Help with RFIE (Canadian birth certificate)

[TimonLovesSkylour 7]

Hey there everyone,

 

So, I got the dreaded yellow Request for Initial Evidence letter from the USCIS... the letter was asking for a copy of my birth certificate that includes the name of at least one parent. This caught me a little bit off-guard, since I submitted a copy of my birth certificate (the normal one that doesn't include parental information, and is a small document about the size of a passport page) at the K1 interview in Montreal, and they didn't have any problems with that. I then submitted another copy of this same document for my adjustment of status application. Then I received the RFIE letter, as I said.

 

I'm a little confused as to why this document was suddenly deemed insufficient at this stage. And I guess my first question is -- have I understood the problem correctly? Is it as I've said, that the short form birth certificate I submitted was okay at the K1 interview but is not acceptable for the I-485 documentation package? Is it possible there's some other problem with it?

 

I've already taken the steps necessary to obtain the long-form birth certificate from Service Ontario, and I just received it today (I'm in New Mexico and it was being mailed from Thunder Bay, I asked for it on Monday, June 25, it was mailed out the 26th and arrived here Monday, July 8, for anyone who is wondering how long it takes) .

 

If I've understood the problem correctly, how do I go about responding to the RFIE? I know I need to include a copy of the RFIE letter, but do I need to include any letter from me explaining what I'm submitting and why? Or is it enough to just submit a copy of the RFIE letter, and a copy of the long-form birth certificate (aka Statement of Live Birth) that I requested from Service Ontario?

 

Thank you so much for your help!

[geowrian 22,338]

Not sure why it's dreaded...it just means they need some more information.

 

It looks like Montreal incorrectly accepted the short form BC: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Canada.html

Quote

Birth

Births are registered in the Canadian provinces or territory in which they took place. Though each province or territory issues its own certificates for these events, there are a few basic formats for them across Canada:

• The "small" or "short form" certificate is a computer-printed, limited extract of information from provincial records. It is a wallet-sized card, 9.5 x 6.4 cm or 2.5 x 3.75in (Specimen from British Columbia). Short-form or small certificates are not acceptable for visa purposes because they do not contain enough identification information, such as parents' names.
• The "large" or "full-size" certificate is a computer-printed extract of information from provincial records. It is printed on currency-style paper stock, 21.6 x 17.8 cm or 7 x 8.25 in., with an intaglio border (Specimen from British Columbia).
• A "certified copy of a record" is an exact or near-exact copy of the actual paper record in the provincial archives. It is printed on safety paper, usually 21.5 x 28 cm or 8.5 x 14in., and bears the province or territory's raised seal. This type of certificate, being a complete record rather than an extract, contains the most information about the event.
• A "commemorative" certificate is a decorative document intended for display (Specimen from Manitoba). Commemorative certificates are not considered legal documents in Canada and are not acceptable for visa purposes.

This doesn't harm your case....just delays AOS a little instead of delaying when you got the visa.

 

For the response, attach the RFIE page, your own cover page (noting the documents included), then the document(s).

Edited July 9, 2019 by geowrian

[TimonLovesSkylour 7]

13 hours ago, geowrian said:

Not sure why it's dreaded...it just means they need some more information.

 

It looks like Montreal incorrectly accepted the short form BC: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Canada.html

This doesn't harm your case....just delays AOS a little instead of delaying when you got the visa.

 

For the response, attach the RFIE page, your own cover page (noting the documents included), then the document(s).

Thank you so much for explaining this... that link really clarified things nicely... I guess I was lucky that they accepted that version of my birth certificate at the interview, it would have been a real drag to have had to go back to Montreal a second time for another interview. And yeah, I guess "dreaded" was a bit dramatic, but the process is already taking so long -__-