The RFE Master List

[Dissonantly 5]

I haven't had an RFE yet, but I'm expecting one or two. I have no idea where I read this, but apparently someone's passport pictures were the wrong size and they got an RFE. My fiance's passport photo was bigger than mine in length, so I'm thinking I will probably get an RFE there. But to me it seems like a simple fix, just chop some of it off, ya know?

Also, I did not send in my fiance's boarding passes, but he scanned them and sent them to me. My printer only prints black&white so you can't see the edges too clearly. So, I am expecting an RFE there as well.

Can anyone provide reassurance?

[Djarian2000 5]

It's crazy. It all depends on the CO. Just hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.

[DIME777 3]

I just sent off my I-129F petetion on March 11, 2013 and recieved a text and email that my petetion had been recieved and routed to the VSC on March 19, 2013. I followed this website's guide to the exact detail, but I'm concerned about something I've read that other posters have gotten an RFE for....financial information? I was under the impression that I didn't have to worry about that until I recieved a NOA2. What is the correct requrement? will I get an RFE for not submitting the affidavit of support at the petetion phase? Someone please advise

Edited March 20, 2013 by DIME777

[Meghan86 1]

Hello everyone...I've got a question and am hoping that someone else has experienced something similar.

On 3/18, I received a notification of an RFE - the ususal...my case is suspended until I reply. I'm waiting on the hard copy to find out exactly what they need. Today, 3/20, my case status was updated again with an RFE notification. I called USCIS and they refused to tell me if it's a duplicate or if it's a separate RFE that will need a response.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[pakistank1visa 0]

I just recieved news that my check for the I-129F was cashed and I am still awaiting the NOA1, I'm concerned because of my fiance was living in britain on a student visa (I met him in britain) and left back to pakistan after the visa expired. Will there be any questions about police clearance in later interviews and will they be for britain, or pakistan?

[XiaoyunJohnson 3]

Hello everyone...I've got a question and am hoping that someone else has experienced something similar.

On 3/18, I received a notification of an RFE - the ususal...my case is suspended until I reply. I'm waiting on the hard copy to find out exactly what they need. Today, 3/20, my case status was updated again with an RFE notification. I called USCIS and they refused to tell me if it's a duplicate or if it's a separate RFE that will need a response.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Yes, it happened to us,too. My friend who also got a rfe explain to me that the first update is the vsc notice us we got a rfe, the second update is the date vsc really send the mail out to us.we got the second update on march 18th, still waiting for the hardcopy,,,

[cellas 1]

I'm still confused, about affidavit need to submit with I-129f or later when beneficiary getting interview at USEM

Based on my experience,No, you don't need to submit the affidavit with I-129f. You will need the affidavit when you have the interview at the embassy, but it's better to have it ready as the papers might take a while to complete. Good luck!

[Meghan86 1]

Yes, it happened to us,too. My friend who also got a rfe explain to me that the first update is the vsc notice us we got a rfe, the second update is the date vsc really send the mail out to us.we got the second update on march 18th, still waiting for the hardcopy,,,

That makes sense! I hope that's the case.

[Laila.Jawad 12]

Hello everyone...I've got a question and am hoping that someone else has experienced something similar.

On 3/18, I received a notification of an RFE - the ususal...my case is suspended until I reply. I'm waiting on the hard copy to find out exactly what they need. Today, 3/20, my case status was updated again with an RFE notification. I called USCIS and they refused to tell me if it's a duplicate or if it's a separate RFE that will need a response.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Same thing happened to me and it's just one rfe and after i sent back the rfe documents I reviewed another texts that they received my rfe and will let me know of any further rfe or decision in about 60 days

[reginaglenn 25]

Hello everyone...I've got a question and am hoping that someone else has experienced something similar.

On 3/18, I received a notification of an RFE - the ususal...my case is suspended until I reply. I'm waiting on the hard copy to find out exactly what they need. Today, 3/20, my case status was updated again with an RFE notification. I called USCIS and they refused to tell me if it's a duplicate or if it's a separate RFE that will need a response.

Has this happened to anyone else?

It's only one RFE. We got our RFE notices Feb 20, and Feb 25,.. we received the hardcopy on the 28th. It's the same one. Maybe they change it's date, on the day they finally mailed it off. No worries.

[Protocol417 161]

This is where this thread is going to confuse many. Getting an RFE for lack of evidence to prove you have met in the past two years almost always is due to a lack of primary evidence. Supplying more, or many photos (secondary evidence) will usually not overcome the burden of proof.

This has been borne out time and again by USCIS decisions whereby they have found mostly in favor of primary evidence and rejected secondary evidence such as photos when submitted as sole proof.

Primary evidence is documentary in nature: airline boarding passes, passport exit/entry stamps, hotel receipts, atm withdrawals in city of question, utility bills, apartment leases, etc.

Secondary evidence The USCIS defines secondary evidence as any documentation that can be used to supplement primary evidence but in itself cannot stand alone to prove ones assertions.

Photos are secondary; so are letters from relatives, neighbors or acquaintances, bus/train tickets and essentially anything that cannot be used to prove your point with a very high degree of certainty.

To sum up; very good Primary evidence with some secondary evidence = NO RFE

very weak Primary evidence with some, or lots of secondary= Possible RFE

No Primary evidence..........................................................= RFE

No Primary, lots of secondary.............................................= RFE

This is extremely helpful, thank you!

The process of proving you've met in the last two years is so frustrating. The receipts are especially so. We saved a whole bunch of 'em, to document being in each others' home countries, but when we started copying them for our application we were horrified to realize that none of them actually had our names on them!!! Whether that's the bank's doing or the individual businesses' I don't know, but what we thought was really good evidence turned out to be useless.

[Protocol417 161]

Question about financial documentation:

The K-1 Guide and the I-129F instructions don't list having to provide documentation of your income. Everything that I can find says that this is needed during the consulate interview after the NOA2 is received. But some of you are saying that you received an RFE because your proof of income was missing or mismatched?

I'm only asking because my ex-husband and I filed our taxes jointly until the divorce was final, which was 3 months ago (the process took two years), and he held on to our tax documents. I just found out that he can't find my 2011 W-2. I haven't sent the package in yet but I'm getting close to the point where I can, and I don't want to hold up the application for something that isn't necessary.

Is it typical to have to send income documentation in with your I-129F application?

[bluetraveller 4]

I haven't had an RFE yet, but I'm expecting one or two. I have no idea where I read this, but apparently someone's passport pictures were the wrong size and they got an RFE. My fiance's passport photo was bigger than mine in length, so I'm thinking I will probably get an RFE there. But to me it seems like a simple fix, just chop some of it off, ya know?

Also, I did not send in my fiance's boarding passes, but he scanned them and sent them to me. My printer only prints black&white so you can't see the edges too clearly. So, I am expecting an RFE there as well.

Can anyone provide reassurance?

Hello Dissonantly,

I got RFEd for submitting wrong sized pictures. I had read the instructions, of course, but back then I was more focused on the primary/secondary evidence and didn't give the pictures enough thought. MISTAKE 1. And for that I got the RFE. One of the photos (hers) did not match US passport requirements as laid out in the USCIS site.

So to answer your question, yes, it does happen, but FYI in our case it was the length from the chin to the top of the head that was too small, so the picture had to be taken again. In your case it sounds like cutting it off would be enough, so hopefully they'll let it pass.

And about the boarding passes, I don't think that the quality of the scan will be an issue. It should be more about the information provided and whether that is enough supporting evidence, so I think you should be fine. But if you want to be on the safe side, have your fiance send you the originals in case you get RFEd and requested to provide them. Although I find this unlikely to happen.

Good luck.

[Dissonantly 5]

Hello Dissonantly,

I got RFEd for submitting wrong sized pictures. I had read the instructions, of course, but back then I was more focused on the primary/secondary evidence and didn't give the pictures enough thought. MISTAKE 1. And for that I got the RFE. One of the photos (hers) did not match US passport requirements as laid out in the USCIS site.

So to answer your question, yes, it does happen, but FYI in our case it was the length from the chin to the top of the head that was too small, so the picture had to be taken again. In your case it sounds like cutting it off would be enough, so hopefully they'll let it pass.

And about the boarding passes, I don't think that the quality of the scan will be an issue. It should be more about the information provided and whether that is enough supporting evidence, so I think you should be fine. But if you want to be on the safe side, have your fiance send you the originals in case you get RFEd and requested to provide them. Although I find this unlikely to happen.

Good luck.

Thank you. That's nice to know. n_n!

[Laurka 65]

We're waiting for the hard copy of RFE we were notified about yesterday. I have no idea what they might want to ask from us, as I thought our package was carefully prepared. But just in case they want further proof of our relationship, I already mailed some stuff to my Fiance. I have one question though. Let's assume I want to attach insurance I bought for my whole stay abroad (in the US of course), do I need to give them the original document or can it be a photocopy?

Thank you all for helpful advice.