The RFE Master List

[45495 1]

I've read a few things in this thread that have made me nervous - the biggest is that even having boarding passes/stamps/pictures sometimes doesn't seem to convince the adjudicators.

I sent them every single boarding pass my fiance had when he visited. The trip went something like this for him: London-NYC-Cinncinati-my airport. I put all of his boarding passes in order of his connecting flights, both for his arrival and his departure. Are they going to look at those connecting flights and decide those passes don't prove he was in my state (even though we HAVE the boarding pass that puts him in the airport in my state). We also had a passport stamp, but I've been hearing about entry/exit stamps. He only had one stamp, with "WT" signed on it. Other than that, there is nothing else on any of the pages of his passport. Was sending just that one stamp for nothing?

It's so frustrating thinking of what some people will accept and what others won't accept.

if it helps: we provided all the airplanetickets that i still found, sometimes only half off the trip, but, hey it shows something right... a bunch of pics and NO passportstamps (in retrospect, i would have added those). we did have a couple of trips putting us next to each other on the plane.

we didnt get a RFE.

but i have to add some people add more evidence and do get an RFE...

the WT stamp is your entry stamp (has the date and says it expires in 90 days) and i've never heared of exitstamps in the US, maybe arriving stamps in your homecountry?? but belgium doesnt do that.

sounds like you're all good to me.

good luck.

[SterlingGirl 1]

sounds like you're all good to me.

good luck.

Thank you SO much. I'm not sure if the US has exit stamps or not. I think it's because we don't often care who leaves (unless they're fleeing prosecution), just who gets in!

Got my fingers crossed. I've been surprised at the wait times thus far; not nearly as long as I thought. I'll definitely post here if I get an RFE, though.

[SterlingGirl 1]

Will they send an RFE if you forgot to label your passport photos on the G-325a, or just send the entire thing back? Or have the common sense to know that the photo of the male behind the G-325a bearing a male's name is probably that person?

I just realized I forgot to do that one stupid little thing, and I'll be fit to be tied if they send it back over that.

[ELW 5]

They are mostly concerned about the COUNTRY not the state in the country, so as long as you have proof that he was in USA, you are good to go! (When submitting my proof it just showed I was in India, nowhere did we have any proof that we were in the same state at the same time, except photos).

I don't know about the photo thing, haven't heard of a similar case. Hopefully they will not send it back. If they do just write his name on the photo and return it immediately!

[juanita 0]

VISA APROBADA!!!

[Nao 0]

Hello.

We got a RFE after 6 and half months of wait....

When my fiancee called CSC today, we were informed that we have a RFE....

He has not received an actual letter in the mail yet. Well, it is not sent out yet....

Here is what was going on with our case:

April2: Our case was handed to an adjudicator

April 22: We were told that our case is at the security check(We had not RFE at this point)

May 8: We are told that our case is done with the security check and an adjudicator RFEed us.

So, I have two questions regarding RFE:

1. Do they put multiple requests on one RFE letter or one letter contains only one request?

2. Did anyone have a similar experience? (No REF before the security check and RFE after the security check.)

I am thinking if some forms were missing, they could have asked for it before putting it through security

check.... So, now we have a REF after the security check.... RFE might be for a court record or something??

I know we have to wait the actual letter and see, but I am just trying to have an idea on what it could be....

(Well, it could be that they waited to issue RFE till the security check is over so that they do not have to issue

RFE twice on the same case if they found out that they want something from the process of security check...)

We are an October 2007 filer and struggling to get though CSC.

If you have any information, please help us.

Thanks

Nao

[ELW 5]

I think as soon as you get your NOA1, your name is sent to a separate agency (FBI) to do the security/name check. Meanwhile, the file is waiting on a shelf until an adjudicator gets to it. Usually the security check is finished first.

Usually people get one letter with multiple (if applicable) RFE requests. However after receiving the RFE info, they might go over the case again and find something else missing. However usually that does not happen.

If you have any idea what the RFE could be for, you can start preparing the paperwork now, ready to send immediately. Many RFEs are for W2s or other tax info; or concerning co-sponsors (like their proof of citizenship or W2s/tax info). You could also go over all your copies of the applications you sent and double check that the info is correct and you signed everything, etc. Good luck with a fast approval!

[Nao 0]

I think as soon as you get your NOA1, your name is sent to a separate agency (FBI) to do the security/name check. Meanwhile, the file is waiting on a shelf until an adjudicator gets to it. Usually the security check is finished first.

Usually people get one letter with multiple (if applicable) RFE requests. However after receiving the RFE info, they might go over the case again and find something else missing. However usually that does not happen.

If you have any idea what the RFE could be for, you can start preparing the paperwork now, ready to send immediately. Many RFEs are for W2s or other tax info; or concerning co-sponsors (like their proof of citizenship or W2s/tax info). You could also go over all your copies of the applications you sent and double check that the info is correct and you signed everything, etc. Good luck with a fast approval!

Hi ELW.

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I think I will send my fiancee everything which the RFE could be for. Since we are filing for K1, I think it is not for financial documents. But, I will send them to my fiancee anyway. (I was in the U.S. on a student visa and worked on campus, so I have W2 and tax return forms. I also have Social Security Card. So, I will just send everything that I can think of.) Anyway, I have some more questions. Please let me know if you have any info on them.

1. Are there any tips upon sending RFE? (Should we write something on the envelope so that they know that it is for RFE? Should we include a copy of RFE letter sent from USCIS so that they know what they requested for? Should we include a letter explaining what are included? What else should we include?)

2. I found a mistake on my G-325A (I wrote "None" in where I was supposed to write the last address abroad. I also did not include four copies of attachments to G-325A though I included four G-325A forms. I included only one.....silly mistake...). Even though the RFE is not for my G-325A, can I still submit the revised G-325A and additional copies of attachments so that they at least will not RFE us later again for that? (I will include the letter to ask an adjudicator to replace them.)

3. Can we send additinal documents that they do not ask for RFE? We do not need or cannot afford to receive another RFE.....so, if we can, we want to send in everything that we can as additional supporting documents....

Thanks a lot for your time.

Have a great day.

Nao

[ELW 5]

When you send in the RFE, definitely include the cover letter they sent you. First make a copy of it of course, for your records. You can also put "RFE Reply" with your case number on the cover envelope you send it in, that is what I did when I got an RFE for our K1 (it was for more proof of relationship). And of course, include a cover letter clearly stating what documents you are sending.

You can certainly send in more proof if you want, other than the RFE they specifically request. My motto throughout this process is, "Better safe than sorry!" and to drown them in paperwork!

[Nao 0]

When you send in the RFE, definitely include the cover letter they sent you. First make a copy of it of course, for your records. You can also put "RFE Reply" with your case number on the cover envelope you send it in, that is what I did when I got an RFE for our K1 (it was for more proof of relationship). And of course, include a cover letter clearly stating what documents you are sending.

You can certainly send in more proof if you want, other than the RFE they specifically request. My motto throughout this process is, "Better safe than sorry!" and to drown them in paperwork!

Hi ELW.

We always appreciate your quick reply and great support. You are sooo awsome. Thank you so much.

OK, so we should include the cover letter which they send us and our own cover letter. Also, we should write "RFE reply" and case number on the envelope. Cool. Thank you. We will definately follow your suggestions.

By the way, on USCIS website, it states that we need to used the special envelope provided. Are we going to receive a special envelope with the RFE letter? or can we use a regular envelope?

So, we sent in the following documents for I-129F original submission in addition to what they asked for.

My (foreign fiancee) family register, its translation, copy of my student visa and copy of both of our passport (all pages). We think we sent in enough evidence of meeting: We included copies of tickets, receipts for the tickets, various pictures, our transcripts from the same university, student ID card and so on as well as copy of my student visa and copies of both of our passports. But, just in case, we think we are going to include: copy of my social security card (I was working on campus while I was studying on F1 visa), my W2, my tax return forms, I-20s, my fiancee's social security card and my fiancee's tax return. We will include them as additional documents which they may be interested in upon making a decision. If there are anything more we should include, please let me know.

Anyway, how long does it usually take for a case with RFE to go through?

I am sorry for asking you so many questions...

We think we will call CIS ombudsman if we do not hear decision soon because we received RFE(we have not received the actual letter yet...) a week before we became out of normal processing time. (Our NOA1 date is Oct. 19.....)So, I hope they can help us....

Thanks for your time.

Nao

[ELW 5]

Thanks for the compliments, I love to help!

As for the special envelope, they sent a plain white 9 by 12 one with their address on it; it did NOT fit all the piles of paperwork I had to send, so I got a similar, bigger envelope and copied the address on the "special envelope" exactly.

Sounds like your RFE would NOT be for proof of relationship, you sent TONS of that already! (I had not found VJ until I already submitted the I-129F, so all I sent was copies of my passport pages to prove I was in India. After the RFE I sent in copies of plane tickets, itinerary, visa extensions, etc.).

Usually The petition is approved fast after receiving the RFE. For us, we got approved 12 days after I sent in the RFE.

[Nao 0]

Thanks for the compliments, I love to help!

As for the special envelope, they sent a plain white 9 by 12 one with their address on it; it did NOT fit all the piles of paperwork I had to send, so I got a similar, bigger envelope and copied the address on the "special envelope" exactly.

Sounds like your RFE would NOT be for proof of relationship, you sent TONS of that already! (I had not found VJ until I already submitted the I-129F, so all I sent was copies of my passport pages to prove I was in India. After the RFE I sent in copies of plane tickets, itinerary, visa extensions, etc.).

Usually The petition is approved fast after receiving the RFE. For us, we got approved 12 days after I sent in the RFE.

Hi ELW.

Thank you again so much for your reply and consideration.

We think we also cannot fit all of what we will send to CSC in the envelope provided, so we may also buy a similar envelope. Thank you for your suggestion based on your experience.

Yes, I think we sent in evidences enough to prove that we met in the past two years. If they want more, we have tons tons tons of more documents to prove it, but I do not think they want to look at a whole book on our history of meeting...lol

I actually sent a packet to my fiancee this morning. I put whatever documents that I could think of were RFEd for: Social Security Card copy, Driver's license copy, copy of I-20, copy of my W2, copy of bank statement, phone bill and auto insurance notice and card which were sent to my U.S. address.　Even though they may not ask for them, we are just gonna include them as additional documents anyway. ( Yes, we obviously cannot fit this whole pile into a small envelope that they provide us. lol) I may have to send my fiancée more docs if RFE is for none of those docs that I sent him today.

Well, we will see. Oh, there were other things that I sent him: G-325A and attachments to it. I found a mistake on it!!! I mistakenly wrote "NONE" to the question asking my last address abroad for more than 5 years.... So, I revised the forms and sent him all four pages. I also included only one attachment with the original I-129F though I needed to include four (one for each page of G-325A).... So, there is a great possibility that RFE is for these.... I also sent four copies of attachments with my signature and date to him today. Well, if RFE is for these two docs, then I think the half of the problem is already solved. Again, even RFE is not for them, we will still include them, asking an adjudicator to replace them because of a mistake.

It is also great to know that once they receive RFE reply, the case gets approved fast. I remember that you told me on another thred that the cases which were RFEd stay on top of the piles of applications. We feel so much relieved to know that. If nothing happens, we still can ask help from ombudsman, Senators and a congressman whom we already contacted. So, they can look into the case when we give them a call.

Now, we can see a way out of this nightmare.

Thank you sooo much for your support again.

Have a great day,

Nao

[NN1980 0]

Hello,

I received an email that I got an RFE on May 5th and according to that email it was sent on May 3rd. I am still waiting for my RFE letter and it has been 9 days. From anybody's experience with receiving an RFE how long does it usually take to get a letter after getting an email that you have gotten an RFE? How much longer should I wait before calling them to make sure it wasn't misplaced?

[ELW 5]

Our RFE took 10 days to arrive after getting the email about it.

[Nao 0]

Our RFE took 10 days to arrive after getting the email about it.

Ic.

The bad thing is that two officers told us that we were RFEd when my fiancee calld them last Thursday. They also told us to call them back if we do not receive the letter within a week.

However.... our case status has not been changed (it still says "case received and pending".)....we have not receive an e-mail notice either.... (Is it because they have not sent our the letter yet?) On the other hand, our case was updated today....Mmmmm.... we are not sure what is going on??....

The good thing is that since my fiancee lives in L.A., it will take just a day or two for the letter to get to his mail box once it is sent out from CSC.

We will see....

Thanks

Nao