a previous marriage has been terminated, send the entire copy. This might be somewhat uncomfortable, given that your beneficiary might end up seeing some details of your prior life you might have wanted kept private, but if nothing else, the Visa process "inspires" (forces? ) openness, eh?

Best of luck to all on their VisaJourneys!

- Michael

[Nao 0]

So happy you got a nice officer. I think your timeframe is perfectly reasonable and best wishes to get the approval before the end of June. Have a great time together in July!

Hello everyone

We finally received an e-mail saying that the RFE letter was sent out today. Yay! Yay! Yay!

This is a big step forward for us. Now, we have to be really careful when we send them back the requested docs. When we receive the letter, I will post it here.

Thanks

Nao

[Nao 0]

Hello everyone.

Surprisingly, my fiancee received an RFE letter in mail today. Wow, it only took two days for the letter to be delivered. (Well, considering that my fiancee lives 40 mins away from CSC, it is usual that the letter gets delivered in two days...lol)

Anyway, the only things they want from us are two passport style photos of us....

The thing is that we included those with our original petition....

We are not sure whether they lost them or our photos did not meet their specification...They not explain why...

They tell us to follow the specification on the next page and there is no next page attached to the letter...

Mmmm.

Is there anything we should pay extra attention to when taking passport style photo?

Thanks

Nao

[NN1980 0]

Hello everyone.

Surprisingly, my fiancee received an RFE letter in mail today. Wow, it only took two days for the letter to be delivered. (Well, considering that my fiancee lives 40 mins away from CSC, it is usual that the letter gets delivered in two days...lol)

Anyway, the only things they want from us are two passport style photos of us....

The thing is that we included those with our original petition....

We are not sure whether they lost them or our photos did not meet their specification...They not explain why...

They tell us to follow the specification on the next page and there is no next page attached to the letter...

Mmmm.

Is there anything we should pay extra attention to when taking passport style photo?

Thanks

Nao

Hi,

I think sometimes they ask for more evidence even though we sent in the evidence originally. For example, my RFE they wanted more proof of relationship even though I sent them some pictures, emails, and chat logs to them. So as a response to the RFE I sent them more pictures and emails. I thought it was kinda odd. I think if you follow the instructions and send in some new passport photos again you should be fine. Standard passport photos that you get at Walgreens and any other place should be fine.

[Zubair 0]

Sometimes USCIS just loses part of your paperwork and sends a RFE (G-325A) and everything is delayed for two weeks

[Nao 0]

Sometimes USCIS just loses part of your paperwork and sends a RFE (G-325A) and everything is delayed for two weeks

Hello everone

We finally sent out our response to RFE on May 2nd.

We sent it out by FedEx (we were told by an officer that it gets to an adjudicator a little quicker if we send it in by private courier, which is very understandable.). It was delivered in the morning on May 3rd and was signed by N.LA BARRIE.

So, now it is at CSC and we have to wait for our response to get delivered to our adjudicator.

I have several questions here. I really appreciate it if you can provide us some advices.

How long did it take for you to receive an e-mail notice that they received your response?

(it seems that it takes about a week by looking at many people's timeline.)

How long did it take for you to receive your NOA2?

Thank you very much for your time and consideration

(I am going on a trip with my friends in the next three days, so I will check your reply and definately will reply back when I come back home from it.)

Thanks a lot

Have a great weekend

Nao

[ELW 5]

Congrats on getting the RFE sent in and have a great trip this weekend!

From our Timeline:

Jan 16, 2007: Touch & email about RFE

Jan 26, 2007: Received RFE (request for further evidence of meeting)

Jan 27, 2007: Sent in RFE info packet

Feb 5, 2007: Email that RFE had been received by USCIS

Feb 8, 2007: NOA2

[NN1980 0]

Sometimes USCIS just loses part of your paperwork and sends a RFE (G-325A) and everything is delayed for two weeks

Hello everone

We finally sent out our response to RFE on May 2nd.

We sent it out by FedEx (we were told by an officer that it gets to an adjudicator a little quicker if we send it in by private courier, which is very understandable.). It was delivered in the morning on May 3rd and was signed by N.LA BARRIE.

So, now it is at CSC and we have to wait for our response to get delivered to our adjudicator.

I have several questions here. I really appreciate it if you can provide us some advices.

How long did it take for you to receive an e-mail notice that they received your response?

(it seems that it takes about a week by looking at many people's timeline.)

How long did it take for you to receive your NOA2?

Thank you very much for your time and consideration

(I am going on a trip with my friends in the next three days, so I will check your reply and definately will reply back when I come back home from it.)

Thanks a lot

Have a great weekend

Nao

It took me almost 3 weeks to get an email notice that I got an NOA2. I sent in my RFE on May 13 and got the email on June 2nd.

[villaspurs 65]

I think I've read too much and am now just confusing myself... But I figured it would be worthwhile to check before sending!

My fiance and I are sending in our packet this week, and are including several forms of evidence:

Passport stamps (7 trips to the UK for me, 1 trip to the U.S. for him)

Boarding passes/itineraries

ATM receipts with corresponding bank statements

Apartment deposit/contract in Birmingham

Photos with corresponding ticket stubs (London Eye, Cleveland Indians game, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

I'm seriously hoping that this is enough evidence, but here is my question--do I need to send in the originals, or can I send copies of everything? My concern is that I will send in the originals and then the package will be lost (since I'm sending it from the UK).

Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

[ELW 5]

Your evidence sounds great! Please only send in COPIES. You may want to bring the originals for the Consulate interview late on.

Edited June 9, 2008 by ELW

[Nao 0]

Hello.

I am back from the trip with my friend. I went to Kyoto and Osaka and it was a wonderful trip.

Thank you so much for your response, ELW and NN1980.

We received an e-mail notice that said they received our RFE response on June 6.

There is no touch since then.

But, I guess a case sometimes gets approved all the sudden without a touch.

So, we will wait and see.

I hope our case gets approved in a few days. Please wish us luck.

Thanks a lot

Have a nice day.

Nao

[FormerBrit 0]

For my AOS, I got 2 RFE's, neither of which I could have avoided:

1) At my AOS biometrics, they could not read my fingerprints, despite taking them electronically many times, and then resorting to the old ink and paper method. In the end, they gave up and submitted what they had. Because of this, I received an RFE stating I had to get a "Certificate of Good Conduct" from the Virginia Police and from anywhere else I had lived during my time in the US.

2) They must have lost my medical reports from my I-129F stage... I got a second RFE saying I had to redo the FULL medical at my own cost at a US civil surgeon's office.

I just went along and these, no questions asked....

Kiki

Edited June 11, 2008 by KikiDoug

[ACT1428 0]

Hi Fellow VJ'ers,

We just got a notice of RFE via the USCIS Website on June 9, 2008 informing us of Request for Additional Evidence Sent. We got the notice in the mail on June 11, 2008.

The RFE we got included the ff:

1. Special Envelope with USCIS Return Address;

2. I-797E - Notice of Action

3. Initial Evidence Request (page 2) RE OMITTED ITEMS and Instructions on Completing the Items encircled in Red on the Attached Copy of the Petition

4. Part C (Other Information), of Form 129F of the Petition we sent which contains questions about 1. serving in the Armed Forces oversees, 2. have you been convicted of by a court of law, 3. providing information about a crime... . My Fiance left them blank since none of the questions applied to her. And the questions were phrased "1. If you are serving in the Armed Forces, please answer the ff:..."

We are mailing back our reply tomorrow, June 12, 2008. Here's keeping our fingers crossed and faster approval times for all of us

MORAL OF THE STORY:

DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING BLANK. JUST WRITE NONE IF THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU.

The I-797E- Notice of Action and Initial Evidence Request we received contained the Instructions, "If any item does not apply, please write NONE. N/A is not an appropriate response."

Hope this helps.

[Nao 0]

Dear Everyone

My fiancee received an e-mail approval notice last night

NOA2 is on its way to my fiancee's apartment. Yay!!!

This is our RFE timeline:

6/2: sent out RFE via FedEx

6/6: received an e-mail notice that USCIS received our response

6/12: received an e-mail notice that our petition was approved

We were surprised that our case got approved that quickly.

It was such such a long time for us to get to this point. It has almost been eight month since we received our NOA1.

Yes, we made it through

Now, there are only two more steps left; NVC and U.S. embassy in Tokyo.

I hope the rest of the process goes quickly.

I really appreciate those who gave us lots of advices and who supported us through this. Thank

you sooo much. Without you, this USCIS nightmare could have been even worse.

Thanks a lot.

Have a nice day.

Nao