post-RFE response time

[K Thome 10]

Hi, I couldn't find this searching so I'll just ask if there is any known information or best guess on what the USCIS response time is after you fulfill a request for evidence on an I-130. Is it a case of someone is processing your application and will be notified you sent something right away, or did your application just get put back at the bottom of some pile?

[appleblossom 5,672]

3 minutes ago, K Thome said:

Hi, I couldn't find this searching so I'll just ask if there is any known information or best guess on what the USCIS response time is after you fulfill a request for evidence on an I-130. Is it a case of someone is processing your application and will be notified you sent something right away, or did your application just get put back at the bottom of some pile?

 

It would vary. 

 

If it's a simple replacement form then it would be quicker than somebody who's submitted a bunch of docs relating to a police record and needs extra background checks (just as an example). What was the RFE for?

[K Thome 10]

1 hour ago, appleblossom said:

 

It would vary. 

 

If it's a simple replacement form then it would be quicker than somebody who's submitted a bunch of docs relating to a police record and needs extra background checks (just as an example). What was the RFE for?

It was in four parts. Two parts were essentially the same, marriage certificate and marriage bona fides. That is slightly tricky because Sweden doesn't have marriage certificates as such and I explained that and included everything that the Swedish authorities provide for this purpose.

Another thing asked was the last 3 pages of the I-130f, which I didn't include because they were blank. I didn't use a preparer or interpreter. So I simply uploaded those blank pages.

The last thing was proof of divorce for (my) previous marriage, which I uploaded.

I thought I had included some of this stuff in the original application, physical paper, but it was so long ago that it's hazy at this point. Anyway I included several things for marriage bona fides, including a consular report of birth abroad for our daughter that I obtained after having sent the visa application.

Perhaps because it's so many things this would take time, or not? Frankly, I think anyone looking at what I uploaded would see pretty quickly that it's all legitimate. I have been living with my wife abroad for 2 years, we have a daughter, etc. But maybe that's not how USCIS sees it.

[appleblossom 5,672]

14 minutes ago, K Thome said:

It was in four parts. Two parts were essentially the same, marriage certificate and marriage bona fides. That is slightly tricky because Sweden doesn't have marriage certificates as such and I explained that and included everything that the Swedish authorities provide for this purpose.

Another thing asked was the last 3 pages of the I-130f, which I didn't include because they were blank. I didn't use a preparer or interpreter. So I simply uploaded those blank pages.

The last thing was proof of divorce for (my) previous marriage, which I uploaded.

I thought I had included some of this stuff in the original application, physical paper, but it was so long ago that it's hazy at this point. Anyway I included several things for marriage bona fides, including a consular report of birth abroad for our daughter that I obtained after having sent the visa application.

Perhaps because it's so many things this would take time, or not? Frankly, I think anyone looking at what I uploaded would see pretty quickly that it's all legitimate. I have been living with my wife abroad for 2 years, we have a daughter, etc. But maybe that's not how USCIS sees it.

 

Just checking, but this is what you provided for the marriage certificate? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Sweden.html

 

What did you originally provide in the way of proof of a bona fide marriage? If they had quite a bit and just want a little more then hopefully it will be quick, if you didn't submit much at all then it could take longer. 

[K Thome 10]

1 hour ago, appleblossom said:

 

Just checking, but this is what you provided for the marriage certificate? https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Sweden.html

 

What did you originally provide in the way of proof of a bona fide marriage? If they had quite a bit and just want a little more then hopefully it will be quick, if you didn't submit much at all then it could take longer. 

Yes I sent them the "personbevis" from the Swedish tax office as it says to do there. I included the one for me, my wife, and our daughter, and they all include each other as relatives and the same address and so forth.

 

I had originally sent them those documents but I didn't explain what they were so I'm assuming the person looking at the application didn't know that those are the Swedish equivalent of marriage and birth certificates.

 

I'm hoping it goes quickly because everything matches up, there isn't any "funny business" where we don't have the same address or we have different last names or anything like that. She took my name, our daughter has my name, we all three have the same legal Swedish address. I included also this other thing called vigselbevis that means marriage certificate but it isn't a legal document, it's more of a sentimental thing. But it does say the names of the persons being married, the date, the venue etc.

[appleblossom 5,672]

1 hour ago, K Thome said:

I had originally sent them those documents but I didn't explain what they were so I'm assuming the person looking at the application didn't know that those are the Swedish equivalent of marriage and birth certificates

 

That's really odd, they should be well aware! Was it the Swedish or English version? If the former, did you include the translation?

 

Sounds like you've provided everything required now and it's fairly straightforward, so fingers crossed you'll be approved soon. Best of luck. 

[K Thome 10]

16 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

That's really odd, they should be well aware! Was it the Swedish or English version? If the former, did you include the translation?

 

Sounds like you've provided everything required now and it's fairly straightforward, so fingers crossed you'll be approved soon. Best of luck. 

I thought I clicked submit after replying to this but I don't see my response now. Anyway, yes it was the English version, I had included mine and my daughter's and labeled mine as marriage certificate. Thanks for the well wishes.

[Crazy Cat 46,077]

22 hours ago, K Thome said:

Hi, I couldn't find this searching so I'll just ask if there is any known information or best guess on what the USCIS response time is after you fulfill a request for evidence on an I-130. Is it a case of someone is processing your application and will be notified you sent something right away, or did your application just get put back at the bottom of some pile?

I would always assume submissions don't get looked at right away.

Back in January of 2017, an "RFE" from NVC always reset the clock.  At that time, it took 12 weeks for NVC to DQ a case......If NVC sent an RFE, it meant the clock would be reset......This happened to us.  Our attorney didn't initially submit everything to NVC.  As a result, after 12 weeks we received an "RFE".  It took ANOTHER 12 weeks after his office sent NVC the document they needed.  Attorney mistake cost us 3 months of extra separation.  Our case was at NVC for an entire 6 months.....

[appleblossom 5,672]

14 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

I would always assume submissions don't get looked at right away.

Back in January of 2017, an "RFE" from NVC always reset the clock.  At that time, it took 12 weeks for NVC to DQ a case......If NVC sent an RFE, it meant the clock would be reset......This happened to us.  Our attorney didn't initially submit everything to NVC.  As a result, after 12 weeks we received an "RFE".  It took ANOTHER 12 weeks after his office sent NVC the document they needed.  Attorney mistake cost us 3 months of extra separation.  Our case was at NVC for an entire 6 months.....

 

If it was the NVC stage then yes, that would reset the clock (although these days it's only a couple of weeks for cases to be DQ'ed there). I may have read it wrong but I think this is an RFE from USCIS for the I-130, I don't think that's been approved yet.

[K Thome 10]

53 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

If it was the NVC stage then yes, that would reset the clock (although these days it's only a couple of weeks for cases to be DQ'ed there). I may have read it wrong but I think this is an RFE from USCIS for the I-130, I don't think that's been approved yet.

That's correct, my I-130 application is still at the first stage, whatever that is called. If I have to wait another 14 months to hear back about this I might as well bring her over illegally and wait for Trump's lame duck amnesty bill...

[Crazy Cat 46,077]

2 minutes ago, K Thome said:

That's correct, my I-130 application is still at the first stage, whatever that is called. If I have to wait another 14 months to hear back about this I might as well bring her over illegally and wait for Trump's lame duck amnesty bill...

I don't think it resets the clock for USCIS RFEs.  I think even NVC REFEs are even faster than they were a few years ago. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Crazy Cat

[appleblossom 5,672]

2 minutes ago, K Thome said:

That's correct, my I-130 application is still at the first stage, whatever that is called. If I have to wait another 14 months to hear back about this I might as well bring her over illegally and wait for Trump's lame duck amnesty bill...

 

No chance of that from Trump! But no, you won't have to wait that long to hear back. Assuming you're applying via Stockholm, my guess will be that she'll have her visa by the summer, as long as you submit everything promptly and correctly at the NVC stage. 

[K Thome 10]

4 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

No chance of that from Trump! But no, you won't have to wait that long to hear back. Assuming you're applying via Stockholm, my guess will be that she'll have her visa by the summer, as long as you submit everything promptly and correctly at the NVC stage. 

Good lord that's still a very long time. It will then be nearly two full years of waiting. Well anyway, I'll tell you what, I bet you a chunk of completely worthless internet clout that we do in fact see an attempt from this administration to pass an amnesty bill in the lame duck period. If I'm wrong, you get the worthless clout, and vice versa for me!

4 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

I don't think it resets the clock for USCIS RFEs.  I think even NVC REFEs are even faster than they were a few years ago. 

I hope so. I'll post the waiting time here when I am contacted next. It's been approximately a week so far.

[Crazy Cat 46,077]

2 minutes ago, K Thome said:

It will then be nearly two full years of waiting.

That has been the norm for some time.  The queue has been long for quite a while.

Edited 1 hour ago by Crazy Cat

[K Thome 10]

3 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

That has been the norm for some time.  The queue has been long for quite a while.

I was looking at quoted times recently for people filing when I did and it seemed more like 1.5 years from start to finish, but of course however long it's going to be is what it is and no estimates or comparisons can change that.