RFE

[lissa04 3]

Ok so I have seen on here about the famous RFE. I have sent well over 200 pages of evidence . I got an email today saying on Nov 3rd we sent you out a notice. Well my case was touched today. How long does it take to get the fingerprint letter from the time they send you out that RFE? Now if I don't receive the letter I assume I shouldn't panic, but if I do I should? Thanks for all your help.

Lissa

[SunDrop 59]

Ok so I have seen on here about the famous RFE. I have sent well over 200 pages of evidence . I got an email today saying on Nov 3rd we sent you out a notice. Well my case was touched today. How long does it take to get the fingerprint letter from the time they send you out that RFE? Now if I don't receive the letter I assume I shouldn't panic, but if I do I should? Thanks for all your help.

Lissa

Wait for the RFE to come in the mail. It will detail what they need.

Not sure where the biometrics letters comes in, I don't think they would issue that without the information they're asking for.

The touch could simply have been related to sending you the RFE hardcopy.

No need to panic about the RFE, unless it's asking for something you cannot provide within the timeframe they've allowed. It could be something as simple as a missing signature.

[antda 13]

Hi Lissa04,

As told in-person by an immigration officer to me (in Buffalo, NY), when I inquired about the exact same thiing:

Question: I received a Case Status Information Update/RFE, by e-mail, dated September 22, 2009, with the following message: “we mailed a notice requesting additional evidence or information…the case will be in suspense until we receive the evidence or the opportunity to submit it expires. Once we receive the requested evidence or information and make a decision on the case, you will be notified by mail.” I have not received such a notice by mail, as of today, and would like to know if and when I will receive such a notice. I also have already submitted 100+ pages of additional relevant joint evidence with my initial application, and find it quite puzzling that the USCIS would require more evidence for my case. I would also like to know what is requested of me additionally, which I will gladly provide it to you if required and I have such evidence requested, so that my case can be further processed and not delayed.

Answer: "Your RFE e-mail is your fingerprints/biometrics letter. The additional evidence we request is your fingerprints to be processed and checked out by the FBI. Did you get your fingerprints letter (I said yes, and showed her the letter)? And no, you won’t be getting any additional letters for an RFE as the date of your fingerprints/biometrics letter is the same date as your RFE e-mail (which it is, as both are receipt dated September 23)."

For more information about my infopass/walk-in fingerprints experience on 9/30/09, you can read more about it here:

N-400: Ant’s Walk-In Biometrics, Infopass, and Baby..Oh My!..., (9/30/09) My Helpful Detailed N-400 Experience and Story Here!..

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=221180&hl=

And here is my detailed vj timeline as well:

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profil...l=&id=30530

Service Center : Lewisville TX Lockbox

CIS Office : Buffalo NY

Date Filed : 2009-09-09 (USPS Delivered 2009-09-11, Cheque/Check Cashed 2009-09-15)

NOA Date : 2009-09-15 (Received 2009-09-19)

Bio. Appt. : 2009-09-30 (Walk-In Biometrics and Infopass Appointment) (Original Appt Date 10/14/09, Notice Date 2009-09-23, Received 2009-09-28)

Interview Date : 2009-11-18 (Notice Date 2009-10-13, Received 2009-10-17)

CRIS Touched and E-mails: 2009-09-17 (NOA), 2009-09-23 and 2009-09-24 (RFE/Biometrics), 2009-10-13 (Testing and Interview),

No need to panic, yet, just wait awhile longer, to see if you get your fingerprints/rfe letter, and see what happens next....

If you don't receive anything in the next couple of weeks, then you should inquire about your case further with an infopass appointment, and/or calling the mis-information/customer service phone number, to inquire further about your case..

Hope this helps. Good luck on the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

Ok so I have seen on here about the famous RFE. I have sent well over 200 pages of evidence . I got an email today saying on Nov 3rd we sent you out a notice. Well my case was touched today. How long does it take to get the fingerprint letter from the time they send you out that RFE? Now if I don't receive the letter I assume I shouldn't panic, but if I do I should? Thanks for all your help.

Lissa

Edited November 5, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Lansbury 19]

snipped

I wish when you post this you would make it clear that while highly unlikely there could be an RFE. You do not know that what you say applies in all cases, and could be very damaging to someones application if they ignore a non received RFE thinking it was the biometrics letter.

Otherwise please explain why I had the exact same entry on my case status but got the biometrics letter first and a delayed RFE (dated before the biometric letter) after it only after I made a phone call and subsequent Infopass appointment to follow it up.

[antda 13]

I wish when you post this you would make it clear that while highly unlikely there could be an RFE. You do not know that what you say applies in all cases, and could be very damaging to someones application if they ignore a non received RFE thinking it was the biometrics letter.

Otherwise please explain why I had the exact same entry on my case status but got the biometrics letter first and a delayed RFE (dated before the biometric letter) after it only after I made a phone call and subsequent Infopass appointment to follow it up.

Lansbury- I also said the following, in my previous post:

If you don't receive anything in the next couple of weeks, then you should inquire about your case further with an infopass appointment, and/or calling the mis-information/customer service phone number, to inquire further about your case..

I agree, RFEs could be actual RFEs, or it could be the biometrics letter. I didn't tell the OP to ignore the RFE, but rather, not to worry too much about it, until they find out what the RFE says (which is most likely a fingerprints RFE letter, but there are also exceptions to the rule too, such as in your case when it was an actual RFE). In the OP's case, I think more likely it is for biometrics, as they submitted 200+ pages of stuff..and surely they can't RFE them for that much evidence? Also, it has only been recently since they got the RFE e-mail, so they should wait a little bit to see exactly what the RFE is and what exactly the USCIS requires of them, so that they can respond to that accordingly with the right evidence required. If they are still in doubt, and are still concerned, before they get that letter in the mail, then yes, the OP should do what I did, schedule an infopass appointment, and inquire further there. Sorry that in your case, that you got an RFE and that it was an actual RFE. Glad though, that you followed up on it with a phone call and infopass, as that helped there. I think the fault here lies with the USCIS really, as their system doesn't specifically distinguish between actual RFEs and fingerprint RFEs..lol...And yes, that gets a lot of people concerned and worried....But if in doubt, check it out! (and wait it out too.lol...) Hope this helps further.

Ant

Edited November 6, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Lansbury 19]

Lansbury- I also said the following, in my previous post:

Different thread and may not be seen by someone reading this one.

To me this is one of those issues which should be made clear every time a post is made. Yes I agree it is 99% to be the biometrics letter, but it should also be pointed the slim chance it isn't and if an RFE is not answered in the required time the case is closed and it is quite difficult to get them to reopen a closed citizenship application. Then the person can choose to do what they want.

On the plus side if USCIS get enough inquiries caused by them saying the biometrics letter is an RFE when it isn't perhaps they might even change the word in the status checks.

[antda 13]

Different thread and may not be seen by someone reading this one.

To me this is one of those issues which should be made clear every time a post is made. Yes I agree it is 99% to be the biometrics letter, but it should also be pointed the slim chance it isn't and if an RFE is not answered in the required time the case is closed and it is quite difficult to get them to reopen a closed citizenship application. Then the person can choose to do what they want.

On the plus side if USCIS get enough inquiries caused by them saying the biometrics letter is an RFE when it isn't perhaps they might even change the word in the status checks.

Lansbury-True, this might be seen by some people and might not seen by others. Not your fault there that others don't read most of the posts here on vj...

So to the vj moderators: Can this thread be pinned, or something like that? As over and over again, we are seeing people ask and panic about the

N-400 RFE, and this question has been asked and answered numerous times on vj before. That way, if the post is pinned, others can know what to do next, when they do get the RFE, and decide accordingly what they want to do (and not worry about it as much..). And if in doubt, they can inquire with the USCIS about their case and what their next steps are....

Landsbury-And I agree too, the more USCIS gets inquiries about the Biometrics/RFE and the flawed online system to inform of such, hopefully they can get something done to improve it (wishful thinking here...). Lol..I did my part by inquiring about such in-person (and pointed out such a flaw to an immigration officer...lol...) and if more people were to do such as well, surely this can help, right?

Ant

Edited November 6, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[a&o 4]

Glad I found this post. We are waiting on the Biometrics appointment letter, but today got the email and text message saying an RFE has been sent and so I started to get all nervous and wonder what we left out of the application.... So, good to know if very well could be that the RFE is just for fingerprints.

Question, though: If the RFE is for fingerprints, will the RFE letter state that the missing evidence is fingerprints?

[nigel 7]

Glad I found this post. We are waiting on the Biometrics appointment letter, but today got the email and text message saying an RFE has been sent and so I started to get all nervous and wonder what we left out of the application.... So, good to know if very well could be that the RFE is just for fingerprints.

Question, though: If the RFE is for fingerprints, will the RFE letter state that the missing evidence is fingerprints?

Could be Biometrics....could be "not" i would say to be safe get a info pass...

what part of Jacksonville you from a&o? i hear the jacksonville service centre do walk in Fingerprints....is that true?

If so maybe you can kill 2 birds with one stone (info pass).....get ya prints done and also get rid of that RFE Rubbish....if it is that anyway..

Just a thought

[a&o 4]

Could be Biometrics....could be "not" i would say to be safe get a info pass...

what part of Jacksonville you from a&o? i hear the jacksonville service centre do walk in Fingerprints....is that true?

We're up north of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach.

So, I guess when we get the RFE letter in the mail and it doesn't specifically say it's a request for fingerprints, we'll drive on down for an Infopass and try to do the walk-in fingerprints at the same time. Good idear!

[ziko 0]

We're up north of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach.

So, I guess when we get the RFE letter in the mail and it doesn't specifically say it's a request for fingerprints, we'll drive on down for an Infopass and try to do the walk-in fingerprints at the same time. Good idear!

Don't worry it's just a biometric , most people got one and me sent my application this month too and i got email RFE. But it turn out the biometric letter as i thought before.

[HeatDeath 430]

Should I panic?

What does my sig say?

No, you should not panic. Even if it's a real RFE, and not a biometrics letter, it is still no cause for panic. RFE's are a very straightforward, unambiguous process. They send you a letter telling you what they need, and you become despondent, sever all of your human relationships, and two fingers, go off the grid, and hide in a cabin in Montana for 13 years read the letter carefully, and send them what they want. At worst, your case is delayed by a week or two. Don't worry about it

As I wrote elsewhere, in immigration matters, think like a glacier. Calm, cool, and collected. It doesn't matter how slow the process is - you may only move one or two feet forward in a year. But no force on the planet can stop you. Mountains crumble beneath your unstoppable power. Slow, steady, and unstoppable - that's the key.

Edited February 26, 2010 by HeatDeath

[NickD 202]

We never panicked during our AOS, signed a G-28a with an excellent attorney where the USCIS contacted him directly and he informed us exactly what we had to do. Plus we were way too busy playing house.

Never panicked for the N-400 either, we applied ourselves, already been on this board for three months, got plenty of tips, wife had her ten year green card and a renewed foreign passport.

But during the I-751, that's when we panicked, no ten year card and very close to the expiration date, no travel, no work, even possible deportation, that was a good time to panic.

While during the conditional residency stage, we were checking the online status every five minutes, just said the heck with it for USC and went on with our lives. Knew the N-400 was filled out correctly, had tons of evidence, when the interview date came in, knew it was time to study for the civics test. But did get a bit ticked off when wife's IO didn't deliver the oath letter as promised, did get my wife to get that promise. One short call to my senator, she attended her oath three days later.

But then we panicked when her passport came in without her certicate, another 400 bucks? But it came in three days later.

This is a good time to apply if you live in snow country, interview should be in spring, so don't have to be concerned about a major snow storm if you have a distance to travel for your interview.

[nigel 7]

We're up north of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach.

So, I guess when we get the RFE letter in the mail and it doesn't specifically say it's a request for fingerprints, we'll drive on down for an Infopass and try to do the walk-in fingerprints at the same time. Good idear!

Ok....well just down the rd from myself..

ill be keeping a eye on ya process, as soon i will be going through the same service center as you.

[NickD 202]

We're up north of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach.

So, I guess when we get the RFE letter in the mail and it doesn't specifically say it's a request for fingerprints, we'll drive on down for an Infopass and try to do the walk-in fingerprints at the same time. Good idear!

If you don't specifically get that biometrics letter, they won't take your fingerprints, you need that. On site is strictly optional, seems like going there is driving people nuts. Thankfully, my wife's employer has been very co-operative in giving her the time off when the USCIS demands your presence. Same with the weather, we never missed an appointment.