Critique our RFIE response please!

[Apfel 46]

Hi,

 

My husband is adjusting status through marriage to me and we received an RFIE for his birth certificate. We sent his foreign record of birth from Iran (called a Shenasnameh), along with an English translation and certified statement from the translator.

 

It states, "You have submitted an English translation of a foreign birth certificate for the applicant; please submit a copy of the applicant's foreign birth certificate issued by the appropriate civil authority. Information on acceptable birth records for people born outside the United states can be found at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country.html."

 

According to their link, the Shenasnameh is exactly the document they are asking for- it includes all the necessary information, so we aren't sure how to respond without another rejection. We want to send it and the translation again with printouts of the travel.state.gov website that they linked to. Please look at our cover letter below which includes some information and see if that may be ok? Thanks!!

 

In response to your “Request for Initial Evidence (I-485)” receipt number MSCXXXXX, requesting the foreign birth certificate issued by the appropriate civil authority, please find the following documents enclosed:

• Original “Request for Initial Evidence” letter and the envelope
• Shenasnameh (foreign birth record) for the applicant, FirstName LastName:

According to the U.S. Department of State’s Iran Reciprocity Schedule: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country/IR.html

"§  Birth Certificates

·      Please see the Identity Card tab for information on documents that function as Iranian birth certificates."

"§  Identity Certificates (Shenasnameh)

·      Available. Identity certificates (Shenasnameh) showing the date and place of birth, parents' names, place of residence, and marital history where appropriate, are issued to Iranian nationals in urban centers by the Department of National Registration and Statistics (Edareh Sabt Ahval va Omar) and in rural regions by district (Bakhsh) offices of the Department. These are accepted by the Embassy in lieu of birth certificates for visa purposes."

• English translation of Shenasnameh from Farsi/Persian
• Certification by Translator
  • Template for certification obtained by translator from USCIS https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-and-fees/general-tips-assembling-applications-mailing

[BrassMoonGoldStar 1]

Hello,

 

It look like you didn't get an answer to your question but thank you for posting and letting us know this is an issue.

 

I have some questions for you in hopes you can help me.

 

1) What is your advice for filing the I-485 with the  Identity Certificates (Shenasnameh)?

 

2) How did your second submitting turn out, did you get to the root of the problem?

[Apfel 46]

2 minutes ago, BrassMoonGoldStar said:

Hello,

 

It look like you didn't get an answer to your question but thank you for posting and letting us know this is an issue.

 

I have some questions for you in hopes you can help me.

 

1) What is your advice for filing the I-485 with the  Identity Certificates (Shenasnameh)?

 

2) How did your second submitting turn out, did you get to the root of the problem?

We had an infopass appointment where we were essentially told some reviewing officers aren’t familiar with international birth certificates.... interesting since that’s their job! What I recommend is printing the Iran Reciprocity page from travel.state.gov showing that a Shenasnameh is the birth certificate for Iran. With the translated copy and the reciprocity printout, it was accepted. 

[BrassMoonGoldStar 1]

Thank you, sounds like good information