RFE - Two Year Meeting Requirement

[AliJose 10]

I need help please!!! My fiancé and I received a RFE for the two year meeting requirement. I am surprised because we sent all available passport stamps, tickets and photos (actual; not photocopies) together with time/date stamp. It is as if they didn’t read all of our documents. Any help is greatly appreciated because we don’t want a denial. 

 

“You submitted  copies of photographs, airline itineraries, and copies of the beneficiaries passport including the biographical page with entry/exit stamps to establish that you met the beneficiary in person; however, this evidence alone is insufficient because it does not substantiate your meeting with the beneficiary or that you actually met the beneficiary during your visit or at another location.  The evidence submitted shows that your beneficiary was in the country but there is no evidence of you traveling to the country. Itineraries only show that you booked a trip not that you actually traveled. Evidence without detailed information submitted does not demonstrate that you and the beneficiary have met during the two-year period. 

 

Submit evidence that you and your fiancé have met each other in person at some time during the two-year period from XYZ until XYZ, the filing date of your petition. 

 

Evidence may include but is not limited to copies of travel documents (tickets, hotel accommodations, etc.)

 

Photo copies of your passport including biographical data pages and pages showing entry and exit stance showing that you have both been present in a given location at the same time 

 

Any evidence that will help USCIS determined that you have met the beneficiary within the two years

[payxibka 10,045]

Where did you meet?  It sounds like it was in a third country but there is a lack of proof that the USC was present 

[geowrian 22,337]

Photos generally don't show when you met. Time/date stamps can easily be added afterwards to show any date. Photos are fine to include, but should be corroborated with other evidence.

What tickets did you show? Airline tickets & itineraries don't show you actually boarded a flight.

 

Passport stamps are good, although from the RFE it sounds like the petitioner did not provide stamps of being in the same country as the beneficiary.

You can also include receipts, credit card statements, record of a withdrawal at an ATM, etc. in the country.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Was it within the last two years? That's key and important to verify timeline information.

 

As mentioned, if a third party country, you must show both passports have entry stamps. Receipts, itineraries, all that are important.

 

Also note, USCIS are human workers, they do 'misplace' paper work, they could simply be requesting for new copies of the items already sent. It happens. They just send out a generic RFE statement.

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, Ben&Zian said:

They just send out a generic RFE statement.

While they have a library of RFE language, they do "personalize" it where necessary.   This one appears to have very specific details included

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

2 minutes ago, payxibka said:

While they have a library of RFE language, they do "personalize" it where necessary.   This one appears to have very specific details included

 

They also do not admit 'mistakes' or that "hey we lost your documents, sorry"

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, Ben&Zian said:

 

They also do not admit 'mistakes' or that "hey we lost your documents, sorry"

Until the OP decides to come back and add color,  everything is just conjecture 

[Nat&Amy 623]

56 minutes ago, AliJose said:

I need help please!!! My fiancé and I received a RFE for the two year meeting requirement. I am surprised because we sent all available passport stamps, tickets and photos (actual; not photocopies) together with time/date stamp. It is as if they didn’t read all of our documents. Any help is greatly appreciated because we don’t want a denial. 

 

“You submitted  copies of photographs, airline itineraries, and copies of the beneficiaries passport including the biographical page with entry/exit stamps to establish that you met the beneficiary in person; however, this evidence alone is insufficient because it does not substantiate your meeting with the beneficiary or that you actually met the beneficiary during your visit or at another location.  The evidence submitted shows that your beneficiary was in the country but there is no evidence of you traveling to the country. Itineraries only show that you booked a trip not that you actually traveled. Evidence without detailed information submitted does not demonstrate that you and the beneficiary have met during the two-year period. 

 

Submit evidence that you and your fiancé have met each other in person at some time during the two-year period from XYZ until XYZ, the filing date of your petition. 

 

Evidence may include but is not limited to copies of travel documents (tickets, hotel accommodations, etc.)

 

Photo copies of your passport including biographical data pages and pages showing entry and exit stance showing that you have both been present in a given location at the same time 

 

Any evidence that will help USCIS determined that you have met the beneficiary within the two years

Proof of travel is not that same thing as proof that you and your fiance have met. It goes way beyond that, especially if there was a third country involved. If only one of you shows a passport stamp to said country, flight tickets and a hotel reservation, it merely proves one of you traveled. As mentioned, photos are secondary evidence and can be edited. Don't rely on them too much. Be prepared to show more receipts/tickets/boarding passes that show you and your fiance were at the same place, at the same time.

[geowrian 22,337]

Just now, Ben&Zian said:

They also do not admit 'mistakes' or that "hey we lost your documents, sorry"

Kinda hard to admit losing a paper that they don't think they ever had.

No doubts they lose stuff or even overlook it. But it's kinda hard for them to describe that reason when if they knew such documents existed there would be no point in issuing an RFE.

 

In this case they described what was sent. If other relevant types of evidence was sent, they probably lost it. Otherwise, it was probably not sent.

[AliJose 10]

Thank you!

[AliJose 10]

Thanks Ben&Zian! I do think they lost documents but don’t want to even mention it in case it upsets them and they hold the power. I will resend documents as well as send additional information. 

[AliJose 10]

1 hour ago, Nat&Amy said:

Proof of travel is not that same thing as proof that you and your fiance have met. It goes way beyond that, especially if there was a third country involved. If only one of you shows a passport stamp to said country, flight tickets and a hotel reservation, it merely proves one of you traveled. As mentioned, photos are secondary evidence and can be edited. Don't rely on them too much. Be prepared to show more receipts/tickets/boarding passes that show you and your fiance were at the same place, at the same time.

Good point and thank you so much for noting this. I didn’t even think about the third country meeting point adding complexity. 

1 hour ago, payxibka said:

Until the OP decides to come back and add color,  everything is just conjecture 

Sorry but what is OP? 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, AliJose said:

Good point and thank you so much for noting this. I didn’t even think about the third country meeting point adding complexity. 

Sorry but what is OP? 

Original Poster

[AliJose 10]

1 hour ago, Ben&Zian said:

Was it within the last two years? That's key and important to verify timeline information.

 

As mentioned, if a third party country, you must show both passports have entry stamps. Receipts, itineraries, all that are important.

 

Also note, USCIS are human workers, they do 'misplace' paper work, they could simply be requesting for new copies of the items already sent. It happens. They just send out a generic RFE statement.

It was within the two year prior to filing time period. However, my passport was not stamped when leaving the country since it was done electronically. I can prove I entered the country but not left. Will this be a problem? 

[AliJose 10]

2 hours ago, payxibka said:

Where did you meet?  It sounds like it was in a third country but there is a lack of proof that the USC was present 

Sorry but what is USC? We met in Peru where he lives and also in Costa Rica where we got engaged.