RFE Received for K1 Visa, and responded to - what we learned about how to do it better

[dmck 80]

Hi VJ'ers

So after waiting 8.5 months from the CSC, we received a RFE. When I received the letter, the fun began (a bit of sarcasim). So our RFE was for 2 things, 1 - Intent to Marry aka Affidavit of Love and 2 - proof of meeting in person. So I will share with you what we originally supplied and what we responded with to the RFE.

The Affidavit of Love - our mistake, was very clear. We both wrote a letter that we met, fell in love, and were going to marry when she arrived to the US. What we did not put in our statements was that we would marry in 90 days. So, those of you starting this K1 journey, put the specific words; we intend to marry within 90 days of arrival into the United States. I find this technicality absolutely absurd as the K1 visa is only valid for 90 days, so you have to marry within this timeframe anyways. what ever.......

#2 - proof of meeting - wow this one through me for a loop. In the 2 years leading to our filing for the K1, we met about 16 times in person. Mostly here in the US, but a few times overseas. She flies with an airline, so she traveled here often. BUT, crew do not get stamps in their passport like tourists do. So while I supplied evidence that I flew to where she was, and assumed that they would access the CBP database to match her arrivals to mine, this was not so. The few times she flew here as a tourist or we flew international to meet were hard for the case officer to follow obviously. We should have "organized" the meetings a bit better to make it easy for them to follow the evidence.

So to satisfy the request, we put together a 107 page (yes and it took many hours) reply showing: my entire passport, her entire passport, circling each entry point, every flipping airline receipt I had, the few she had from the non crew travel, credit card statements, hotel reservations, and photos. A note about photos, if it does not contain a hard coded date on the photo, they do not accept it as evidence; neither primary or secondary. We organized it by trip (and supplied 4 organized trips) with a cover letter to each trip explaining the documents that supported the trip. This package will go to them tomorrow. Hopefully that is all they need and we can move on with our lives together......

Please learn from our mistake.

[vbtwo 54]

For #1, I think they just want to make sure that you absolutely know the rules of the visa, thus they want a statement from you that you understand and agree.

[smtha81 4]

ooops the only proof I gave that I travelled to the US was a copy of my flight itinerary, but didn't send a copy of my passport stamps! Hope it'll still be ok! we put lots of pictures of us together though, and it is very obvious some of them were taken in Switzerland.

[jetlagged 3]

ooops the only proof I gave that I travelled to the US was a copy of my flight itinerary, but didn't send a copy of my passport stamps! Hope it'll still be ok! we put lots of pictures of us together though, and it is very obvious some of them were taken in Switzerland.

I really hope so, as we can always buy airline ticket and have flight itinerary without actually flying to meet the fiance that's why we have to send passport pages with the stamps and boarding passes to prove that we actually have flown. But since you mentioned you've got photos in famous landmarks in Switzerland hope it will suffice.

Good luck to all of us!

[smtha81 4]

I really hope so, as we can always buy airline ticket and have flight itinerary without actually flying to meet the fiance that's why we have to send passport pages with the stamps and boarding passes to prove that we actually have flown. But since you mentioned you've got photos in famous landmarks in Switzerland hope it will suffice.

Good luck to all of us!

Thanks! I think my fiancé did send copies of his boarding pass for when he visited me. That should be enough, I suppose.

Yes, good luck to all of us!

Edited April 30, 2013 by smtha81

[Da & Ra 14]

Oh wow.. I didnt submitted any pictures of us together as we got engaged while im in us and he is in jordan, i also went on a trip over 2 years time , i am not sure if my refusal will be requesting a new trip or pictures .. i am still waiting to get my REF in the mail to know.. Good Luck to us all..

[Jaz&Bry 9]

ooops the only proof I gave that I travelled to the US was a copy of my flight itinerary, but didn't send a copy of my passport stamps! Hope it'll still be ok! we put lots of pictures of us together though, and it is very obvious some of them were taken in Switzerland.

You may get an RFE for that since the itinerary does not prove that you/he actually boarded.

And the pictures are only evidence that you did meet, but they don´t prove that you met within the required 2-year period since the date you may have put down on the back of the pic could be made up.

I am worried we may get one too, since we only put one boarding pass and no passport stamps. Technically, that one boarding pass proves that we did meet within the 2 years. But they may want evidence of every single meeting that we are claiming.

We did choose pics though like you that unmistakenly show us with Downtown Los Angeles (us in summer clothing) and one with Hamburg, Germany (winter, we´re all bundled up) in the background.

So a semi-smart adjudicator should figure we met al least twice in different locations

ah, just saw in your next post that you think he did add the boarding passes, in that case let´s hope you guys and us will be okay!

Edited April 30, 2013 by Jaz&Bry

[Trillian42 6]

I just got an RFE today, still waiting to get it by mail.

A few days ago I realized we didn't put the dates on the pictures we sent or names. But the OP said they don't accept pictures if the date is not hard coded? I don't think we have any pictures with the date hard coded. I did sent my plane ticket, but didn't think about making a copy of my whole passport. This is driving me crazy!

[dreed 4]

I just got an RFE today, still waiting to get it by mail.

A few days ago I realized we didn't put the dates on the pictures we sent or names. But the OP said they don't accept pictures if the date is not hard coded? I don't think we have any pictures with the date hard coded. I did sent my plane ticket, but didn't think about making a copy of my whole passport. This is driving me crazy!

As a general rule, dates do NOT have to be "hard coded" on photos. The OP may have been required to because of their specific RFE, but most of us suffer no such requirement.

Our photos had no dates on them at all. I printed six photos two-per-page and wrote a brief caption under each with our names, location and date of photo.

Edited May 6, 2013 by dreed

[FherJess 15]

As a general rule, dates do NOT have to be "hard coded" on photos. The OP may have been required to because of their specific RFE, but most of us suffer no such requirement.

Our photos had no dates on them at all. I printed six photos two-per-page and wrote a brief caption under each with our names, location and date of photo.

Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken but:

I believe pictures are not a cause for RFE because they are considered secondary evidence and therefore not absolutely necessary at this point in the journey (for interview, yes)

[Mr Pye 1]

Can someone point me in the right direction of hard coding either an iphone image taken or one from an SLR camera.

Cheers

Mr Pye

[Mr Pye 1]

Can someone point me in the right direction of hard coding either an iphone image taken or one from an SLR camera.

Cheers

Mr Pye

Does anyone have any information relating to this as I'm struggling to find a solution.

Cheers

Mr Pye