Dealing with my RFE

[Lisa & Vinko 9]

Got my hard copy for my RFE yesterday, basically I did not send primary evidence that we met in the last two years. What I did send were pictures (not film-dated), and airline stubs (had date but not year). I have a feeling that all they are going to want are copies of all my passport pages, which the RFE did state was wanted, and I feel really dumb for not sending this in the first place. And what is a "film-dated" picture anyway? So will the passport pages be enough? I had someone tell me outside of VJ that I should have them notarized. Thanks!!

[TwoCats 55]

Got my hard copy for my RFE yesterday, basically I did not send primary evidence that we met in the last two years. What I did send were pictures (not film-dated), and airline stubs (had date but not year). I have a feeling that all they are going to want are copies of all my passport pages, which the RFE did state was wanted, and I feel really dumb for not sending this in the first place. And what is a "film-dated" picture anyway? So will the passport pages be enough? I had someone tell me outside of VJ that I should have them notarized. Thanks!!

'Film-dated' is a function of many digital cameras.

It puts the date the picture was taken right on the image itself.

If your images don't have this already on them, my suggestion is to write the date, location, and names of who is in the picture on the back. Or if you have them digitally, put them in a word document and write that information below it.

Passport pages would be a good start.

Make sure you note who's passport pages it is (include photo page as well).

You could also try to get friends/family who have met you two together to write up an affidavit explaining that you've met in person in their presence.

Edited January 12, 2011 by TwoCats

[Patty♥Paul 8]

The pictures we sent were not film dated , Paul just wrote the date and where we were in the back of each photo, maybe you can send more pictures with all that info plus your passport stamps, any chance that you still have some receives from when you were here in Chile? that could help too....the more the merrier

Hope everything goes by really smooth from now on, I'll be praying for you

Patty

[Blob18 111]

Got my hard copy for my RFE yesterday, basically I did not send primary evidence that we met in the last two years. What I did send were pictures (not film-dated), and airline stubs (had date but not year). I have a feeling that all they are going to want are copies of all my passport pages, which the RFE did state was wanted, and I feel really dumb for not sending this in the first place. And what is a "film-dated" picture anyway? So will the passport pages be enough? I had someone tell me outside of VJ that I should have them notarized. Thanks!!

Well, pictures (dated or not) aren't considered primary evidence by USCIS and an airline stub with no year on it makes it almost impossible without in-depth searching to figure out if it was within the 2 year timeframe.

If you have itineraries for those stubs, send that in as they could match the flight number on the stub with the itinerary (make it evident so they know this), alone with copies of your passport stamps. If you have anything else such as hotel reciepts, money exchange receipts etc, send that as well.

Also nothing needs to be notarized. If you are concerned with them thinking it is someone elses passport, just copy the entire passport.

[pushbrk 12,975]

Got my hard copy for my RFE yesterday, basically I did not send primary evidence that we met in the last two years. What I did send were pictures (not film-dated), and airline stubs (had date but not year). I have a feeling that all they are going to want are copies of all my passport pages, which the RFE did state was wanted, and I feel really dumb for not sending this in the first place. And what is a "film-dated" picture anyway? So will the passport pages be enough? I had someone tell me outside of VJ that I should have them notarized. Thanks!!

I would send a color copy of all pages of you passport. No need for notarizing them.

[pushbrk 12,975]

'Film-dated' is a function of many digital cameras.

No, it is not. Film dating is a function of SOME actual film cameras. Digital cameras can put a date on the digital file but not on "film" as there is no "film". When USCIS says "film dated" they are not referring to digital photos. It's actually an outdated term.

[TwoCats 55]

No, it is not. Film dating is a function of SOME actual film cameras. Digital cameras can put a date on the digital file but not on "film" as there is no "film". When USCIS says "film dated" they are not referring to digital photos. It's actually an outdated term.

My mistake, then.

I was assuming this as a more modern message.

I had heard over the years on this board that they tend to prefer digital photos with the date-stamped.

[Lisa & Vinko 9]

The pictures we sent were not film dated , Paul just wrote the date and where we were in the back of each photo, maybe you can send more pictures with all that info plus your passport stamps, any chance that you still have some receives from when you were here in Chile? that could help too....the more the merrier

Hope everything goes by really smooth from now on, I'll be praying for you

I sent a buttload of pictures with information about who, when, and where written on the back. I really think they are looking for something with the cold hard evidence with the dates 2009-2010 in them!!! Nothing I sent did, but my passport stamps sure have that!

Patty

[Lisa & Vinko 9]

I also do not have receipts (didn't know that I would need them), and I could get notarized affidavits, but the deadline to get stuff in is Febuary 4. I don't have the $ right now to be sending things express mail back and forth from Chile. So I hope the passport pages are enough. Thanks for all the responses!

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My mistake, then.

I was assuming this as a more modern message.

I had heard over the years on this board that they tend to prefer digital photos with the date-stamped.

"Film dated" is a reference to a time when many film cameras had the ability to expose a portion of the film with an image from a digital clock which was inside the camera, causing the date to be "burned" into the image. Even when this was common, it was not a fool proof way to date a photograph since it was reasonably easy to change the date on the camera. However, USCIS' thinking was that it would be difficult to do this in hindsight, and add a date retroactively to a photograph that wasn't previously dated. The idea was to prevent people from sending in photos which were five years old (for example) and claiming that they were taken within the past two years. This was a reasonable presumption at the time USCIS originally concocted this requirement. Digital photography didn't exist yet, and someone would have needed their own darkroom to craft a convincing fake from an existing film negative.

These days, even the simplest digital photo editing software can add a convincing looking date to any photograph. USCIS should probably revise their boilerplate RFE requirements. An adjudicator knows how easy it is to doctor up a photograph using Photoshop, and they take this into account when considering photos as evidence. If the primary evidence is believable then they'll take your word for it that the photos are authentic. If you don't have sufficient or believable primary evidence, then the best photos in the world won't be enough to convince them.

[Aztec&Taino 144]

I would send a color copy of all pages of you passport. No need for notarizing them.

Why color copies? Is there crucial information that is lost when making a black and white copy of passport pages?

[Al422 221]

Adjudicators are specifically told to reject evidence of meeting if it consists of photos only, whether dated or not. This is considered secondary evidence. They are good (and may be self-dated), but they can't be the ONLY evidence.

The boarding passes are useless as evidence because of no year on them.

Visas with visa stamps would be considered primary evidence and would solve this problem. Just make sure they see enough to conclude that it is you and not somebody else.

[Lisamarie 79]

You could also send proof of payment for the flight, such as a bank or credit card statement, along with the itinerary:)

Well, pictures (dated or not) aren't considered primary evidence by USCIS and an airline stub with no year on it makes it almost impossible without in-depth searching to figure out if it was within the 2 year timeframe.

If you have itineraries for those stubs, send that in as they could match the flight number on the stub with the itinerary (make it evident so they know this), alone with copies of your passport stamps. If you have anything else such as hotel reciepts, money exchange receipts etc, send that as well.

Also nothing needs to be notarized. If you are concerned with them thinking it is someone elses passport, just copy the entire passport.

[pushbrk 12,975]

Why color copies? Is there crucial information that is lost when making a black and white copy of passport pages?

Try it and see. You can be certain of full legibility in a decent color copy, including the photograph. Iffy with black and white but possible.

[Barbara J 115]

Got my hard copy for my RFE yesterday, basically I did not send primary evidence that we met in the last two years. What I did send were pictures (not film-dated), and airline stubs (had date but not year). I have a feeling that all they are going to want are copies of all my passport pages, which the RFE did state was wanted, and I feel really dumb for not sending this in the first place. And what is a "film-dated" picture anyway? So will the passport pages be enough? I had someone tell me outside of VJ that I should have them notarized. Thanks!!

My 2 cents worth, it's ok my now husband did not send the proper stuff either so we got RFE's when I was here through last year. We never had to send travel tickets boarding passes nada. Just pics (5) dated and named where and who.

2 affidavits from people who knew us and our impending marriage. I sent copy of wedding invite as well.

Whatever the RFE states you must send back, copy your passport pages and send them off. You have time, the quicker you get it all together too the quicker they will get on with your case , good luck