How long to wait for USCIS to acknowledge receipt of RFE?

[ChasUno 101]

Hi all,

I'm getting concerned about whether USCIS has actually received the RFIE (Initial Evidence) I sent. As per my timeline and signature, I filed for AOS in early November 2015. Then:

November 27th - Received RFE for I-864 as I submitted mine on an out of date form

December 22nd - RFE re-submitted to the address on the RFE by tracked USPS mail

December 26th - USPS confirmed that the letter has been delivered to USCIS in Chicago

However, tracking my case on the USCIS website, it still says:

Request for Initial Evidence Was Mailed

On November 27, 2015, we mailed a request for initial evidence for your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status, Receipt Number MSC*********. The request for evidence explains what we need from you. We will not take action on your case until we receive the evidence or the deadline to submit it expires. Please follow the instructions in the request for evidence. If you do not receive your request for evidence by December 27, 2015, please go towww.uscis.gov/e-request to request a copy of the notice.

Nothing has been updated online since November 27th, nor have I received any other mail/ communication/ text/ emails other than for Biometrics and my EAD/ AP card, and other than the USPS confirmation, I have no idea if the relevant department has actually received my submitted RFE and is actually taking action on my case.

I tried calling USCIS last week and didn't get much help as the lady said she wouldn't have access to information regarding whether a document had been received or not.

I've also tried submitting a case inquiry, but that comes back as my case still being "within normal processing times". My only hope is that it says "If you've submitted an RFE within 60 days then we are working on your case". However, the fact that my case hasn't been updated online since November 27th and it seems to suggest they are still waiting for the requested evidence is what makes me anxious. Ironically, my EAD/ AP was approved quicker than many others who filed at similar times, and I already have my EAD/ AP combo card.

Anyone else had experience of submitting an RFE and not seeing it acknowledge in the online case status? Any suggestions as to what I should do next, or do I just sit tight until I can make a case enquiry?

Edited February 7, 2016 by ChasUno

[Jesseg9163 0]

Hello chasuno,

I see no one ever responded to you. Sorry to hear that. Could you please tell me whatever happen with your RFE? I too sent in some paperwork and have not yet received any kind of acknowledgement?

[ChasUno 101]

Hello chasuno,

I see no one ever responded to you. Sorry to hear that. Could you please tell me whatever happen with your RFE? I too sent in some paperwork and have not yet received any kind of acknowledgement?

Hi Jesse,

Nope, I didn't get ANY acknowledgement to either of my RFE's The first was sent in December 2015, the second in June 2016. The first I heard was when my Green Card was approved in July 2016!

The USCIS online update system is dreadful.

[Moslund 94]

to my knowledge you dont get an update to say they approved the RFE... almost everyone if seen that had a RFE there status goes to RFE recieved by USCIS then no update until 1 its approved or until interview occurs so i dont think you get a status past RFE receieved by USCIS... the status update website is VERY glitchy you should be more than aware by now that it doesnt always update and its not that a reliable source for tracking your case since it has a habit of not updating when it should or giving you the most uptodate information when it occurs.... When you called did you get transferred toa tier 2 or jsut talk with the first person you put threw to on the phone? if you NEVER got transferred then thats your problem case those people you are first put threw to can only access the same information you can access which doesnt give you any more information that what you already know... a tier 2 can look in the backdoor and see the movements that has happened with your case example the RFE was suffiecent, case been transferred, case assgined to officer.... they can just see things in general that happen that wouldnt trigger a status update for the website

Edited October 7, 2016 by Moslund

[ChasUno 101]

to my knowledge you dont get an update to say they approved the RFE... almost everyone if seen that had a RFE there status goes to RFE recieved by USCIS then no update

That wasn't what the query was. The query was about getting acknowledgement that USCIS had RECEIVED the completed RFE. Many who returned their RFE's got a case update stating "Request for Evidence has been received. We will begin working on your case again."

In my case, my initial RFE was issued on November 27th 2015 - my online case status then showed "RFE for XYZ. We will not begin working on your case again until we receive the requested evidence". I responded to this RFE in December, and again for a 2nd RFE (requesting a complete new medical) in May. My online case status STILL didn't change from what it had said back in November 27th 2015.

It only changed to state "New Card is being produced", in late July 2016.

[Moslund 94]

That wasn't what the query was. The query was about getting acknowledgement that USCIS had RECEIVED the completed RFE. Many who returned their RFE's got a case update stating "Request for Evidence has been received. We will begin working on your case again."

In my case, my initial RFE was issued on November 27th 2015 - my online case status then showed "RFE for XYZ. We will not begin working on your case again until we receive the requested evidence". I responded to this RFE in December, and again for a 2nd RFE (requesting a complete new medical) in May. My online case status STILL didn't change from what it had said back in November 27th 2015.

It only changed to state "New Card is being produced", in late July 2016.

my bad i miss read it... so to clarify your I-485 changed to "new card in production"? if thats the case then that means your I-485 got approved so why are you concerned about not recieving the update that they recieved your RFE respond and working on your case when you I-485 already been approved as of 2months ago? that status your looking for is no longer relevant if your case has already been approved... they would not of approved the I-485 if the RFE you sent in was not sufficent for there needs... you should be more concerned with having the status "new card in production" and not having recieved your green card or approval notice after 2 months has passed

Edited October 7, 2016 by Moslund

[Moslund 94]

your basically submitting service request for a RFE update on a case thats already been approved thats why there not responding to them because the case is already approved... As soon as the case changed to "new card in production" or "approved" thats all that matter everything else before that point is irrelevant.. You are at the the end of your journey for now until ROC in 2 years time... the I-485 AOS chapter of your Immigration journey closed as of 2 months ago

Edited October 7, 2016 by Moslund

[Moslund 94]

well damn my bad i just looked at seen this case was orginaloy posted in FEB 2016 well damn ignore my last 2 previous posts.. damn the person who commented on a super old post trying to trick me haha sorry!!

[ChasUno 101]

well damn my bad i just looked at seen this case was orginaloy posted in FEB 2016 well damn ignore my last 2 previous posts.. damn the person who commented on a super old post trying to trick me haha sorry!!

Yes, my original post was from 8 months ago, and until the other day it had no responses. A lot has happened since then - see my timeline and signature!

The concern was the fact that some people have submitted documentation to USCIS, waited months with no status update, then the next thing they get a denial stating that they failed to submit the appropriate documentation on time. As mentioned, others have responded to an RFE and their case status gets updated to acknowledge that USCIS received it. In my case, 8 months and two RFE's later, my case status didn't change from the initial RFE message you see in my first post, that was from November 2015. it didn't even update to the when the 2nd RFE was issued in May 2016.

It's the not knowing what on earth is going on, and the inconsistencies of the USCIS, that is most frustrating when going through the I-485 process. I am more than glad to be over it and not have to deal with them until August 2018 and the ROC process.