RFE

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

I sent my application on March 31st and got my NOA1 on April 7th. Now it's August 2nd and I just got an RFE. I am honestly more irked by the inefficiency of sending the RFE by snail mail and only notifying the case has been updated online, instead of just putting the actual evidence being requested online with the update. Now I have to wait who knows how long for the mail to come from California to Texas. I don't think the system could be any less efficient. 

[geowrian 22,337]

It's likely built like that for security. RFEs include Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and is likely regulated by FICAM requirements as well. As such, accessing it with only a receipt number (which is both predictable and sequential) would open up people's personal information quite easily.

 

As for why they don't build in the ability to verify your identity and make it accessible via your MyUSCIS account...that's a question for their IT or business teams.

 

Edit: Most RFEs arrive within a week or two.

Edited August 2, 2017 by geowrian

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

Can someone give me a generic example of what an RFE could be? I can't understand what more they would want. If with the 129F all we have to do is prove we have met in person once in the last two years and I provided photo proof that we have seen eachother several times over the last three and a half years, what more could they possibly want? 

[Estibaliz 3,037]

There's a thread here on the topic, It can go from asking passport pictures again to forgetting to check a box on the form (marking no for criminal records seems to be quite popular lately) or more proof of meeting, like boarding passes or passport stamps.

 

I know you are unhappy about getting a RFE after this long wait, but I have to say seeing your post have made me and all the April fillers very happy, because this is the first time we see someone with an April received date getting their case touched, except for a few random ones mid April over a month ago.

 

Actually, feel free to join the April forum

And good luck with your journey, I hope you get the RFE in the mail soon.

 

BTW, could you please tell us what's your received date?

[geowrian 22,337]

8 minutes ago, Kacie and Ivan said:

Can someone give me a generic example of what an RFE could be? I can't understand what more they would want. If with the 129F all we have to do is prove we have met in person once in the last two years and I provided photo proof that we have seen eachother several times over the last three and a half years, what more could they possibly want? 

There's many different things it can be. Some common items are:

• Incomplete I-129F (i.e. a missed field or checkbox)
• Missing documents (proof of being a USC, passport photos, etc.)
• Insufficient evidence of meeting in person
  • Photos are good, but they are secondary evidence. Proving a date and location is very difficult. Things like passport stamps, boarding tickets, receipts, etc. are good primary evidence.
• Incorrect passport photos (wrong size, doesn't meet the photo requirements, etc.)
• Missing evidence of how you first met and/or that you did not meet through an IMB
• Missing or incorrect/incomplete divorce decrees (if necessary)
• Missing or incomplete court records for criminal offenses (if necessary)
• Missing letter of intent to marry from petitioner and beneficiary

Edited August 2, 2017 by geowrian

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

2 minutes ago, Estibaliz said:

There's a thread here on the topic, It can go from asking passport pictures again to forgetting to check a box on the form (marking no for criminal records seems to be quite popular lately) or more proof of meeting, like boarding passes or passport stamps.

 

I know you are unhappy about getting a RFE after this long wait, but I have to say seeing your post have made me and all the April fillers very happy, because this is the first time we see someone with an April received date getting their case touched, except for a few random ones mid April over a month ago.

 

Actually, feel free to join the April forum

And good luck with your journey, I hope you get the RFE in the mail soon.

 

BTW, could you please tell us what's your received date?

 

I will try to join the April forum. 

 

I have not yet received the RFE in the mail yet. I got the notification via email and text today while I was working. I will go home and check the mail tonight but I doubt I will get it. It will probably be another 3-4 days. I had a lawyer inspect our application before sending so if I forgot to check a box I might have to cry. 

[Estibaliz 3,037]

4 minutes ago, Kacie and Ivan said:

 

I will try to join the April forum. 

 

I have not yet received the RFE in the mail yet. I got the notification via email and text today while I was working. I will go home and check the mail tonight but I doubt I will get it. It will probably be another 3-4 days. I had a lawyer inspect our application before sending so if I forgot to check a box I might have to cry. 

I know, it might take up to a week, but hopefully it will be faster than that.

 

I hope it's an easy fix anyway

[kannan 208]

3 hours ago, Estibaliz said:

I know, it might take up to a week, but hopefully it will be faster than that.

 

I hope it's an easy fix anyway

The good news is that if it's something you can send back immediately, it could get approved as soon as they receive it, as the adjudicators supposedly keep the rfe files on their desk and address them first thing in the morning...

[Diane and Chris 651]

It is probably a simple fix and you can take care of it rather quickly. On our RFE, it took about 2 weeks to get the document they needed and then we returned it. We received our NOA2 about a week after that. Hang in there. Everything will be fine. Like others said, at least it's be processed and it shouldn't take long now. Good luck!

[LabOz 915]

11 hours ago, Kacie and Ivan said:

I sent my application on March 31st and got my NOA1 on April 7th. Now it's August 2nd and I just got an RFE. I am honestly more irked by the inefficiency of sending the RFE by snail mail and only notifying the case has been updated online, instead of just putting the actual evidence being requested online with the update. Now I have to wait who knows how long for the mail to come from California to Texas. I don't think the system could be any less efficient. 

Congrats on the RFE. 

I'd gladly take one now. 

There are people from Feb and March who haven't heard a peep.

Edited August 3, 2017 by LabOz

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

@Estibaliz the received date was April 3rd.   So sent March 31st, received April 3rd. Letter/notification of NOA1 on April 7th. RFE August 2nd.  Still waiting to receive physical RFE in mail. 

 

I'm not going to complain any more because it sounds like some people who applied earlier than I did still haven't heard anything. Sorry for the negativity yesterday! 

[Estibaliz 3,037]

9 minutes ago, Kacie and Ivan said:

@Estibaliz the received date was April 3rd.   So sent March 31st, received April 3rd. Letter/notification of NOA1 on April 7th. RFE August 2nd.  Still waiting to receive physical RFE in mail. 

 

I'm not going to complain any more because it sounds like some people who applied earlier than I did still haven't heard anything. Sorry for the negativity yesterday! 

Thank you!

And no need to apologize. You thought it was worse news than it actually is, but still a RFE is always a bummer.

[danie82 4]

On 8/2/2017 at 2:38 PM, Kacie and Ivan said:

I sent my application on March 31st and got my NOA1 on April 7th. Now it's August 2nd and I just got an RFE. I am honestly more irked by the inefficiency of sending the RFE by snail mail and only notifying the case has been updated online, instead of just putting the actual evidence being requested online with the update. Now I have to wait who knows how long for the mail to come from California to Texas. I don't think the system could be any less efficient. 

It's very frustrating!  I just received a 2nd request for evidence online.   Now I have to wait for it to arrive in the ball to see what they could want!

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

@danie82 what was the first RFE for? did you get a second one because the response to the first one wasn't enough? what was the timeline on your RFEs? 

 

Hang in there! At least they are looking at it!

[Kacie and Ivan 35]

okay everyone, not what i was expecting.

 

They have requested more proof of meeting in person and an explanation of the circumstances of meeting.

 

the original application had a sentence on it that said we met in person while I was studying in spain. 

 

the proof of meeting in person was extensive. I provided a signed letter with dates of all the trips we have taken and at least 2 corresponding photos for each trip that has ocurred over the course of three years. 

 

Now i am trying to figure out what else they would need ot know besides the whole story and play-by-play of the night we actually met. Also going to provide passport copies although the stamps aren't that easy to read. 

 

I do not have any copies of boarding passes. 

 

Does anyone have any idea what else I could send? 

 

Also, they gave me a pre-addressed envelope. Instead of sending it snail mail, can I fedex the information over night?