RFE -- oh the joy.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Okay, so I follow the bloody cover sheet checklist for the I-130 which clearly states that I should NOT send anything to the London Embassy beyond the list of items on the cover sheet. Even though the I-130 says to attach proof of relationship I don't because it is not on the list.

And...hey presto! I've got an RFE for proof of relationship! Awesome! THANKS A ****ING TON for the clear instructions. Now I have to run around getting affidavits.

I cannot begin to express how psyched I am.

[MaydayDas 1]

Oh yea I know how you feel it happened to me too. Just focus, collect as many evidence you can and hurry up to send them. And when you send your package don't forget to put it with signature confirmation.

GOOD LUCK!

[Angela 1]

You are not alone. I received my second RFE from London last week, for more evidence to approve a formerly approved Petition through Stockholm DCF back in July 2006.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

You are not alone. I received my second RFE from London last week, for more evidence to approve a formerly approved Petition through Stockholm DCF back in July 2006.

That's even more irritating -- you're already approved and you have to prove it again? Good luck, we'll all get through this somehow!

[meauxna 15]

Okay, so I follow the bloody cover sheet checklist for the I-130 which clearly states that I should NOT send anything to the London Embassy beyond the list of items on the cover sheet. Even though the I-130 says to attach proof of relationship I don't because it is not on the list.

And...hey presto! I've got an RFE for proof of relationship! Awesome! THANKS A ****ING TON for the clear instructions. Now I have to run around getting affidavits.

I cannot begin to express how psyched I am.

I don't know what to say to this.

The items that are attachements to a given form are a "part" of that form. I was really curious about this when you originally posted about it. I'm sorry you're disappointed.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Okay, so I follow the bloody cover sheet checklist for the I-130 which clearly states that I should NOT send anything to the London Embassy beyond the list of items on the cover sheet. Even though the I-130 says to attach proof of relationship I don't because it is not on the list.

And...hey presto! I've got an RFE for proof of relationship! Awesome! THANKS A ****ING TON for the clear instructions. Now I have to run around getting affidavits.

I cannot begin to express how psyched I am.

I don't know what to say to this.

The items that are attachements to a given form are a "part" of that form. I was really curious about this when you originally posted about it. I'm sorry you're disappointed.

What's interesting is that another VJer doing DCF through London who submitted on the same day as me and didn't get an RFE did submit these items, but did so despite the Embassy telling her explicitly NOT to send such items -- only what was on the list. She erred on the side of caution and assumed the Embassy folks didn't know what they were talking about. I assumed the checklist was definitive. Oh well -- I've sent in 44 pieces of proof this afternoon so we'll see what happens. At least I have comfort in the fact that had I called the Embassy and asked about this point I would have been just as scr**ed!!!

[Angela 1]

You are not alone. I received my second RFE from London last week, for more evidence to approve a formerly approved Petition through Stockholm DCF back in July 2006.

That's even more irritating -- you're already approved and you have to prove it again? Good luck, we'll all get through this somehow!

Indeed it is irritating to say the least

They want evidence of "shared or community assets" and since we have yet to live together (the whole point of getting the visa..) we are short on those things. Never made major purchases together, not on each other's mortgages or titles, and to get him on a joint bank account with me he needs to be present in the US to show identification and signature (my bank's rules, following those set by the Patriot Act).

I DO have my 2005 and 2006 tax returns listing him as spouse, a set of credit cards (I was able to put him on as "authorized user" without the issuing bank needing ID from him), and my employment-based life insurances with him as beneficiary.

My problem: my employer, a rather large corporation, uses a Human Resources web-based system called HR Workways. All HR tasks my co-workers and I perform are to be accomplished through this website. There is a page there which lists the life insurance I carry along with the beneficiary's name.

Using the email system on the HR site, I requested a letter, on company letterhead, that documents my insurance and beneficiary information. I told them the US Citizenship and Immigration Service in London needed this evidence for my husband's visa.

Here's the response I got:

Hello from the HR Service Center: We are not able to provide you with a special letter with this information. You will need to use the information provided to you on the web-site. Thank you for contacting the HR Service Center.

Is a printout of a webpage suitable for this purpose?

[meauxna 15]

What's interesting is that another VJer doing DCF through London who submitted on the same day as me and didn't get an RFE did submit these items, but did so despite the Embassy telling her explicitly NOT to send such items -- only what was on the list. She erred on the side of caution and assumed the Embassy folks didn't know what they were talking about. I assumed the checklist was definitive. Oh well -- I've sent in 44 pieces of proof this afternoon so we'll see what happens. At least I have comfort in the fact that had I called the Embassy and asked about this point I would have been just as scr**ed!!!

I don't want to poke you with a stick, cause I can tell you are already POd.

BUT

I think it would be useful for others to understand the difference between what you thought the question was, and what it actually was.

The checklist from London sounds fairly specific. They want your visa application documents. Any extra evidence is to be brought to the interview. *I* believe that is the checklist intention.

Each form, application, petition etc consists of the form itself, and its related attachments. IE: a "tax return" is not just form 1040, it is that form plus all schedules, attachments AND W-2s or other wage/income statements. Now, the list will say 'include your tax return'. When it says that, it MEANS 'everything that goes with your tax return'.

The I-130 now specifically, distinctly requires specific sorts of evidence of a bonafide marriage *as a part of the I-130 itself*. This is separate and distinct from other evidence you might show at an interview (like photos etc).

So the checklist IS definitive, but you have to interpret the other stuff as well. I think I read elsewhere that you used a form downloaded from the London site? If so, another good lesson for others---ALWAYS get your forms from uscis.gov and read ALL the instructions on the form download page. When forms can not be quickly and easily changed, website instructions can. There is often info there that overrides what's written on the form itself.

It's a miracle anyone gets through this.. I just considered the logic of what I just wrote bah!

IMO, London should've taken your form as was, especially since it came off their site, but that's the way the COOKIE crumbles (no more biscuits soon!).

Hope this explains what happened a little better and that your experience can be useful to someone else.

[meauxna 15]

I DO have my 2005 and 2006 tax returns listing him as spouse, a set of credit cards (I was able to put him on as "authorized user" without the issuing bank needing ID from him), and my employment-based life insurances with him as beneficiary.

My problem: my employer, a rather large corporation, uses a Human Resources web-based system called HR Workways. All HR tasks my co-workers and I perform are to be accomplished through this website. There is a page there which lists the life insurance I carry along with the beneficiary's name.

<snip>

Is a printout of a webpage suitable for this purpose?

Angela,

You've got some good evidence up there already. I don't think this needs to be a ton of stuff (for the I-130); follow their suggestions and pad a little.

I used a printed page from the website of my credit card bank to show just what you are asking about, and that was acceptable. Remember that it's not just the one piece of paper standing on its own--what is the story the *combined* submission tells?

Try not to worry

[Angela 1]

Thank you, Meauxna!!! I'll send the printout of the webpage.

I was about to write to the HR people again, and being in an uncommonly bitchy mood, it wouldn't have been a very nice email

BTW, I am also including a notarized letter as "additional information" explaining that when we did DCF in Sweden back in July, there wasn't a residency requirement, thus not much to show regarding shared property and accounts.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I don't want to poke you with a stick, cause I can tell you are already POd.

BUT

I think it would be useful for others to understand the difference between what you thought the question was, and what it actually was.

The checklist from London sounds fairly specific. They want your visa application documents. Any extra evidence is to be brought to the interview. *I* believe that is the checklist intention.

Each form, application, petition etc consists of the form itself, and its related attachments. IE: a "tax return" is not just form 1040, it is that form plus all schedules, attachments AND W-2s or other wage/income statements. Now, the list will say 'include your tax return'. When it says that, it MEANS 'everything that goes with your tax return'.

The I-130 now specifically, distinctly requires specific sorts of evidence of a bonafide marriage *as a part of the I-130 itself*. This is separate and distinct from other evidence you might show at an interview (like photos etc).

So the checklist IS definitive, but you have to interpret the other stuff as well. I think I read elsewhere that you used a form downloaded from the London site? If so, another good lesson for others---ALWAYS get your forms from uscis.gov and read ALL the instructions on the form download page. When forms can not be quickly and easily changed, website instructions can. There is often info there that overrides what's written on the form itself.

It's a miracle anyone gets through this.. I just considered the logic of what I just wrote bah!

IMO, London should've taken your form as was, especially since it came off their site, but that's the way the COOKIE crumbles (no more biscuits soon!).

Hope this explains what happened a little better and that your experience can be useful to someone else.

Well, I've calmed down a lot, so poking is *just* about acceptable now! Yes, I've learned a big something here, and I hope I can help others out.

It honestly didn't occur to me that the forms on the Embassy website weren't the current ones, or that they could be found elsewhere -- unfortunately I hadn't found VJ yet! I seem to have been caught between the old requirements that expired at the beginning of January that such info should not be sent, and the new ones that DID require them. The checklist of items to send conflicted with the new I-130 (which I very helpfully found AFTER I had submitted the old one!), and I chose the wrong path. Nor did it occur to me that the I-130 consisted of anything beyond the form itself. Your analogy to a tax form is relevant and might have occured to me had I done a US tax return since 1996 (since rectified -- I spent Easter doing 1040s and 2555-EZs for 2004-06!).

I agree that it is amazing that any of us get this done in the first place. We get conflicting advice from the Embassies and Consulates, the USCIS and other parties. These are the people that we depend upon to give us accurate information and they repeatedly fail to give us instructions that we can depend on. Those of us on VJ are the lucky ones -- we have a peer network that gives us information that comes from experience. My message to others is when in doubt, put it in the pack anyway!

And meauxna -- thanks for the thought that I should have gotten through since it was their error, not mine (the form I used had expired about 10 days before I sent it!). But, as you say, the cookie has crumbled, and I am trying to sweep up the mess as quickly as possible! I don't see why what info I have given wouldn't be acceptable, although I am still obsessing over it nevertheless.

[homesick_american 1]

The more of these stories I read the more I wonder if we just walked between the raindrops when we did my husband's visa; I didn't join VJ until after he had his interview because I was panicking about the GP letter they asked for. I wasn't even sure exactly which visa we'd applied for!

[kins 0]

What's interesting is that another VJer doing DCF through London who submitted on the same day as me and didn't get an RFE did submit these items, but did so despite the Embassy telling her explicitly NOT to send such items -- only what was on the list. She erred on the side of caution and assumed the Embassy folks didn't know what they were talking about. I assumed the checklist was definitive. Oh well -- I've sent in 44 pieces of proof this afternoon so we'll see what happens. At least I have comfort in the fact that had I called the Embassy and asked about this point I would have been just as scr**ed!!!

The I-130 now specifically, distinctly requires specific sorts of evidence of a bonafide marriage *as a part of the I-130 itself*. This is separate and distinct from other evidence you might show at an interview (like photos etc).

So the checklist IS definitive, but you have to interpret the other stuff as well. I think I read elsewhere that you used a form downloaded from the London site? If so, another good lesson for others---ALWAYS get your forms from uscis.gov and read ALL the instructions on the form download page. When forms can not be quickly and easily changed, website instructions can. There is often info there that overrides what's written on the form itself.

It's a miracle anyone gets through this.. I just considered the logic of what I just wrote bah!

IMO, London should've taken your form as was, especially since it came off their site, but that's the way the COOKIE crumbles (no more biscuits soon!).

Hope this explains what happened a little better and that your experience can be useful to someone else.

But when I phoned the US Embassy about this they specifically said NOT to send any evidence of relationship other than the marriage certificate. And now they say they DO want other information. So they were giving out misinformation. Luckily I ignored them. Like you say, it is a miracle any of us gets through this...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

But when I phoned the US Embassy about this they specifically said NOT to send any evidence of relationship other than the marriage certificate. And now they say they DO want other information. So they were giving out misinformation. Luckily I ignored them. Like you say, it is a miracle any of us gets through this...

You and I filed on the same date kins -- if I had rung the Embassy, being the trusting soul I am (was?), I would have relied on the info not to send anything, and I'd be in the same situation but, potentially even ANGRIER because it was an explicit instruction.

Now I will return to worrying that my hefty 1lb pack of proof is not enough... Sigh.

[Angela 1]

Now I will return to worrying that my hefty 1lb pack of proof is not enough... Sigh.

I'm crossing my fingers for you, Elm.

They didn't seem to think my 525+ pages of evidence and documentation was enough the first time around.

I'm off to mail my new stuff now.