Letters of intent- MUST BE ORIGINAL?

[JNC69 0]

Same goes to me there is an spelling error on my husband birth certificate and amended it already I have the original birth certificate with the spelling error but they won't give a corrected one but they have some attachment on that instead. do we need the original attachment or scan copy can be replaced it? Please advise !!! Please please interview date is reaching .......

[Pianist27 31]

An RFE will take weeks to sort out. I can't imagine it will take longer than a week for an original copy to arrive from your fiance. Like someone said before, you decide, but the choice seems clear.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Yes, people on VJ often say that (resulted in many RFEs) but I don't recall someone posting that they in fact got a RFE for providing a copy. Plenty of us have provided copies and had no problems whatsoever. I'm just telling the OP that it isn't a big risk to take the scan and print route...

I have not noticed any lately, so perhaps the USCIS changed their policy. However, the RFEs mentioned are not made up. I have seen quite a few over the years. A search would reveal them. Even then, it was hit or miss on getting an RFE. Some adjudicators allowed a scan/copy, and some did not.

Here are a few >

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/434374-quick-question-rfe-letter-of-intent/?p=6275267

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/430208-intent-to-marry-letters-rfe/?p=6308626

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/373656-intent-to-marry-rfe/?p=5459875

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/451118-rfe-letter-of-intent/page-3#entry6477688

[usmsbow 801]

I have not noticed any lately, so perhaps the USCIS changed their policy. However, the RFEs mentioned are not made up. I have seen quite a few over the years. A search would reveal them. Even then, it was hit or miss on getting an RFE. Some adjudicators allowed a scan/copy, and some did not.

Here are a few >

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/434374-quick-question-rfe-letter-of-intent/?p=6275267

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/430208-intent-to-marry-letters-rfe/?p=6308626

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/373656-intent-to-marry-rfe/?p=5459875

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/451118-rfe-letter-of-intent/page-3#entry6477688

First example, they also didn't date the letter.

2 of the other 3 were actually originals, but USCIS didn't think so. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

First example, they also didn't date the letter.

2 of the other 3 were actually originals, but USCIS didn't think so. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

Yes, I am sure if you did a more thorough search, you would find more. My point was that people did receive RFEs for the letter of intent, when certain adjudicators believed they did not send an original, since you were saying you had never actually seen an RFE for such a thing. I just wanted to point out that some of us here on VJ have indeed seen the RFEs that get mentioned here.

I do not know if any adjudicators still hand out an RFE for such a thing. Advising people to cover all their bases and use original signatures isn't bad advice. For those having to wait so long already for a petition approval, avoiding any delays an RFE would add seems like something people would want to do.

[usmsbow 801]

Yes, I am sure if you did a more thorough search, you would find more. My point was that people did receive RFEs for the letter of intent, when certain adjudicators believed they did not send an original, since you were saying you had never actually seen an RFE for such a thing. I just wanted to point out that some of us here on VJ have indeed seen the RFEs that get mentioned here.

I do not know if any adjudicators still hand out an RFE for such a thing. Advising people to cover all their bases and use original signatures isn't bad advice. For those having to wait so long already for a petition approval, avoiding any delays an RFE would add seems like something people would want to do.

Yes, I understand. Thanks for finding those. I am not disagreeing with anyone who says go with originals. I understand your POV and thinking. My only point is the odds of getting a RFE for not sending an original are relatively low.

Edted to add: We all evaluate things differently and have different circumstances. Indonesian mail is awful, and it takes forever. Sending documents via FedEx or DHL is costly. We decided it would be worth the cost if receiving a RFE, but not otherwise. Another couple weeks delay would have been bearable. Now if my fiancee lived in a country closer to the USA and/or with better mail service, we would have more likely have gone with originals.

Edited April 1, 2015 by usmsbow

[av8or1 246]

Look folk, why all the fuss? They can request originals of anything as an RFE, it isn't limited to letters of intent. The instructions clearly state that copies are acceptable and that if you submit originals they will remain with the file and not returned. So I held onto my originals the first times I filed and sent copies of everything. No issues. Did the same thing this time around, not expecting any RFEs, though it could happen, and for any copy of anything in the packet. A document is only original once, after that it is technically a duplicate. So I chose to go with copies. Not saying that this is "the correct" choice, just saying that it's acceptable to the USCIS. If you chose to send only originals for everything, that's ok, but don't say that it's required cause it isn't. And I know that some of you haven't said that it's required, only recommended. And the recommendation is so that they don't RFE you for originals. As others have said, the associated probability of that happening is quite low.

But anyway, just my $.02. Don't flame me because I don't agree, please. Let's just respectfully agree to disagree. LOL

As always, decide for yourself. YMMV

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

It is suggested to sign the original letter in blue ink so the adjudicator can clearly see the difference between a copy and an original.

I totally agree with KayDeeCee and have also seen RFE issues with copies.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Yes, I understand. Thanks for finding those. I am not disagreeing with anyone who says go with originals. I understand your POV and thinking. My only point is the odds of getting a RFE for not sending an original are relatively low.

Edted to add: We all evaluate things differently and have different circumstances. Indonesian mail is awful, and it takes forever. Sending documents via FedEx or DHL is costly. We decided it would be worth the cost if receiving a RFE, but not otherwise. Another couple weeks delay would have been bearable. Now if my fiancee lived in a country closer to the USA and/or with better mail service, we would have more likely have gone with originals.

I understand why people choose to use the scanned copies, and I agree with you and think the risk of an RFE for not sending the original is now quite low. There used to be a higher risk of getting an RFE for this very thing. I would advise people to sign their intent statements on top of a magazine so it left the indent in the paper to show the signature was original, because as you saw, even originals were sometimes mistaken as copies and received an RFE.

Not really a 'fuss' for my part in this. Even back when the RFEs for original signatures were being handed out, people still would comment on how they sent a scanned copy and it was accepted, so anecdotally, that was fine and no one needed to send an original. The wording of the instructions has changed. It used to read that you needed original statements. The word original was removed, which is why I think the RFEs for an original died down. There was another discussion on that very topic last year.

[AH_Fury 61]

I know everyone is different and some people get RFE for this reason and others don't; however, I sent in a copy of my fiancee's letter of intent. He signed, faxed, and emailed it to me, then I just printed it off in b&w. After I mailed the packet, I was freaking out because I wasn't sure whether it needed to be the original copy and I thought I'd get an RFE. I actually just got my NOA2 yesterday after 15 days of my NOA1 and no RFE. I guess whoever was looking at my file decided what I sent in was sufficient. If I could do it all over again, I'd make him mail the original, just to be on the safe side. I'm planning to mail him a copy of my letter of intent with an original signature for the interview just for him to be on the safe side.

[tarzan31 27]

It may very well be up to the adjudicator who gets your file. I did not send any letters of intent . I did send a cover letter detailing the relationship and that we had discussed by phone and Facebook that we would marry. My petition was approved 03/06/2015 through the Texas service center with no RFE . Mail is extremely expensive depending on the country. The documents my fiance sent to me from Guatemala cost $75.00 . The packet I sent to her through U.S. Mail was less than $40.00 . Just go with your gut. I had only used the uscis.gov site and did not see that a letter of intent was needed. I waited for an RFE because we had not sent any, but got lucky I guess.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

It may very well be up to the adjudicator who gets your file. I did not send any letters of intent . I did send a cover letter detailing the relationship and that we had discussed by phone and Facebook that we would marry. My petition was approved 03/06/2015 through the Texas service center with no RFE . Mail is extremely expensive depending on the country. The documents my fiance sent to me from Guatemala cost $75.00 . The packet I sent to her through U.S. Mail was less than $40.00 . Just go with your gut. I had only used the uscis.gov site and did not see that a letter of intent was needed. I waited for an RFE because we had not sent any, but got lucky I guess.

The adjudicator either overlooked the fact there were no separate statements of intent, or they just accepted what you sent and wrote as your evidence that you intend to marry within 90 days. The instructions do not actually ask for 'letters of intent'.

b. Submit evidence that you and your fiancé(e) intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e)'s entry as a K-1.

Evidence of your intention to marry may include a statement of intent to marry.