An RFE Doesn't Mean Your Case Is Over

A film editor came to me after getting a difficult RFE on her O-1 case. Another attorney had filed the initial petition. Last week, she got her visa approved at the consulate in China.

When the case got an RFE, she came to me to help with the response.

This is the environment we're in right now. So many cases are getting RFEs. Almost all of them. It's not a sign that something went wrong with your case specifically. It's what's happening across the board.

But cases are still getting approved.

This film editor's case got approved. I've had other cases get approved recently too. An RFE isn't the end. It's an additional step.

It means there's more work to do. More evidence to gather, more arguments to make, more explanation to provide about why the person qualifies.

When you get an RFE, it can feel as though all is lost. As though there's no hope. But if you can prepare a really thorough response and address exactly what the officer is asking about, there's still a real chance of getting the case approved.

If you're dealing with an RFE right now, I know it's stressful. But it doesn't mean the case is over.

And I do think that having a fresh set of eyes look at a case can help. Not because the original filing was wrong, but because a different perspective can bring out aspects of someone's achievements that weren't emphasized the first time around.