Response to RFE

K

kevin_brown

Registered Users (C)
Hi All:

I am about to respond to an RFE (employment letter, proof of employment authorization beyond my 6yr H-1B limit). Is one absolutely required to use the RFE envelope to enclose all the response materials? Has anyone used FEDEX or EXPRESS MAIL envelopes w/o any issues?

Regards,
Kevin

RD/ND 01/2002
1FP 03/2002 (expired)
RFE 12/12/2003
2FP/approval ?????
 
Your lawyer must have the return MARKED envolope from INS. You should use that one for RFE replies. Fed-Ex don't deliver to PO Box numbers. You may use USPS express delivery. If you have a lawyer, please use his servies instead of you replying directly.
 
I don't have a lawyer

Reliance:

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I filed for my I-485 on my own, so the RFE/envelope was sent to me.

The reason I was asking about FEDEX/USPS EXPRESS MAIL envelope, was due to concern that my response (letter, photocopy of EADs, Original RFE letter from USCIS et al) would be too big to fit in their RFE response envelope. That's all. From your response, it looks like it might be OK to use the EXPRESS MAIL envelope rather than the smallish RFE envelope.

Regards,
Kevin
 
If you have the RFE envolope, you must use it. They use this RFE envolope to track RFE replies. If you don't use it, your case may be delayed.

I spoke to my lawyer some time ago about sending an Employemnt letter to pre-empt an RFE. He told me there is no way it will reach the desk of the IIO or my file immediately.

He told me it is better to wait for the RFE and send the reply in the RFE envolope. I have not seen an RFE envolope yet.

You can send your reply using the same RFE envolpe. I mean you should not send it by ExpressMail packet. The mail room people may not open the package to see if this is an RFE envolope.
 
My RFE envelope did not have any label relating to my case

Reliance:

My RFE envelope DID NOT have any label or reference to my case. I checked with a couple of my friends and they confirmed w/ their lawyers that they actually use EXPRESS MAIL to respond to the RFE, since the RFE is being sent to a specific MAILBOX.

Since my response is going to be bulky to fit in the envelope, I am intending to use EXPRESS MAIL, with the envelope inside the express mail pouch.

-Kevin
 
Is there any BAR CODE on the envolope?


Also please let us all know what kind of documents they asked in the RFE? As a general practice you should only provide information relevant to the RFE.

My lawyer is in the East Cost. I will call him tomorrow and asks this question? What you are telling me is contradicting his earlier statment. I have also read in this forum that RFE envolpes are marked and processed seperately by the INS. Could you check the post box number? Is it a listed number in the INS web site? Or is it a special box only for RFEs?
 
The envelope does not have a bar code or reference to a case. However, there is a pink band on the envelope - maybe this band helps USCIS to identify it as a non-application, but important correspondence. The key issue here is to send it to the address indicated on that envelope. A possible solution is to tape this envelope to a larger envelope, if your reply does not fit in it.

I sent mine as a certified mail - what the heck, we've waited so long, and a couple of extra days didn't really bother me.

The RFE letter has a bar coded label on it, and we are supposed to place this original letter on top of our reply. This is important, and I guess this is what helps USCIS link the reply to the physical file quickly, apart from updating it on the system.
 
guys,
i sent my rfe reply through my lawyer but iam sure i didnt use the rfe reply envelope(however its way too small for the contents to be sent),cos my son's rfe came directly to me instead of my lawyer due to some strange reason ( my wife's and mine were mailed to the lawyer) and i only sent the necessary rfe reply papers to my lawyer but not my son's rfe envelope. i asked him about the necessity of it and he said he doesnt need it.it didnt make any difference and my case was approved in a weeks time after the receipt of the reply by uscis. so in my opinion it doesnt matter even if one doesnt use the reply envelope
hcgcwait.
nd: nov 01
ad: nov o3
 
AFAIK, the PO BOX is for RFE / General correspondence

Reliance:

I agree with what Frodo mentioned above. I am planning to send it by Express mail w/ the RFE envelope inside it. Of course, the original RFE letter needs to be on top of your response documents, so that NSC can link your response to your I-485 file in a timely manner.

To specifically answer your quetsions:
1. No bar-code on envelope, just a red band to indicate RFE perhaps. But, I checked with several people, and even searched posts on this board. It appears that envelope is not a must for NSC atleast (I read that CSC/VSC might have a bar-code on the envelope itself).

2. In my case RFE was for photocopy of my EADs (which NSC could easily look up on their system itself using my A#) and employment letter. I am providing just that, alongwith my covering letter and original NSC RFE letter.

3. As for the PO Box to send the RFE, it's the same one for general correspondence as well. I think that the Original RFE letter (for sure) and special envelope (I am not too convinced about this) will help the contractor quickly link the response to the original file.

Anyways, I'll let you know how things go.
 
is this the following address outside

the rfe envelope?


USCIS Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 82521
Lincoln, NE 68501-2521


If you use express mail then it will be "S" street address, so that color code may help somehow or sorters know where to put it once they see the front letter.
 
To Ghee

Ghee:

The address you mentioned is correct. As far as Express Mail is concerned, they do deliver to PO Boxes, so I can still mail it out to the same PO Box. Like you mentioned, I plan to insert the red-band envelope as the first page/part of the package inside the USPS Express Mail Pouch, so that it helps the contractor identify that it's a RFE response (and I'd think that the original RFE letter from USCIS will be of the most assistance to them anyway!)

-Kevin
 
RFE received by USCIS

Hi All:

A quick update on my RFE response to the USCIS.

I finally got the employment verification letter from my employer's HR. It took 2-3 weeks before they finally issued me w/ the letter. I mailed by USPS Express Mail on 01/26/2004. I included the RED-LINED envelope from USCIS inside the USPS Express mail pouch, if that envelope was ever required (I don't think so). To my surprise, my case's online message changed from "FP response received...processing has resumed" (my first FP was done within 2 months of I-485 filing) to "On 01/27/2004, your response to RFE was recevied....bhah bhah".

I guess this is progess. I now wait to see if there's any approval soon, or if there's going to be a 2nd FP request mailed soon (my 1st FP is long expired!).

Hope this helps!
-Kevin
RD/ND 01/2002
1FP 03/2002 (expired)
RFE 12/12/2003
RFE response received by USCIS 01/27/2004
2FP/approval ?????
 
JAN 2002 Filer: 2nd FP done (after RFE)

Looks like the Jan-Feb 2002 filers are quiet (either long approved or disgusted).

In my case, USCIS received my reponse to the RFE on 01/27/2004 (updated on website same day).

2nd FP was issued by USCIS on 02/05/2004. The website continues to just say "we recvd RFE response on 01/27/2004". Nothing about the 2nd FP notice. I just finished my 2nd FP this weekend (02/28 - as per scheduled date). Let's see if this triggers an adjudication soon.

Hope this helps!

-Kevin
RD/ND 01/2002
1FP 03/2002 (expired)
RFE 12/12/2003
RFE response received by USCIS 01/27/2004
2FP 02/28/2004
Approval ??????????
 
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