allright,sorry for being silly

[B'sA 0]

My question is: could anybody explain what's the RFE trick?

Thank you,guys!

[vdvoem 0]

My question is: could anybody explain what's the RFE trick?

Thank you,guys!

Here is a copy/paste of "mox" post. it basically involves calling in to report a fake RFE and having them look at your file. clever

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Called USCIS this afternoon to report a fake RFE. When she said there was no RFE I did the 'ol "well as long as I have you on the phone do you think you could tell me where my case is?" At first she stuck with the "they're still working on July 19th cases" party line, but I said that last time I called I was told it was with an adjudicator and asked if she could please tell me where in the process my file was. She put me on hold for almost 5 minutes, came back, and said we were approved.

I completely did not expect that answer. At the risk of damaging my oh-so-manly image on the Russian forum, I started to ask her if I heard her right, and then sorta choked on my words. She said "alright now, don't start that because I'm going to start crying too!" So I re-grouped, asked if I had heard her right, and she said "yes, you heard me right, congratulations!" Then *she* actually started getting choked up. I told her she had just made my week, and she could hardly answer me. It was surreal.

Anyway...damn it feels great to finally be on the other side of the fence. I know there are still other fences, but they don't look quite so high...

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[Roselinda 5]

My question is: could anybody explain what's the RFE trick?

Thank you,guys!

Okay this is the posting we followed. It caused alot of controversy on here

But all the same it does work.

The issues raised were mainly because folk were using this trick even though they were nowhere near their processing date. Only use this once it's been say 4 months or more. We did it last week for the only time and it worked for us.

Good luck!

Here is what I did to shake things loose. The keys are to [1] reach a correct person, and [2] speak USCIS's language.

Call 800-375-5283, then hit 1,2,2,4,2,1; enter your receipt number; hit 1,1. (There is no need to wait for all of the recorded options to be read before you hit these buttons.) The recording will almost certainly say that "additional evidence is required," but don't necessarily believe it.

When the phone rings, you should be speaking with an actual Immigration Officer (not a clueless front-line screener who can tell you only what you already know). If the recording said that "additional evidence is required," ask the ImmOff exactly this: "Why does the recording say that I have a Request For Evidence?" He/she will almost certainly tell you that there's no record of an RFE; thank him/her profusely.

Then (or first), ask exactly this: "Will you please tell me exactly where in the Division my file is?" He/she will tell you. Then say exactly this: "I'm aware that several files received after mine have already been approved, and the USCIS website clearly says 'we process applications in the order we receive them.' Will you please send an e-mail to the floor, and ask the person at the ____ station [whatever the ImmOff told you] to please hand-carry the file to the next station?"

The ImmOff will appreciate your "speaking the language," because it is so different from the usual plaintive "do something!" that they hear all day, every day. The e-mail should at least cause one of the processors on the floor to handle your file, and your record on the USCIS Case Status website may soon reflect a "touch."

The procedures that I have recommended are worth it, and you should feel better afterwards. Depending on how long ago you have submitted your application (the longer, the "better"), you can repeat this process every 10 to 14 days.

Do NOT mention that you are part of an on-line community; this is not necessary, and mentioning it could hinder your success. However, feel free to post your stories on VJ!

[rebeccajo 14]

OMG, what a bunch of BS.

[Roselinda 5]

OMG, what a bunch of BS.

Think what you like!

All i'm saying is this is the way we called as we were seeing approvals issued for folks that filed way after us.

It is funny though how my SO called for the first time on the 17th of March and we were touched and then again on the 18th of March. Now we have NOA2.

We had not been touched once since October.

So maybe it worked, maybe not. I'm too happy to care right now!

[Jeraly 4]

Fair play if it worked 189 days for NOA2 is far too long as it is Good luck with the rest of the journey!!

[Roselinda 5]

Fair play if it worked 189 days for NOA2 is far too long as it is Good luck with the rest of the journey!!

Thanks very much!

The waiting didnt actually start to bother us until we saw all the approvals going out around us.

So it's all great!

Cheers

[john & jean 37]

a big C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to you, now you are doin this ...john&jean

[Jeraly 4]

Fair play if it worked 189 days for NOA2 is far too long as it is Good luck with the rest of the journey!!

Thanks very much!

The waiting didnt actually start to bother us until we saw all the approvals going out around us.

So it's all great!

Cheers

I know what you mean - I was fine until about 130 days or so but when everyone else was getting approved and I was slipping behind more and more... I was "only" waiting 150 days or so for mine so an extra month+ would have been awful

[mox 298]

Since a previous post of mine was quoted (out of context and potentially misleading), I just want to be clear here:

- I have used the "RFE trick" in the past, when I felt my case had fallen outside of the normal processing times. By "normal processing times" I mean the average timelines we were seeing on VJ, and not the fairytale processing times published by USCIS.

- I support the use of the "RFE Trick" when your case falls outside of what we are seeing as normal processing times. The issue has been debated into the ground and I'm not going to debate it further. But I want to be absolutely clear that I think personal responsibility plays a key role in the use of this technique, and it disappoints me to see people using it as some kind of "thumb and blanket" to make them feel good.

- The OP filed on the last day of December at CSC. It is ***WAY*** to early for this poster to be calling the RFE line. Calling the RFE line now is a waste of everyone's time, and irresponsible. If you want a status, here's a status: Your file is sitting in a box on a shelf in a warehouse. Nobody is working on it right now, and the box your file is in isn't even going to be opened for another couple months, minimum.

- For a very rational and reasonable approach to the "RFE trick," please read this post from Captain Ewok.

[Roselinda 5]

I totally agree with you mox.

We only used it last week for the first and only time.

It got to me when we saw folk using it after filing only in January.

We were obviously due around now which is why i guess we got approved so soon after calling.

Thanks for all the advice.

Really appreciated!

[BigCityDave 0]

Keep in mind the RFE trick is not actually needed.

[rebeccajo 14]

OMG, what a bunch of BS.

Think what you like!

All i'm saying is this is the way we called as we were seeing approvals issued for folks that filed way after us.

It is funny though how my SO called for the first time on the 17th of March and we were touched and then again on the 18th of March. Now we have NOA2.

We had not been touched once since October.

So maybe it worked, maybe not. I'm too happy to care right now!

I'm glad you're happy and I'm glad your case is approved.

The fact remains that phoning past the misinformation line and using a line intended for petitioners who have a request for further information from USCIS is abusing a valuable link put in place by USCIS to help those people.

Edited March 22, 2008 by rebeccajo

[Cassie 8]

I'm glad you're happy and I'm glad your case is approved.

The fact remains that phoning past the misinformation line and using a line intended for petitioners who have a request for further information from USCIS is abusing a valuable link put in place by USCIS to help those people.

that, and I am still not convinced that this "trick" actually works. 99% of people who have used it and reported back found out what they already knew -- that their case isn't being processed yet. Some trick.

Pretend you never heard of the RFE trick and stop the abuse of the RFE line!

Edited March 22, 2008 by Cassie

[rebeccajo 14]

I'm glad you're happy and I'm glad your case is approved.

The fact remains that phoning past the misinformation line and using a line intended for petitioners who have a request for further information from USCIS is abusing a valuable link put in place by USCIS to help those people.

that, and I am still not convinced that this "trick" actually works. 99% of people who have used it and reported back found out what they already knew -- that their case isn't being processed yet. Some trick.

Pretend you never heard of the RFE trick and stop the abuse of the RFE line!

Not to mention that we have two posters in the other thread who have used the trick and they now find themselves in Administrative Review.

An adjudicator can move a file to any desk, you know. And it doesn't have to be the one you are hoping for.