Introduction
Have you applied for a prominent US visa? Are you looking to enquire about RFE documents? If so, you have landed on the right page. You will find detailed information about RFE documents here.
RFE documents are an integral part of a USCIS Request For Evidence to seek missing or additional information to process beneficiary visa applications. You may get an RFE for various reasons. For instance, if you have applied for an H-1B visa, USCIS may send you an RFE requesting H-1B RFE documents to verify whether the candidate meets the eligibility requirements of the specialty occupation.
Other scenarios include, but are not limited to employer-employee relationships, beneficiary qualifications, maintenance of status, proof of legal entry, document translations, etc. We will highlight all cases USCIS seeks RFE documents for deciding on visa applications.
Read on to learn more.
What is an RFE?
An RFE, or Request for Evidence, is a formal notice issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) when additional information or documentation is needed to make a decision on a visa or immigration petition.
Here’s what you need to know about an RFE:
- Reason for the Request: The USCIS officer reviewing your case has determined that the initial evidence provided is either insufficient or unclear. More details are required to establish whether the applicant meets the necessary requirements.
- Contents: The RFE will specify exactly what additional evidence or information is needed, such as proof of employment, financial records, or other relevant documents.
- Deadline: An RFE includes a strict deadline by which the requested materials must be submitted. Failing to respond adequately within this timeframe could lead to a denial of the application.
- Impact: Receiving an RFE doesn’t mean your application is at risk of denial. It’s an opportunity to strengthen your case by providing the requested information. However, it will extend the processing time of your application.
In essence, an RFE offers a chance to ensure that your application is complete and compelling, giving you the opportunity to address any concerns USCIS may have before a final decision is made.
Sample RFE document
Now you know what an RFE is, let’s talk about what sample RFE documents look like. It will give you a better idea of the RFE document format, structure, and the key sections of an RFE. For instance, if you have applied for an H-1B visa, USCIS sends an RFE to request related H-1B RFE documents to determine the beneficiary’s eligibility for an H-1B visa.
Here is how it looks.
Now that you understand what an RFE is, let’s look at what a sample RFE document typically includes. Reviewing a sample can help you understand the format, structure, and key sections of an RFE. For instance, if you’ve applied for an H-1B visa, USCIS might issue an RFE requesting additional documents to assess the beneficiary’s eligibility for the visa. Here’s a general outline of what such a document might look like.
Decoding the RFE
Let’s explore the significant sections of an RFE and understand what they mean. RFE contains four major parts; response deadline, evidence lacking, evidence submitted, and response mailing address. We will explain each part below for ease of understanding.
In the response deadline section as highlighted above, find the RFE response deadline. You must submit your RFE response packet on or before the deadline ends.
In the evidence lacking section as highlighted, USCIS has asked to submit additional information to satisfy the eligibility requirements for your visa application.
In the evidence submitted section as highlighted, you will find the evidence you had already submitted to satisfy the requirement along with the H-1B application. USCIS intends to get some more evidence to move ahead with your petition.
At the end of the RFE section as highlighted, you can see the mail address where you must mail or fax your RFE response packet (if </= 25 pages).
Stay calm and understand the RFE by going through it multiple times and then prepare the course of action.
How to respond?
When you receive an RFE, it does not mean that you will get a visa denial. USCIS only seeks additional information to decide on your petition and process it further. However, if you do not respond and send the RFE response package before the deadline, you are likely to face a denial. Follow the below steps to respond to RFE effectively.
- First, go through the RFE document carefully to determine if the USCIS has requested evidence that you have already attached to the original visa application. If so, you can make copies of the evidence from the application and include them in the RFE response packet.
- Gather the necessary information and include it in your RFE response packet. This may be any document like a birth certificate, professional certificate, marriage certificate, etc.
- If any of your documents are not in English, have them translated by a certified translation agency. Ensure that the translation accurately reflects the true meaning of the document.
- All evidence you have collected must be included in the RFE response packet. Send the packet to the mailing address in the RFE notice. Do not send the RFE response packet to any other USCIS address.
- Make sure you send your RFE response to the USCIS before the deadline. It is clearly mentioned that USCIS will not consider an RFE response submitted after the deadline. Failure to respond on time may result in your visa application being processed without the additional information you provided.
Master RFE documents effortlessly with our playbook - The RFE Playbook.
How can Imagility help you build an effective RFE response
Being an innovative immigration software platform, Imagility helps you at each step to respond effectively to USICS RFE. Attorneys can easily build RFE responses using the RFE response builder with existing petition details or request for more information through the platform itself by notifying the beneficiary or petitioner. Even if the petition is created outside the platform, the user can use the petition to create a well-structured RFE response quickly.
Thus, a well drafted, detailed RFE response in collaboration with beneficiary or petitioner can be put together quickly. There is no time lost in communicating to stakeholders about the RFE or additional evidence needed. Petitioners and beneficiaries can see the tasks assigned to them under Petitioner/Beneficiary of the RFE timeline and act immediately. At the end of these actions, a well drafted RFE response will be ready to be sent to the USCIS, well before the deadline.
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