What Evidence USCIS Actually Accepts in an RFE Response

(And Why Submitting the “Wrong” Proof Gets So Many Applicants Denied)

There are few moments in the immigration process more terrifying than opening your mail or USCIS online account and seeing these words:

“Request for Evidence (RFE).”

Your heart drops.
Your stomach tightens.
Your mind races straight to one question:

“What did I do wrong?”

But here is what most applicants never realize until it’s too late:

Getting an RFE does not mean you failed.
It means USCIS is giving you a final opportunity to prove your case — on their terms.

And those terms are brutal.

Because USCIS does not accept all evidence.
They only accept specific types of evidence, in specific formats, that satisfy specific legal requirements.

Send the wrong kind of proof, even if it is “true,” and your case can still be denied.

This guide shows you exactly what evidence USCIS actually accepts in an RFE response — and how to avoid the hidden traps that cause thousands of perfectly legitimate cases to fail every year.

We are going deep.
We are going practical.
We are going to show you what works — and what gets rejected.

Why RFEs Are Not About “More” Evidence — They’re About the Right Evidence

The biggest mistake applicants make is assuming USCIS just wants more documents.

They don’t.

They want legally sufficient evidence that satisfies:

• Federal regulations

• USCIS policy manuals

• Case law

• And internal adjudication standards

An RFE is not a shopping list.
It is a legal demand.

When USCIS asks for evidence, they are really asking:

“Show us proof that meets the exact standard required by law — or we will deny your case.”

That means:

• A blurry copy is not enough

• A screenshot is not enough

• A statement without verification is not enough

• A document that is “real” but not probative is not enough

USCIS evaluates evidence using three core tests:

1. Relevance

Does this document prove what the law requires?

2. Credibility

Does this document appear authentic, consistent, and trustworthy?

3. Probative Value

Does this document actually make your claim more likely to be true?

If any one of those fails, USCIS can legally ignore your evidence — even if it is genuine.

The Four Categories of Evidence USCIS Recognizes

Every piece of evidence USCIS accepts falls into one of four legal categories.

If your RFE response does not contain strong evidence in the right category, you are in danger.

1. Primary Evidence

2. Secondary Evidence

3. Affidavits

4. Explanatory Evidence

Understanding how USCIS weighs these is the difference between approval and denial.

Let’s break them down.

1. Primary Evidence — The Gold Standard

Primary evidence is official, original, or government-issued documentation that directly proves a legal requirement.

This is what USCIS wants most.

If you can provide primary evidence, USCIS is required to accept it unless there is a reason to doubt its authenticity.

Examples of Primary Evidence:

SituationPrimary EvidenceIdentityPassport, birth certificate, naturalization certificateMarriageMarriage certificate issued by civil authorityDivorceCourt-issued divorce decreeEmploymentW-2s, pay stubs, IRS transcriptsStatusI-94, visa stamp, approval noticesBusiness ownershipArticles of incorporation, operating agreementIncomeTax returns, IRS transcriptsResidenceLease agreements, mortgage statementsSchoolOfficial transcriptsCriminal historyCourt records, police certificates

When USCIS issues an RFE, it is often because:

You failed to provide primary evidence — or the primary evidence you provided was incomplete, expired, or inconsistent.

Example: Marriage-Based Green Card

USCIS requires proof of a bona fide marriage.

Primary evidence includes:

• Joint lease or mortgage

• Joint bank accounts

• Joint tax returns

• Joint insurance policies

• Birth certificates of children together

If you send only photos and love letters, USCIS can legally say:

“This does not meet the evidentiary standard.”

Because photos are not primary evidence of a financial and legal union.

2. Secondary Evidence — Accepted Only When Primary Evidence Is Unavailable

Secondary evidence is official-looking documentation that indirectly supports a claim when primary evidence cannot be obtained.

USCIS will only consider secondary evidence if you explain why primary evidence is missing.

Examples:

• Church baptism records instead of a birth certificate

• School records instead of a lost diploma

• Hospital records instead of missing birth documents

• Old employment letters when payroll records no longer exist

But here is the trap:

You must prove why primary evidence is unavailable.

If you don’t, USCIS can deny your case even if your secondary evidence is true.

Example: Lost Birth Certificate

You submit hospital records.

USCIS may ask:

“Why did you not obtain a certified copy from the civil authority?”

If you do not include:

• A letter from the government stating records are unavailable
  or

• Proof of attempted retrieval

Your secondary evidence may be rejected.

3. Affidavits — Weak Alone, Powerful When Structured Correctly

Affidavits are sworn statements from people who know your situation.

They are not strong evidence by themselves.

But when used properly, they can bridge gaps USCIS cannot otherwise fill.

USCIS accepts affidavits only if they include:

• Full legal name of the affiant

• Date and place of birth

• Relationship to you

• Detailed personal knowledge

• Specific facts (not opinions)

• Notarized signature

Bad affidavit:

“I know them and they are married.”

Good affidavit:

“I have known John Smith since 2015. I lived with John and Maria from March 2019 to December 2021 at 123 Main Street. I observed them share household expenses, prepare meals together, and file joint taxes. On June 12, 2020, I attended their wedding at St. Paul’s Church…”

Details = credibility.

4. Explanatory Evidence — The Missing Piece Most Applicants Ignore

This is the part that destroys most RFE responses.

Explanatory evidence includes:

• Cover letters

• Legal arguments

• Timelines

• Clarifying statements

• Indexes

USCIS officers do not have time to guess.

If you dump 200 pages of documents with no explanation, they may miss the one page that proves your case.

A strong RFE response includes:

• A table of contents

• Page numbers

• A cover letter mapping each RFE request to specific evidence

This is not optional.
This is how you force USCIS to see what you are proving.

What Evidence USCIS Accepts for the Most Common RFE Categories

Now let’s get extremely specific.

Because RFEs almost always fall into a few major categories.

Identity & Status

USCIS accepts:

• Passports (all pages)

• I-94 records

• Visa stamps

• Approval notices (I-797)

• Green cards

• Employment authorization documents

Not accepted:

• Photos of documents on a phone

• Screenshots

• Expired documents without explanation

Relationship (Marriage / Family)

Accepted:

• Marriage certificates

• Joint tax returns

• Joint bank statements

• Joint lease/mortgage

• Utility bills in both names

• Insurance policies

• Children’s birth certificates

Weak:

• Photos

• Chat messages

• Social media

• Travel tickets

Those can support — but never replace — financial and legal proof.

Employment-Based RFEs

Accepted:

• Pay stubs

• W-2s

• IRS transcripts

• Employment verification letters

• Offer letters

• Organizational charts

Must be:

• On company letterhead

• Signed

• Dated

• Specific

Financial Support (I-864)

USCIS accepts:

• IRS tax transcripts (preferred)

• Full tax returns

• W-2s

• Pay stubs

• Employment letters

Bank balances alone are not enough.

Medical, Hardship, or Waiver RFEs

Accepted:

• Doctor letters

• Medical records

• Diagnoses

• Treatment plans

• Expert opinions

Not accepted:

• Your own explanation without documentation

Criminal or Inadmissibility RFEs

Accepted:

• Certified court records

• Police certificates

• Disposition documents

• Proof of rehabilitation

Never send just your own story.

Why USCIS Rejects So Much Evidence

Here is the brutal truth:

USCIS denies cases not because people are lying — but because they fail to prove the truth legally.

The most common rejection reasons:

• Document not official

• Not certified

• Not translated

• Inconsistent dates

• Missing pages

• Unclear connection to requirement

• No explanation

• No legal nexus

Your job in an RFE response is not to be honest.

Your job is to be provable.

How to Structure an RFE Response USCIS Cannot Ignore

A winning RFE response has three layers:

1. Cover letter mapping each RFE item to evidence

2. Clearly labeled evidence sections

3. Primary evidence first, secondary second, affidavits last

You want the officer to think:

“This applicant made my job easy.”

Because easy cases get approved.

Confusing cases get denied.

The Hidden Power of Over-Documenting (When Done Correctly)

USCIS does not penalize you for sending too much evidence.

They penalize you for sending disorganized evidence.

You can submit:

• Hundreds of pages

• Multiple proof types

• Redundant records

As long as they are indexed and explained.

This dramatically increases approval probability.

Why This Matters More Than Any Form You Filed

RFEs are where cases are won or lost.

Forms get you in the door.
Evidence gets you approved.

And USCIS does not tell you what standard you failed — they just ask for “more evidence.”

If you do not understand what they actually accept, you are guessing with your future.

The Truth Most Lawyers Won’t Tell You

USCIS officers do not read your story.

They scan for proof that satisfies legal criteria.

That is why two identical marriages can get opposite outcomes.

One proves it correctly.
The other does not.

What You Should Do Right Now If You Have an RFE

If you are holding an RFE letter, do not rush.

Read every line.
Identify every request.
Match each to the evidence type USCIS requires.

Then build a response that leaves no doubt.

Final Word — This Is Where Your Case Is Decided

An RFE is not a delay.

It is your last audition.

And USCIS is not judging your life — they are judging your paperwork.

If you want your case approved, you must give them the exact kind of evidence they accept, in the exact way they accept it.

👉 Need Help Structuring Your RFE Response?

If you are serious about winning your case, do not guess.

Get the step-by-step RFE Response Blueprint that shows:

• How to decode your specific RFE

• What evidence to submit

• How to organize it

• How to write the cover letter

• How to avoid denial traps

Click here to get instant access now — and stop risking your future on the wrong kind of proof.

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— proof.

But there is something even more dangerous than sending weak evidence…

It is sending technically valid documents that USCIS does not consider persuasive for the specific legal issue in your RFE.

This is where most self-filers — and even many attorneys — get blindsided.

Because USCIS RFEs are not generic.
They are issue-specific.

Every RFE is built around one or more legal elements that must be proven under U.S. immigration law.
If your evidence does not target those elements precisely, it might as well not exist.

So now we go deeper.

We are going to dissect exactly what USCIS is looking for inside the most common RFE types, and what kind of evidence actually satisfies each one.

How USCIS Evaluates Evidence Internally

Before we get more specific, you need to understand something critical.

USCIS officers do not sit there reading every page you send.

They follow:

• The USCIS Policy Manual

• The Adjudicator’s Field Manual

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

• Training guides

• Case law checklists

Every RFE is connected to a checklist of legal elements.

When the officer reviews your response, they literally go down the list and mark:

✔ Satisfied
✖ Not satisfied

Your goal is to give them something they can check ✔ without hesitation.

That is why vague proof fails.

Now let’s break down the major RFE categories and what actually satisfies USCIS.

1) RFEs About “Bona Fide” Marriage

(Marriage-based green cards, I-130, I-485, I-751)

This is the single most common and most misunderstood RFE.

The law does NOT ask:

“Do you love each other?”

It asks:

“Did you enter this marriage in good faith, not to evade immigration law?”

USCIS must see financial, residential, and life integration.

Evidence USCIS Actually Accepts

A. Financial Commingling (Top Tier Evidence)

This is the gold standard.

USCIS looks for:

• Joint bank account statements (months, not days)

• Joint credit cards

• Joint tax returns

• Joint loans (car, personal, mortgage)

• Joint insurance (health, auto, life)

One account is not enough.
One month is not enough.

They want a pattern.

If you only opened an account after filing, USCIS may treat it as staged.

B. Joint Residence

USCIS accepts:

• Lease or mortgage in both names

• Utility bills

• Renter’s insurance

• Driver’s licenses with same address

• Official mail

But here is the trap:

If your lease is joint but your utility bills are separate, USCIS will ask:

“Why do you live together but not share expenses?”

Inconsistency kills credibility.

C. Children Together

This is extremely powerful evidence:

• Birth certificates listing both parents

• School records

• Medical records

If you have a child together, it strongly supports bona fides.

D. Photos, Messages, Travel

These are supporting evidence only.

USCIS does not approve cases on photos.

They approve cases on financial and legal integration.

Photos only help show timeline and continuity.

E. Affidavits

Only useful when:

• Financial records are missing

• Living situation is unusual

They must be detailed and notarized.

2) RFEs About Income and the I-864 (Affidavit of Support)

This is where thousands of cases die.

USCIS is obsessed with household income.

They do not care how much money is in your bank account unless it is used to replace income.

Evidence USCIS Actually Accepts

A. IRS Tax Transcripts (Gold Standard)

These are better than tax returns.

USCIS trusts IRS transcripts more than copies you send.

You should always include them.

B. W-2s and 1099s

These prove employment and income source.

C. Current Employment Letters

Must include:

• Employer name

• Position

• Salary or hourly wage

• Full-time or part-time

• Start date

• Signed

A generic letter is weak.

D. Pay Stubs

At least 6 months is best.

They must match the income claimed.

E. Assets (If Income Is Insufficient)

USCIS accepts:

• Bank statements

• Property valuations

• Stocks

• Retirement accounts

But assets must be liquid and documented.

3) RFEs About Employment-Based Cases (H-1B, PERM, EB-2, EB-3)

These RFEs focus on:

• Employer’s ability to pay

• Job duties

• Qualifications

• Bona fide job offer

Evidence USCIS Accepts

A. Employer Financials

• Tax returns

• Profit & loss statements

• Payroll records

Must show ability to pay offered wage.

B. Job Descriptions

Must match:

• PERM

• I-140

• RFE language

Any mismatch triggers denial.

C. Credentials

• Degrees

• Transcripts

• Credential evaluations

• Experience letters

Experience letters must include:

• Job title

• Duties

• Dates

• Hours

• Supervisor contact

4) RFEs About Status Violations or Overstays

USCIS looks for:

• I-94 history

• Entry/exit records

• Visa stamps

• Approval notices

You must show continuous lawful presence.

5) RFEs About Medical, Hardship, or Waivers

This is where evidence must be extremely specific.

USCIS accepts:

• Doctor letters with diagnosis

• Treatment plans

• Prognosis

• How hardship would worsen condition

General letters = denial.

6) RFEs About Criminal or Security Issues

USCIS requires:

• Certified court dispositions

• Police reports

• Proof of rehabilitation

Never send just your explanation.

The Biggest Evidence Mistakes That Kill Cases

Let’s get brutally honest.

Here is why USCIS denies people even when they qualify.

1. Submitting Uncertified Copies

Some documents must be certified.

If you send a photocopy when USCIS requires certification, it can be rejected.

2. Missing Translations

Any non-English document must have:

• Full translation

• Certification of accuracy

No exceptions.

3. Inconsistent Dates

One wrong date can make your entire case look fraudulent.

4. Sending Screenshots Instead of Documents

USCIS hates screenshots.

They want:

• PDFs

• Scans

• Official formats

5. No Cover Letter

This is fatal.

Without explanation, USCIS may not understand what you sent.

The Psychological Side of USCIS Evidence

This is something almost nobody talks about.

USCIS officers are trained to be skeptical.

They see:

• Fake marriages

• Fake jobs

• Fake documents

all day long.

Your evidence must feel coherent, consistent, and human.

When your documents tell the same story across:

• Finances

• Addresses

• Dates

• Names

• Behavior

the officer relaxes.

When they don’t, denial becomes easy.

How to Build an RFE Response That Forces Approval

Here is the structure that wins.

1. Cover letter

2. RFE notice copy

3. Tabbed evidence sections

4. Primary evidence

5. Secondary evidence

6. Affidavits

7. Index

You are telling a story — but with documents.

Why “True” Evidence Is Not Enough

You must submit legally sufficient evidence.

That means:

• It proves the legal element

• It is credible

• It is properly formatted

• It is explained

Anything else is ignored.

We are not done.

Next, we will go into real-world RFE examples, showing exactly what USCIS accepts and what they reject — with brutal clarity.

And once you see this, you will never look at RFEs the same way again…

Because we are about to expose the hidden rules that decide your future, and how to use them in your favor, even when USCIS is already suspicious of your case and looking for reasons to deny it, because the difference between approval and denial is often not the truth of your life, but the quality, structure, and legal weight of the evidence you submit, and once you understand how officers actually think when reviewing RFE responses, you gain a massive advantage over applicants who just throw documents into an envelope and pray, because USCIS does not approve prayers — they approve proof that meets federal standards, and that is exactly what we are about to show you, in painful, practical, real-world detail, starting with the most common RFE scenarios that destroy cases even when everything is technically legitimate, such as when a couple is truly married but fails to document financial commingling correctly, or when a sponsor truly earns enough but submits the wrong income evidence, or when an employee is truly qualified but their experience letters are written in a way USCIS cannot legally accept, and once you see these examples, you will understand why so many people lose cases they should have won, and how you can make sure you are not one of them, because now we are going to walk through specific RFE letters line by line, and map them to the exact evidence USCIS expects, showing you not only what to submit but why it works under immigration law, and that begins with the most terrifying and most misunderstood RFE of all… the dreaded “bona fide marriage” RFE, which we are going to dissect next, including the exact language USCIS uses, what they really mean by it, and how to build a response so strong that even a skeptical officer has no legal choice but to approve your case, because when you know the rules they are using, you can play the game at their level, and once you do, everything changes, because instead of guessing what USCIS wants, you are giving them exactly what they are trained to accept, and that is how cases get approved even after RFEs, because RFEs are not death sentences — they are legal tests, and once you know how to pass those tests, you stop being afraid of USCIS letters and start seeing them for what they really are… an opportunity to prove your case one last time, and that opportunity is either wasted or won based entirely on the evidence you submit, so let’s continue, and go even deeper into the anatomy of real RFEs, starting right now…

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…because that “bona fide marriage” RFE is where USCIS denies more otherwise-valid green card cases than anywhere else in the system.

So now we are going to do something most guides never do.

We are going to take apart a realistic USCIS marriage RFE and show you exactly:

• What each line legally means

• What kind of evidence satisfies it

• What kind of evidence gets ignored

• And why couples who are 100% genuinely married still get denied

A Typical USCIS “Bona Fide Marriage” RFE — Decoded

A USCIS RFE usually looks something like this:

“You have submitted insufficient evidence to establish that your marriage was entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of evading the immigration laws of the United States. Please submit additional evidence to demonstrate the bona fides of your marriage.”

To most applicants, this feels vague.

To USCIS officers, it is very specific.

It means:

“We do not see enough legally-recognized proof of shared life, finances, and intent.”

They are not asking for love.

They are asking for integration.

Now they will usually list examples like:

“Such evidence may include, but is not limited to: joint financial records, jointly-owned property, leases, insurance policies, birth certificates of children, or affidavits from third parties…”

This is not a suggestion list.
This is a legal hierarchy.

Let’s decode it.

What USCIS Is Really Prioritizing

In this list, the order matters.

USCIS is telling you what they value most.

1. Joint financial records

2. Joint property or leases

3. Insurance

4. Children

5. Affidavits

Photos are not even on the list.

Why?

Because under immigration law, a real marriage is presumed to involve:

• Shared money

• Shared housing

• Shared risk

• Shared future

If your evidence does not show those things, USCIS doubts your intent.

What Evidence Actually Wins a Marriage RFE

Let’s say you are truly married.

You live together.
You love each other.
You plan a future.

But USCIS does not see that.

Here is what makes them see it.

Tier 1 Evidence (This Is What Gets You Approved)

These are documents USCIS treats as extremely persuasive.

If you submit multiple months of these, your case becomes very hard to deny.

Joint Bank Accounts

USCIS wants to see:

• Both names

• Ongoing activity

• Normal living expenses

• A timeline

A single statement is weak.
Six to twelve months is strong.

They want to see rent, groceries, utilities, everyday life.

Joint Tax Returns

This is huge.

Married Filing Jointly tells USCIS:

“We legally bound ourselves financially.”

That is extremely strong proof.

Joint Lease or Mortgage

This proves you share a home.

But USCIS checks:

• Dates

• Addresses

• Names

• Continuity

If your lease is new, they may ask why.

Joint Insurance

Health insurance, auto insurance, life insurance.

These show:

“We are financially responsible for each other.”

That matters a lot.

Tier 2 Evidence (Helpful but Not Enough Alone)

These support Tier 1.

• Utility bills

• Driver’s licenses

• Mail

• Subscriptions

They show cohabitation.

Tier 3 Evidence (Emotional but Weak)

• Photos

• Messages

• Social media

• Travel

These show relationship — but not legal integration.

They are decoration, not foundation.

Tier 4 Evidence (Last Resort)

Affidavits.

These are used when:

• Financial records are missing

• Cultural situations exist

• Unusual living arrangements apply

They must be extremely detailed.

Why Couples Get Denied Even When They Are Married

Here is the brutal truth.

Many couples:

• Keep separate bank accounts

• Don’t file joint taxes

• Split bills informally

• Live with family

• Avoid merging finances

This may work in real life.

But in immigration law, it looks like fraud.

Because fraud looks exactly like two people pretending to be married while living separate lives.

USCIS cannot read minds.
They read documents.

How to Fix a Weak Marriage Case in an RFE

If you are missing strong evidence, you must:

1. Start creating it immediately

2. Explain the past gaps

3. Document the present intensely

For example:

• Open joint bank accounts

• Add spouse to insurance

• Update leases

• File joint taxes

And explain:

“We did not initially do this because… but now we have…”

USCIS will accept this if done correctly.

Another Deadly RFE: I-864 Income Problems

Let’s decode another one.

“You have submitted insufficient evidence that the petitioner meets the income requirements under section 213A of the INA.”

This means:

“We don’t believe your sponsor makes enough money.”

Now USCIS applies a strict math test.

They look at:

• Household size

• Poverty guidelines

• Sponsor’s income

If it does not meet the number, denial is automatic.

But even when it does meet the number, cases get denied because of bad evidence.

What USCIS Wants for Income RFEs

1) IRS Tax Transcripts

This is the top proof.

If you send only tax returns, USCIS may reject them.

Transcripts come directly from the IRS.

They trust them more.

2) Current Income Proof

Because tax returns are old.

They want:

• Pay stubs

• Employer letters

• Ongoing employment

If you changed jobs, explain it.

3) Household Size Proof

If USCIS thinks your household is larger than you claimed, your income requirement goes up.

You must prove:

• Who lives with you

• Who you support

Mistakes here destroy cases.

4) Assets (If Needed)

Assets must be:

• Liquid

• Documented

• Valued

A house without appraisal is weak.
Cash is strong.

Employment-Based RFEs: Where Small Errors Kill Big Cases

Now let’s look at an H-1B or I-140 RFE.

“You have not established that the beneficiary possesses the required experience for the offered position.”

This means:

“Your experience letters are not legally sufficient.”

Even if you worked for 20 years.

USCIS requires experience letters to include:

• Job title

• Duties

• Dates

• Hours

• Employer contact

If one is missing, they can deny.

What USCIS Actually Accepts as Experience

• Letters on letterhead

• Signed by supervisor

• With specific job duties

• That match the job description

Generic HR letters = weak.

Criminal and Waiver RFEs

If USCIS asks about criminal history or inadmissibility, they want:

• Court dispositions

• Police reports

• Rehabilitation evidence

Your story is irrelevant without documents.

The One Thing That Makes USCIS Believe You

Consistency.

Your documents must tell the same story across:

• Time

• Money

• Residence

• Work

• Relationships

If anything contradicts anything else, USCIS doubts everything.

Why RFEs Are Actually Your Best Chance

This sounds strange, but it is true.

When USCIS issues an RFE, it means:

“We are not ready to deny you yet.”

You still have a chance to fix the file.

But only if you understand what evidence they actually accept.

The Fatal Mistake: Sending What Feels Right Instead of What Is Legally Required

People send:

• Photos

• Letters

• Screenshots

• Stories

USCIS wants:

• Documents

• Records

• Numbers

• Official proof

One wins cases.

The other gets ignored.

Now we are going to go even deeper.

Next, we are going to walk through exactly how to build a cover letter that forces USCIS to acknowledge your evidence, how to map each RFE question to proof, and how to structure your packet so that even a rushed officer cannot miss what you are proving, because this is the hidden weapon that separates people who survive RFEs from people who get denied, and once you see how to do this, you will never again send USCIS a messy stack of papers and hope for the best, because hope is not how immigration cases are won — precision is, and precision comes from understanding how evidence, law, and psychology combine inside USCIS review rooms, which is exactly what we are about to reveal next, so stay with me, because this is where everything becomes actionable and where you go from being afraid of RFEs to controlling them…

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…because the cover letter is where most RFE responses quietly live or die.

Not because USCIS loves reading letters — they don’t — but because the cover letter tells the officer what to look at, why it matters, and how it satisfies the law.

If you skip this, you force the officer to guess.

And USCIS never guesses in your favor.

So now we go inside the real mechanics of a winning RFE response.

The USCIS Cover Letter That Forces Approval

Your cover letter is not a plea.
It is not an apology.
It is not a story.

It is a legal map.

Its job is to do three things:

1. Identify every RFE issue

2. Point to the exact evidence that resolves it

3. Explain how that evidence meets the legal standard

This is how you take control of the review.

The Exact Structure USCIS Responds To

A winning RFE cover letter has this structure:

Section 1 — Case Information

• Applicant name

• Receipt number

• Form type

• RFE date

This allows the officer to immediately match it.

Section 2 — List of RFE Issues

You literally copy the RFE language.

Example:

RFE Issue 1: Bona fide marriage
RFE Issue 2: Insufficient financial evidence
RFE Issue 3: Missing documentation

This shows USCIS you understood the letter.

Section 3 — Evidence Mapping

For each issue, you write:

“To address this request, we submit the following evidence:”

Then list:

• Exhibit A — Joint bank statements (Jan 2024 – Dec 2024)

• Exhibit B — Joint tax return

• Exhibit C — Lease

• Exhibit D — Insurance

• Exhibit E — Affidavits

This forces the officer to connect dots.

Section 4 — Legal Explanation (Brief but Sharp)

You explain:

“These documents demonstrate shared residence and financial commingling, which establishes a bona fide marriage under INA 204…”

This tells the officer:

“I know what you are legally required to prove.”

That matters psychologically.

Why This Works

USCIS officers have stacks of cases.

When they see:

• A clean structure

• Clear labeling

• Obvious legal relevance

they relax.

When they see chaos, they suspect fraud.

What Happens When You Don’t Do This

If you just send documents:

• The officer may miss something

• They may not understand relevance

• They may think you ignored the RFE

And they can legally deny.

Now Let’s Talk About Translations — The Silent Killer

This is one of the stupidest, most painful ways people lose cases.

Any document not in English must have:

1. Full translation

2. Certificate of accuracy

3. Translator signature

If even one is missing, USCIS can ignore the document entirely.

Even if it is your birth certificate.

Certified Copies — Another Trap

Some documents must be certified:

• Court records

• Birth certificates

• Divorce decrees

Photocopies can be rejected.

Always check.

Why USCIS Rejects Evidence That Is “Real”

Here is something most people do not realize.

USCIS does not care if something is true.

They care if it is provable under the rules of evidence.

That is why:

• Screenshots fail

• Photos fail

• Unofficial letters fail

Even if they reflect reality.

Real-Life Example: The Denied But Real Marriage

A couple:

• Lives together

• Shares expenses

• Loves each other

But:

• Pays rent in cash

• Uses separate accounts

• Files taxes separately

They submit:

• Photos

• Messages

• Letters

USCIS denies.

Why?

Because legally, there is no proof of integration.

How to Turn a Weak Case Into a Strong One

You must create evidence.

This is not fraud.
This is documentation.

You:

• Open accounts

• Add names

• Update records

• Document patterns

Then explain.

USCIS accepts that.

The Power of Timelines

A timeline can save your case.

You show:

• When you met

• When you married

• When you moved

• When you combined finances

This gives coherence.

The Officer’s Internal Question

Every USCIS officer is silently asking:

“If this were fake, what would it look like?”

Your job is to make your evidence look nothing like that.

Why More Evidence Is Usually Better

If it is organized, more is safer.

Silence creates doubt.

Now Let’s Talk About RFEs That Look Small But Are Deadly

For example:

“Please submit evidence of your current lawful status.”

This sounds easy.

But people send:

• Old I-94

• Expired visas

USCIS wants:

• Current approval

• Current status

One wrong document = denial.

The “Missing Document” RFE Trap

Sometimes USCIS says:

“You did not submit X.”

Even if you did.

This happens.

Your job is to:

• Re-submit

• Highlight

• Explain

Never argue.

Just prove.

How to Package Your RFE Response

• Tabs

• Labels

• Page numbers

• Index

You are building a case file.

Not a scrapbook.

The Most Important Mindset Shift

You are not begging USCIS.

You are meeting their burden of proof.

Once you do that, approval becomes mandatory.

Now we are about to go into something even more powerful.

We are going to talk about how USCIS weighs contradictory evidence, what happens when something in your file does not match, and how to neutralize red flags that would normally sink a case, because this is where even strong applicants get destroyed — not by missing evidence, but by conflicting evidence — and once you learn how to spot and fix those conflicts before USCIS uses them against you, you will be operating at a level that almost no self-filer ever reaches, which is exactly how you survive and win RFEs even when they are aggressive and suspicious, and that is what we are diving into next…

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…because contradictory evidence is the silent assassin inside USCIS files.

It is not what you fail to submit that often kills a case — it is what you submitted that does not agree with itself.

And USCIS is trained to hunt for exactly that.

How USCIS Treats Conflicting Evidence

USCIS officers are not judges, but they are trained like investigators.

When two pieces of evidence do not match, they do not average them.

They assume something is wrong.

And when something is wrong, denial becomes easy.

Examples:

• One form says you lived at Address A, another says Address B

• One tax return shows married filing separately, another claims joint

• One employer letter says 40 hours, another says 30

• One birth date differs

• One marriage date differs

Each one is a red flag.

Not because you lied — but because USCIS cannot be sure you didn’t.

What USCIS Does When It Sees Inconsistencies

They look for patterns:

• Is this a typo?

• Or is it systemic?

If they see multiple mismatches, they may conclude:

“The applicant is not credible.”

That alone can justify denial.

How to Neutralize Inconsistencies in an RFE Response

This is where most people fail.

They ignore inconsistencies.

You must confront them.

If something in your file does not match, your RFE response must include:

• A written explanation

• Supporting documents

• A timeline

Example:

“We previously listed Address A because that was our mailing address. We physically lived at Address B. Enclosed are lease and utility records.”

USCIS accepts explanations — but only if documented.

The Deadliest Inconsistency: Finances

Nothing triggers fraud suspicion faster than money.

If you claim joint finances but submit separate tax returns, USCIS thinks:

“This marriage is for immigration.”

You must explain.

Another Deadly One: Dates

Marriage date
Move-in date
Employment date

They must make sense together.

If you married in 2023 but filed taxes as single in 2024, you must explain why.

The Officer’s Mental Model

USCIS officers do not assume innocence.

They assume risk.

Your job is to reduce risk.

Consistency does that.

How to Audit Your Own RFE Response

Before sending, you must:

• Compare all dates

• Compare all addresses

• Compare all names

• Compare all amounts

Everything must align.

Now Let’s Talk About “Preponderance of Evidence”

This is the legal standard USCIS uses.

It means:

“More likely than not.”

Not 100%.
Not beyond reasonable doubt.

Just more than 50%.

But conflicting evidence lowers your percentage.

Strong, consistent evidence raises it.

Why One Strong Document Can Beat Ten Weak Ones

One IRS transcript can beat ten bank screenshots.

One joint tax return can beat fifty photos.

USCIS is not emotional.

They are evidentiary.

Real Example: Winning a Weak Case

A couple had:

• Separate finances

• Lived with parents

• No lease

But they:

• Opened joint accounts

• Added insurance

• Filed joint taxes

• Submitted affidavits

They explained everything.

USCIS approved.

Because the story became consistent.

Why RFEs Are Actually Designed to Catch Inconsistencies

RFEs are not just about missing proof.

They are about testing whether your story holds together.

The Psychological Trick USCIS Uses

They give you a chance to talk.

And when you talk, you may contradict yourself.

That is how they detect fraud.

Your job is to be precise.

How to Write Explanations That USCIS Accepts

An explanation must be:

• Short

• Factual

• Documented

• Logical

No emotions.
No blame.
No excuses.

Just facts.

Now Let’s Talk About “Evidence Weight”

USCIS does not count pages.

They weigh documents.

A court order weighs more than a letter.

An IRS transcript weighs more than a spreadsheet.

An official record weighs more than a story.

The Danger of Over-Explaining

Do not give USCIS more than they need.

Every extra detail creates risk.

Be precise.

How to Handle a “Suspicious” RFE

Sometimes USCIS already thinks something is wrong.

You will see language like:

“The evidence submitted does not establish…”

This is serious.

You must overwhelm with proof.

The “Credibility Package”

When a case is suspicious, you submit:

• Redundant primary evidence

• Timelines

• Affidavits

• Explanations

You remove doubt.

The One Thing USCIS Cannot Ignore

Official, verifiable, consistent documents.

That is the key.

https://uscissrfehelpusa.com/uscis-rfe-guide