RFE Response Review Time in 2019 Archive

USA
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RFE response time in 2020

It is more than 90+ days on average due to the high backlog and increased number of RFE being issued by USCIS after Trump’s orders.
If you get an RFE in standard processing, you can expect to get USCIS response in about 80 days after your RFE submission.

USCIS RFE Response Time - Normal

15 Days to no limit. Official standard is 60 days. Real average is 80 days.

USCIS Request for Evidence review - RFE processing times vary widely with no real insight into what they are doing with your visa application.

H1B RFE and L1 visa RFE are most common but, can be made in any visa application type.

  1. Officially, USCIS says that they will respond to RFE within 60 days after your RFE response submission.
    60 day clock starts on the day USCIS receives your RFE response.

  2. How long USCIS takes to respond to RFE varies widely on case-to-case basis along with USCIS work load. But, as a general guideline, USCIS tries to respond within 60 days to your RFE.

  3. Once USCIS receives your RFE response, the status that they show online is ‘RFE Response Review’ or ‘Request for Evidence Response Review’.

USCIS RFE Response time with Premium processing

  1. If you filed your visa petition using premium processing, your case will be worked on by USCIS within 15 calendar days.

  2. This 15 calendar days limit also applies to RFE responses as well. The USCIS clock starts as and when they receive your RFE response.

  3. If you initially filed your application using standard method (no premium), you can upgrade it to premium at any time during your application is in pending any final result.
    Once the upgrade to premium application is received by USCIS, your case will be responded within 15 days.

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Fastest and Slowest RFE review response?

  1. Fastest RFE response is undoubtedly achieved using Premium processing. - 15 days.

  2. Average is about 30 days.

  3. Slowest has no limits. We know of people who have waited for even a year for RFE review response.

USCIS RFE again on RFE Response time

  1. It is possible to get RFE again on RFE response that you submitted.
    Whenever you receive a new RFE, you get 60 days to respond back.

  2. The USCIS resets its OWN clock to start counting 60 days (15 days in case of Premium processing) as and when you submit RFE response.

We stopped the 15-day premium processing clock for your case

This is the case status shown on your case if USCIS has issued an RFE request. The clock is re-started when you submit yout RFE response.

USCIS RFE response review - Exceptions to 15 Days premium rule

If your case has been sent for ‘Security Check’, you are out-of-luck seriously. There are no TIME LIMITS followed in this case even if your application has ‘premium’ processing paid for.

Related:

NOTE - If you would like to add more information about this topic, please feel free to add below.

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Hello, is there any info regarding the response time for E2 cases? Most cases I’m seeing in the web are on H1B…

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Hi @pogingastig

Are you talking about E2 RFE or straight Approval?

4

Hi Anil,

The response time after submission of RFE for an E2 case. Ive seen that it is 60 days usually for h1b, what about for E2 case. Is there any info on that? Thanks

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Hi @pogingastig

It is average of 60+ days for E2 case too.

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Thats sad… i thought the 60+ days are usually coming from h1b cases… i dnt see any from the web about e2 cases thus im assuming it may be faster for this type of visa

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Hi @pogingastig

The processing time varies with type of RFE too.

Do you know what documents were requested in RFE?

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Only 2 items: source of funds and substantial investment

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Hi @pogingastig

I think you will get approval. Don’t worry. Unfortunately, USCIS is slow and takes time with these kind of situations.

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@ Anil_Gupta

Thank you, hope they will approve these coming days so better life shall start:-)

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Hi , I have responded to rfe , it’s been almost 90 days , haven’t got the response back … how many more days can I expect ? Also , I have applied for extension that also got rfe , yet to review the details .

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Hi @Swetha_Gowda

The average RFE response time is currently more than 90 days.

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Hello Anil,

my wife and son who are my dependents for the change of status got the approval today (i539), however, my case in the uscis website is still pending.

I would assume mine is already approved since my dependents got the approval already. Thanks for the insights

1 Like
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hi Anil,

Is my understanding correct?

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Hi @pogingastig

Yes, your H1B Approval should be on the way.

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hi,

My H1B RFE decision is pending for 101 calendar days now. A Service Request was raised and we did not receive any promising reply on that, just the general information :frowning:

I am not sure what is really going on with my case. Has this much delay become a norm now?

Regards,
Jaya

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Hi @J_S

Unfortunately yes, this is normal.

18

Thank you!
Do you know of any case(s) where rfe is pending for more than 90 days?

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Hi @J_S

I have heard of cases where it is has been pending for more 8 months too. Its common!

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Hi Anil,

I filed for I 140 through EB1C on 30 Aug 2018. Received RFE on 13th December and submitted a response on 8th Match 2019, 3 days before the expiry of deadline. Its been more than 5 months I have submitted my response, I am yet to hear back? All my friends who got RFE received a response within 90 days. Its been more than 155 days and i am still waiting?

I also applied for L1A extenstion on 13th dec 2018 and yet to get a response. converted my application for I129 to premium 9 days back. Just think what could have gone wrong on my 140 and what options do I have now? Please suggest