We might have left out an important question in I-129F and now freaking out

[serret 55]

Hi, I am having a little freak-out moment right now and asking for your opinion.

I was checking the I-129F PDF we filled out electronically. After filling it out electronically, my fiancé scanned it and manually filled out the empty fields with "N/A"s etc. 

I noticed that in the PDF version we did not check the 53rd question, which reads as "Have you and your fiancé(e) met in person during the two years immediately before filing this petition?" I know it's one of the two requirements for I-129F approval so I really, really hope my fiancé checked this box after printing out the form. We did write in Number 54 that we met in person in November 2021, and we also mentioned that in our letter of circumstances of meeting, and provided his boarding passes to Turkey. My fiancé said he checked each field twice when filling out manually, but he can't remember tbh.

In this case, what could happen?

I now wish we scanned the I-129F after we manually filled it... We have already received our NOA-1.

[Mike E 11,739]

Expect an RFE.  

[Allaboutwaiting 2,503]

If a box goes unchecked, they issue an RFE and send you the specific page that you must correct and send back along with the RFE letter. 

Not a big issue but it delays the process (which unfortunately is already really long).

 

Hope your fiance actually checked the box. 

[SalishSea 17,836]

19 minutes ago, serret said:

Hi, I am having a little freak-out moment right now and asking for your opinion.

I was checking the I-129F PDF we filled out electronically. After filling it out electronically, my fiancé scanned it and manually filled out the empty fields with "N/A"s etc. 

I noticed that in the PDF version we did not check the 53rd question, which reads as "Have you and your fiancé(e) met in person during the two years immediately before filing this petition?" I know it's one of the two requirements for I-129F approval so I really, really hope my fiancé checked this box after printing out the form. We did write in Number 54 that we met in person in November 2021, and we also mentioned that in our letter of circumstances of meeting, and provided his boarding passes to Turkey. My fiancé said he checked each field twice when filling out manually, but he can't remember tbh.

In this case, what could happen?

I now wish we scanned the I-129F after we manually filled it... We have already received our NOA-1.

Going forward, always keep a paper copy of all documentation you submit pertaining to immigration.

[serret 55]

Thanks everyone! I just hope they will only ask for an RFE, and will not outright reject our petition. We've got our lesson: from now on, we will always be making copies of our final documents...

[SalishSea 17,836]

1 minute ago, serret said:

Thanks everyone! I just hope they will only ask for an RFE, and will not outright reject our petition. We've got our lesson: from now on, we will always be making copies of our final documents...

Honestly,  I would be very surprised at an outright rejection, unless there were multiple other problems with the petition.  Missed check-boxes are pretty common, and USCIS does generally give people the opportunity to correct that simple mistake.  The fact that you included good evidence of the required meeting is a positive.

 

Best of luck.

[serret 55]

19 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Honestly,  I would be very surprised at an outright rejection, unless there were multiple other problems with the petition.  Missed check-boxes are pretty common, and USCIS does generally give people the opportunity to correct that simple mistake.  The fact that you included good evidence of the required meeting is a positive.

 

Best of luck.

I think we should be fine with the rest of our package then, as we went to school together and lived in the same neighborhood in the US until April 2020, and we have met with each other's family multiple times between 2018 and 2020. Then we met again in my country in Nov 2021 and got engaged. Photos, boarding passes, trips, etc. everything is pretty well recorded! 

Thanks a lot for your good wishes! This whole process is mentally challenging for a control freak like me, and it helps to get support from you all!

[Mike E 11,739]

37 minutes ago, serret said:

Thanks everyone! I just hope they will only ask for an RFE, and will not outright reject our petition. We've got our lesson: from now on, we will always be making copies of our final documents...

I will give up booze for a day if this is rejected.  
 

IME, having failed to check one box on an I-129F, you will get an RFE.  If you respond same day with USPS priority mail this will delay you at most a month.  IME.  
 

 

[serret 55]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

I will give up booze for a day if this is rejected.  
 

IME, having failed to check one box on an I-129F, you will get an RFE.  If you respond same day with USPS priority mail this will delay you at most a month.  IME.  
 

 

Haha then if we get approved (either without or with RFE), I should send you a nice bottle of wine. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by serret