Got our RFE too!

[goodlulck52 69]

Oh, we received the RFE letter! I know many people have recounted similar experience as here, but we want to share our specific one! Our mistake is probably that we did not list our items here on the VJ forum to make sure we have got everything! So please help us and have a look~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1 Passport-Style Photographs

Oh dang: the background is too dark. We need to increase the lighting in the background!

 

2 Beneficiary's intent to marry in the United States

• What we provided: a shared statement with both our signatures.
• What we will provide: beneficiary's statement of intending to marry
• Note: No need to provide the USC's statement of intending to marry since it is not asked, right? Sorry for asking the obvious, but we just cannot take any chances.

 

3 Requirement that Petitioner and beneficiary have met in person.

1. Circumstances of meeting under which you and beneficiary met to establish the relationship
2. Personal Meeting

• What we provided:
  1. we described how we met to establish the relationship
  2. we live together, so we provided our apartment rent bond lodgement, which include both of our and our landlord's signatures.
• What we will provide:
  1. More detailed version of how we met to establish the relationship (not sure how detailed is good enough)
  2. A written statement from only me stating that we have met in person and containing details of the date and circumstances of the meeting. (This is the first item in the list of primary evidence)
• Note:
  • We do not have airline ticket stubs and receipts within two years because we live together and did not travel
  • We do not have passport pages that shows identification page and admission stamps within two years. (We have stamps entering my country but it is more than two years old)
  • We do not have military orders
  • Photographs of us being together (may  be considered as secondary evidence as stated in USCIS letter.) (since not important, won't supply)

 

 

Thank you!!!!!

[RJandHamid 1,128]

For statement of intent to marry, I would include 2 separate letters from both the beneficiary and the petitioner. Like you said, you don't want to take any chances. 

 

As for evidence of meeting in person, you can only provide what you have, and it seems like that is what you have done. 

[goodlulck52 69]

6 hours ago, RJandHamid said:

For statement of intent to marry, I would include 2 separate letters from both the beneficiary and the petitioner. Like you said, you don't want to take any chances. 

 

As for evidence of meeting in person, you can only provide what you have, and it seems like that is what you have done. 

Thanks for your reply! We will add petitioner's intent to marry statement, just to be on the safe side.

 

Sorry to see you have not received approval yet. I got RFE only last Wednesday or so. Good luck this week！！！

[cyanmavi 101]

For 1, ask the photographer for biometric photos, they need to be 2x2 with a white background and no glasses! Instructions here: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/photos.html

@RJandHamid covered the 2nd item well. Two letters are needed.

For 3, I don't think you need a more detailed statement of how you met and established the relationship. They want to see that you have met at least once within two years. Living together obviously covers that but they need more proof from you to see that since you got an RFE. I would also include mail addressed to you both or separately for the beneficiary and the petitioner, better if they have a date on them. More evidence that you live together basically, things that have your names and addresses on them.

Also I would send the passport stamps anyway, to show that you entered the country at some point.

Photos are secondary evidence, yes, but wouldn't hurt to send a few, especially some with recognizable landmarks if possible. Photos with friends and/or family would also help.

[tayro 6]

@goodlulck52 Did your RFE specially mention that you need two separate signed statements? My fiance and I also only submitted one with both of our signatures. I am worried now! Thanks.

[goodlulck52 69]

1 hour ago, tayro said:

@goodlulck52 Did your RFE specially mention that you need two separate signed statements? My fiance and I also only submitted one with both of our signatures. I am worried now! Thanks.

We did exactly what you did. Now they specifically asked for beneficiary's statement, but not petitioner's. To be on the safe side, we will redo this separately.

[goodlulck52 69]

4 hours ago, cyanmavi said:

For 1, ask the photographer for biometric photos, they need to be 2x2 with a white background and no glasses! Instructions here: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/photos.html

@RJandHamid covered the 2nd item well. Two letters are needed.

For 3, I don't think you need a more detailed statement of how you met and established the relationship. They want to see that you have met at least once within two years. Living together obviously covers that but they need more proof from you to see that since you got an RFE. I would also include mail addressed to you both or separately for the beneficiary and the petitioner, better if they have a date on them. More evidence that you live together basically, things that have your names and addresses on them.

Also I would send the passport stamps anyway, to show that you entered the country at some point.

Photos are secondary evidence, yes, but wouldn't hurt to send a few, especially some with recognizable landmarks if possible. Photos with friends and/or family would also help.

Thanks! We will do as you suggested.

 

I never noticed the requirements for glasses!

 

However, the glasses were not mentioned in the RFE. Only the background is too dark. The letter then listed the photo requirements, glasses are not mentioned. We do not want to retake the photos because they have to be taken within 30 days of application according to RFE, apparently, we are 130 days.

 

So options:

1 Retake photos

2 Ask my photographer to adjust our background and send this with glasses

3 Send both.

 

Which one should we do???

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2017 by goodlulck52

[Peot 132]

Retake the photo. I'm positive that passport style photos are requested to be not "retouched". It's also possible that they are citing the background darkness as just one flaw of many. Get it done properly and be worry free.

 

And yes, it's implied that both petitioner and beneficiary fill out intent letters separately. "I _____ hereby intend to marry ____ within 90 days of his/her entry" is the general idea rather than "we are going to get married when ____ enters within 90 days"

[cyanmavi 101]

Yeah do not mess with the photos, just retake them. Since you got a RFE for them, the 30 day clock restarts, they will definitely accept recent photos.

[Redheadguy03 505]

The passport is usually the best way to show when you met within 2 years. You need airline tickets or something to show when you met. Intent letters need to be written one by each person. My fiance and mine are identical just with different signatures. 

 

Do not wear glasses in your passport photo! That's a new rule here in the states, so take them off to avoid any issues. 

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by Redheadguy03

[Dysphobiah 40]

Hey !

 

I didn't had an RFE, but I think that I can help you.

 

- For the I-129F, they need 2 letters of intend : One from the US citizen, and one from the beneficiary. On the RFE they just asked for the beneficiary, but I think it would be better to give them the 2 letters, just in case.

 

- I think that the best thing to do for the pictures is to remake them, and to ask for "American passport" type of pictures.

 

- For the proof that you have met in person, with the fact that you don't have primary evidence like passport stamps and tickets, I think it would be good to provide them a lot of secondary evidence : Call logs / emails / messages sent to each other, pictures of you being together (yes they says it's a secondary evidence, but since you don't have a lot of what they considers like "Primary evidence", it will be great to add pictures to your response), receipts or tickets from places you went together like restaurants, showing the same date and time.. Provide a lot of evidence, it's never too much, especially in this case where they said in the letter that they need more proofs.

 

I hope you will be approved soon !

[goodlulck52 69]

On 4/28/2017 at 2:27 PM, Peot said:

Retake the photo. I'm positive that passport style photos are requested to be not "retouched". It's also possible that they are citing the background darkness as just one flaw of many. Get it done properly and be worry free.

 

And yes, it's implied that both petitioner and beneficiary fill out intent letters separately. "I _____ hereby intend to marry ____ within 90 days of his/her entry" is the general idea rather than "we are going to get married when ____ enters within 90 days"

 

23 hours ago, cyanmavi said:

Yeah do not mess with the photos, just retake them. Since you got a RFE for them, the 30 day clock restarts, they will definitely accept recent photos.

 

11 hours ago, Redheadguy03 said:

The passport is usually the best way to show when you met within 2 years. You need airline tickets or something to show when you met. Intent letters need to be written one by each person. My fiance and mine are identical just with different signatures. 

 

Do not wear glasses in your passport photo! That's a new rule here in the states, so take them off to avoid any issues. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Dysphobiah said:

Hey !

 

I didn't had an RFE, but I think that I can help you.

 

- For the I-129F, they need 2 letters of intend : One from the US citizen, and one from the beneficiary. On the RFE they just asked for the beneficiary, but I think it would be better to give them the 2 letters, just in case.

 

- I think that the best thing to do for the pictures is to remake them, and to ask for "American passport" type of pictures.

 

- For the proof that you have met in person, with the fact that you don't have primary evidence like passport stamps and tickets, I think it would be good to provide them a lot of secondary evidence : Call logs / emails / messages sent to each other, pictures of you being together (yes they says it's a secondary evidence, but since you don't have a lot of what they considers like "Primary evidence", it will be great to add pictures to your response), receipts or tickets from places you went together like restaurants, showing the same date and time.. Provide a lot of evidence, it's never too much, especially in this case where they said in the letter that they need more proofs.

 

I hope you will be approved soon !

Hi everyone! Thank you all for your valuable information！Really appreciated it!

 

I have mailed our response back. Fingers crossed!

[cyanmavi 101]

Good luck!!