RFE for AOS?

[Ready to do it 101]

I think we might have finally gotten some good news.

Timeline... sent in AOS packet in November 2013, for my now wife who came to US on K1 Visa

Did her fingerprints in Dec 2013.

Got her AP dual card in January or Feb 2014 (pretty much worthless since I waited so long to do the AOS process and she was out of status for 2 years)

Got the Interview Waiver Letter on March 5, 2014.

Today we got a letter that is a little confusing. I assume this is an RFE. It says "Form I-72" in the bottom right corner. I'm going to take it as good news so we know that "maybe" we're getting a little closer???

In the top right corner it is addressed from US Department of Homeland Security, San Antonio Field Office, their address, and Attn: I-72 Adjustment. That is the first thing that confuses me. The waiver letter on March 5, 2014 says our case is being handled by the National Benefits Center. We live in Austin, TX so I assume San Antonio is the field office. Does this mean, perhaps our case is being worked on and we are getting close?

Next, the letter itself is confusing. It's a form letter that has 9 boxes they can "X." Box 1 and Box 4 have an "X" and Box 4 is highlighted in yellow.

The letter says...

Please comply with the below instructions by July 3, 2014 or your application may be denied:

X 1. PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOREIGN DOCUMENT AS WELL AS... A foreign document must be accompanied by a translation in English. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.

X 4. Furnish the marriage certificate of "my wife's name and my name."

Ok so this is what confuses me....

Item #1... what exactly are they asking for? What foreign document? We submitted her "Foreign Birth Certificate" and the translation back in November 2013. Is that what they want again? We already sent it to them, plus they didn't come out and say "Birth Certificate or the translation of it." It simply says, (in all caps) "PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOREIGN DOCUMENT AS WELL AS... A foreign document must be accompanied by a translation in English. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate. This makes absolutely no sense. Certainly they need to tell us "What" foreign document they want, right?

Item #4... We sent them our marriage certificate with the AOS packet in November 2013. We sent the ORIGINAL. We were married in Las Vegas and I ordered 2 originals of the Marriage Certificate. I am sitting her looking at one of them because I sent the other one to USCIS with the rest of the AOS packet in November 2013! Certainly they got it. Afterall, they did authorize to do her fingerprints, and sent her the Dual AP card in January or February. Would they have done that if our packet was lacking? Now what? Send them my other "Original" of the Marriage Certificate so they can lose this one also?

Lastly, at the bottom it says, "PLEASE RETURN THIS LETTER AND ALL ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE" ... yet it does not tell us where to send these items????

I guess it's good news that we got something from San Antonio. I assume this is an RFE? Does this mean we are getting a little closer. The thought of getting an RFE perturbs me a bit as I am a detail freak and I am certain I sent them the "Original" Marriage Certificate and now they are asking for it again. Further, they have not clearly stated what they are looking for in Item #1. I have googled the San Antonio Field Office and it appears one can registerfor an appointment via InfoPass. Does it sound like a good idea to do so? San Antonio is only about 90 minutes away. I sure do hope this means we are getting close. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[feli114 65]

Sometimes they lose or misplace things. Send them whatever they as for. If you do not respond to an RFE your case will be considered abandoned. If you can get an infopass appt, it would be worth it. Good luck to you.

[sweet cakes 326]

I think we might have finally gotten some good news.

Timeline... sent in AOS packet in November 2013, for my now wife who came to US on K1 Visa

Did her fingerprints in Dec 2013.

Got her AP dual card in January or Feb 2014 (pretty much worthless since I waited so long to do the AOS process and she was out of status for 2 years)

Got the Interview Waiver Letter on March 5, 2014.

Today we got a letter that is a little confusing. I assume this is an RFE. It says "Form I-72" in the bottom right corner. I'm going to take it as good news so we know that "maybe" we're getting a little closer???

In the top right corner it is addressed from US Department of Homeland Security, San Antonio Field Office, their address, and Attn: I-72 Adjustment. That is the first thing that confuses me. The waiver letter on March 5, 2014 says our case is being handled by the National Benefits Center. We live in Austin, TX so I assume San Antonio is the field office. Does this mean, perhaps our case is being worked on and we are getting close?

Next, the letter itself is confusing. It's a form letter that has 9 boxes they can "X." Box 1 and Box 4 have an "X" and Box 4 is highlighted in yellow.

The letter says...

Please comply with the below instructions by July 3, 2014 or your application may be denied:

X 1. PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOREIGN DOCUMENT AS WELL AS... A foreign document must be accompanied by a translation in English. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.

X 4. Furnish the marriage certificate of "my wife's name and my name."

Ok so this is what confuses me....

Item #1... what exactly are they asking for? What foreign document? We submitted her "Foreign Birth Certificate" and the translation back in November 2013. Is that what they want again? We already sent it to them, plus they didn't come out and say "Birth Certificate or the translation of it." It simply says, (in all caps) "PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOREIGN DOCUMENT AS WELL AS... A foreign document must be accompanied by a translation in English. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate. This makes absolutely no sense. Certainly they need to tell us "What" foreign document they want, right?

Item #4... We sent them our marriage certificate with the AOS packet in November 2013. We sent the ORIGINAL. We were married in Las Vegas and I ordered 2 originals of the Marriage Certificate. I am sitting her looking at one of them because I sent the other one to USCIS with the rest of the AOS packet in November 2013! Certainly they got it. Afterall, they did authorize to do her fingerprints, and sent her the Dual AP card in January or February. Would they have done that if our packet was lacking? Now what? Send them my other "Original" of the Marriage Certificate so they can lose this one also?

Lastly, at the bottom it says, "PLEASE RETURN THIS LETTER AND ALL ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE" ... yet it does not tell us where to send these items????

I guess it's good news that we got something from San Antonio. I assume this is an RFE? Does this mean we are getting a little closer. The thought of getting an RFE perturbs me a bit as I am a detail freak and I am certain I sent them the "Original" Marriage Certificate and now they are asking for it again. Further, they have not clearly stated what they are looking for in Item #1. I have googled the San Antonio Field Office and it appears one can registerfor an appointment via InfoPass. Does it sound like a good idea to do so? San Antonio is only about 90 minutes away. I sure do hope this means we are getting close. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Agreed with Feli. This is not the first time that it has been reported here in VJ that uscis sent RFE for something that was already included in the submitted packet, most likely misplaced and the adjudicator won't be able to proceed without having these requested documents. For the foreign document, I agree with you that it's the birth certificate. Unless you submitted another foreign document? They're just following a standard uscis wording, which I know, can be really somewhat confusing.

Just follow though with the listed RFE and hopefully you get through with this soon. All the best!

[Ready to do it 101]

So the consensus is we should resend them both our original marriage certificate AND my wife's birth certificate with translation again?

We might only have a copy of the birth certificate and translation. We had two original's... first one we gave them at the K-1 Visa stage. 2nd one we sent with the AOS packet in November. Copies ok?

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

Yes, but NEVER send anything original (unless they capitalize it that they need originals). Only send in copies. Good thing you ordered two marriage certificates, otherwise you would have none right now as they lost it (I still don't understand how they can lose documents, but whatever). So make a copy of both your marriage certificate, and the birth certificate+translation and the letter itself that they sent asking for these and you'll be done in no time. Again, don't send in the ORIGINALS, just copies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope I emphasized this enough... All the best, you're one step away from being done!

So the consensus is we should resend them both our original marriage certificate AND my wife's birth certificate with translation again?

We might only have a copy of the birth certificate and translation. We had two original's... first one we gave them at the K-1 Visa stage. 2nd one we sent with the AOS packet in November. Copies ok?

Indeed, before sending THEIR letter back to them, make a copy of it for your records!!!!! Just so that you can always reach back if needed!!! Copies are amazing things....they make you feel smart! You'll see!!!

Edited June 6, 2014 by AnotherLostSoul

[KayDeeCee 4,896]

Agreed. Send copies only of the documents you get from the government. Copies is all that were needed when you filed too. Mail them to whatever address is listed on the RFE, which seems to be the San Antonio Field Office.

[Ready to do it 101]

So do y'all think the item #1 that has "Foreign document checked... is referring to my wife's birth certificate and the translation of it, even though it doesn't ask for the birth certificate and translation? The exact words are...

X 1. PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOREIGN DOCUMENT AS WELL AS... A foreign document must be accompanied by a translation in English. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.

How is one to have any idea that this must mean "birth certificate and translation?"

Thanks

Agreed. Send copies only of the documents you get from the government. Copies is all that were needed when you filed too. Mail them to whatever address is listed on the RFE, which seems to be the San Antonio Field Office.

[KayDeeCee 4,896]

The foreign birth certificate with English translation is a requirement with the I-485. Did you send some other document in a foreign language? If not, it is safe to say it is the birth certificate with an English translation that they want. They probably should give exact details in an RFE, but they didn't, so you just have to deduce what they want.