two years?

[*julez* 124]

No, it will not help. The present meeting did not take place during the 2-year period prior to submission of the petition.

Yodrak

..... When submitting proof for the RFE it would probably help to show that he's here now as proof of meeting also. ......

Since he is currently here, I think that would help a lot, also.

Thanks Yodrak. The meeting requirements in this case were cut fine and it appears that the NOA1 date is what counts for the meeting requirement. However, you cleverly edited ou the fact that I was only surmising in my original post. I never claimed to be preaching the USCIS gospel truth! With that said, thanks again for the clarification.

Jules

[Yodrak 7]

Jules,

I quoted the part of your post containing the issue that I specifically wanted to comment on - submitting evidence of an event that happened after the petition had been submitted.

I think your use of the word "probably" made it clear that you were not certain, not preaching the gospel. It's a good word, I use it a lot myself.

Yodrak

No, it will not help. The present meeting did not take place during the 2-year period prior to submission of the petition.

Yodrak

..... When submitting proof for the RFE it would probably help to show that he's here now as proof of meeting also. ......

Since he is currently here, I think that would help a lot, also.

Thanks Yodrak. The meeting requirements in this case were cut fine and it appears that the NOA1 date is what counts for the meeting requirement. However, you cleverly edited ou the fact that I was only surmising in my original post. I never claimed to be preaching the USCIS gospel truth! With that said, thanks again for the clarification.

Jules

[meowgirl 0]

Meowboy has the RFE with him, so I don't have the exact language. WHen I get it back I'll try to remember to add something to the RFE thread.

The appointment is an Infopass appointment. I called the customer service line and they told me to make an appointment using infopass. So I set one up for Thursday.

I'm hoping this meeting will help clarify expectations for the next part of the process; the telephone customer service reps were not as helpful as I had hoped. For example, if the officer tells me that the date they use is the NOA1 date, then we might as well start working on the next petition. We don't want to waste time with the RFE/appeals if there is no hope whatsoever that these processes may result in success. We'll just get going on our next petition (which is certain to be approved).

[LovinLiberia 0]

I love how you call him, meowboy, LOL.

[TimsDaisy 0]

Meowboy has the RFE with him, so I don't have the exact language. WHen I get it back I'll try to remember to add something to the RFE thread.

The appointment is an Infopass appointment. I called the customer service line and they told me to make an appointment using infopass. So I set one up for Thursday.

I'm hoping this meeting will help clarify expectations for the next part of the process; the telephone customer service reps were not as helpful as I had hoped. For example, if the officer tells me that the date they use is the NOA1 date, then we might as well start working on the next petition. We don't want to waste time with the RFE/appeals if there is no hope whatsoever that these processes may result in success. We'll just get going on our next petition (which is certain to be approved).

Unsolicited advice: when you go in there, don't go in effectively conceding that they win. If the day you stuck that petition in the mail (do you have proof of mailing) was not more than 2 years after the last day you were together in person, go in there and say, from the way we read everything, we have complied with the requirement. Period. Don't give an inch until they take the whole nine yards. The instructions say 2 years *from filing.* In a lot of areas of law (and I make no comment on the application of this to THIS area of law because I don't know), the act of putting something into a mailbox constitutes action or sets the date from or to which things will be timed.

So argue the hell out of your case the best you can until you run out of points to make and you are 100% sure that you have lost the battle.

I would say, talk with them, submit all you can, including your understanding of the date, and see what happens. People generally see the results of an RFE process not too long after submitting the requested materials. So you could lose a few weeks - OR you could abort this now and DEFINITELY step back a lot of paces.

Best of luck.

[TracyTN 237]

Meowboy has the RFE with him, so I don't have the exact language. WHen I get it back I'll try to remember to add something to the RFE thread.

The appointment is an Infopass appointment. I called the customer service line and they told me to make an appointment using infopass. So I set one up for Thursday.

I'm hoping this meeting will help clarify expectations for the next part of the process; the telephone customer service reps were not as helpful as I had hoped. For example, if the officer tells me that the date they use is the NOA1 date, then we might as well start working on the next petition. We don't want to waste time with the RFE/appeals if there is no hope whatsoever that these processes may result in success. We'll just get going on our next petition (which is certain to be approved).

I don't suppose it the Infopass appointment can hurt, but I'll be a little surprised if it comes to more than a waste of gas for your fiance. Mainly because you need to have met your fiance in person in the two years prior to your filing the petition - it states this on the instructions of the I 129f. If that hasn't happened (which is what they are trying to verify via the RFE), then your petition will be denied.

Whether or not they'll tell you that at the Infopass appointment, I cannot say for sure - I suspect they'll reiterate to you what the RFE is seeking (what you already know).

Edited May 8, 2007 by TracyTN

[TimsDaisy 0]

I love how you call him, meowboy, LOL.

Has anyone here seen "Super Troopers" - a comedy from a few years back? Very funny. There's a bit that involves the word "meow" - if you've seen it, you know what I mean, if you haven't, don't want to spoil it - so go rent it and enjoy.

Come on meow!

[LovinLiberia 0]

lol, haven't seen it, should check it out.

[Yodrak 7]

I agree that it may be a waste of time, but for a different reason - the person who issued the RFE, who is expecting a response, and who is going to make the decision is not at the loca office. They are at a service center. The DO people do not speak for that case officer.

If you're lucky, though, the local person that you speak with may be willing and able to contact the case office and get you something definitive. Worth a shot.

Yodrak

Meowboy has the RFE with him, so I don't have the exact language. WHen I get it back I'll try to remember to add something to the RFE thread.

The appointment is an Infopass appointment. I called the customer service line and they told me to make an appointment using infopass. So I set one up for Thursday.

I'm hoping this meeting will help clarify expectations for the next part of the process; the telephone customer service reps were not as helpful as I had hoped. For example, if the officer tells me that the date they use is the NOA1 date, then we might as well start working on the next petition. We don't want to waste time with the RFE/appeals if there is no hope whatsoever that these processes may result in success. We'll just get going on our next petition (which is certain to be approved).

I don't suppose it the Infopass appointment can hurt, but I'll be a little surprised if it comes to more than a waste of gas for your fiance. Mainly because you need to have met your fiance in person in the two years prior to your filing the petition - it states this on the instructions of the I 129f. If that hasn't happened (which is what they are trying to verify via the RFE), then your petition will be denied.

....

[TracyTN 237]

I agree that it may be a waste of time, but for a different reason - the person who issued the RFE, who is expecting a response, and who is going to make the decision is not at the loca office. They are at a service center. The DO people do not speak for that case officer.

If you're lucky, though, the local person that you speak with may be willing and able to contact the case office and get you something definitive. Worth a shot.

Yodrak

I thought of that, too, but didn't know how to intelligently explain it.

[Yodrak 7]

TimsDaisy,

I think this is the approach they should take in responding to the RFE, regardless of what happens at the Infopass appointment.

Yodrak

Unsolicited advice: when you go in there, don't go in effectively conceding that they win. If the day you stuck that petition in the mail (do you have proof of mailing) was not more than 2 years after the last day you were together in person, go in there and say, from the way we read everything, we have complied with the requirement. .....

[payxibka 10,044]

I thought of that, too, but didn't know how to intelligently explain it.

You have that problem often?

[TracyTN 237]

I thought of that, too, but didn't know how to intelligently explain it.

You have that problem often?

Shup you!

[meowgirl 0]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was unsure about how assertive I should be with the officer about the case, and your comments have helped with that decision. I recognize that the officer won't have final decision making power, but I'm hoping she or he may be able to advocate on our behalf.

[TimsDaisy 0]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was unsure about how assertive I should be with the officer about the case, and your comments have helped with that decision. I recognize that the officer won't have final decision making power, but I'm hoping she or he may be able to advocate on our behalf.

I think Yodrak had the right idea: the Infopass person may or may not be helpful, but you should still stick with this petition until they call game-over with no hope of continuing. You might make it, but you won't if you don't try.

From what I understand, the infopass person is going to have limited if any ability to really get into the nitty gritty of your case and effect things, but stranger things have happened.

Definitely be assertive (not aggressive or rude, as I'm sure PLENTY of people try that and are rewarded with the appropriate level of help in return) and stick to your guns respectfully and calmly. Just be clear and argue the plain language of the document and what you understand it to mean now (which is what you understood it to mean then) that you are in under the wire, but in compliance none the less.

Let us know how it goes!