Marriage Green Card RFE: Common Reasons USCIS Requests More Evidence in 2026

Marriage Green Card RFE: Common Reasons USCIS Requests More Evidence in 2026

Receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can be stressful, especially when you are waiting for a marriage-based green card. An RFE does not by itself mean that USCIS plans to deny the case. It means the agency is asking for additional evidence or information before making a decision. The most important step is to understand exactly what the notice requests and respond to those requests by the deadline.

What Is a Marriage Green Card RFE?

An RFE is a written notice from USCIS requesting additional evidence or information related to an immigration benefit request. In a marriage-based adjustment-of-status case, the request may concern the bona fide nature of the marriage, financial sponsorship, medical documentation, civil documents, or another eligibility issue.

The RFE itself is not a denial. What matters is how the requested evidence affects eligibility and whether the response adequately addresses the issues identified by USCIS.

1. USCIS Wants More Evidence of the Marital Relationship

Marriage-based green card cases require evidence supporting the claimed marital relationship. If USCIS believes the existing record does not sufficiently establish an issue or needs clarification, the agency may request additional evidence.

Depending on the circumstances, useful evidence may include:

• Recent joint financial records, when they exist and are relevant to the period USCIS identifies
• Evidence of a shared residence, such as a lease, mortgage, or household records, when applicable
• Insurance, beneficiary, or other records showing how the spouses have identified one another in their lives
• Evidence addressing a particular date, period, discrepancy, or missing item identified in the RFE
• A short written explanation that connects the evidence directly to the question raised by USCIS

Do not assume that sending a large volume of unrelated relationship evidence will automatically strengthen the response. USCIS’s RFE guidance emphasizes responding to the specific evidence needed to resolve the issue in the case.

Separately from a formal RFE, USCIS has emailed some marriage-based adjustment applicants before their interviews, from @uscis.dhs.gov addresses with the subject line “USCIS Additional Information Needed,” asking them to upload current evidence of the marriage. So far this has been reported only for marriage-based interviews. If you receive one, respond promptly and keep a copy of everything you upload.

2. Form I-864 or Financial Sponsorship Issues

Many marriage-based green card applicants must submit Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. An RFE may identify a problem with the sponsor’s income evidence, household-size calculation, required supporting documents, or a joint-sponsor submission.

USCIS’s Form I-864 instructions explain who generally must submit the affidavit and the financial requirements that apply. If the RFE identifies a specific deficiency, address that deficiency rather than simply submitting another copy of the original financial documents.

For a broader explanation of the financial sponsorship requirements, see SimVisa’s guide to the Affidavit of Support (Form I-864).

3. Form I-693 and Medical Examination Issues

USCIS may request additional medical documentation if the required Form I-693 was not properly submitted or if the agency needs additional information. If the RFE concerns the medical examination, follow the instructions in the notice and the current USCIS requirements rather than relying on older information about I-693 validity.

If you are preparing the medical portion of a marriage-based case, SimVisa’s green card medical exam and Form I-693 guide provides additional background.

4. Missing Civil Documents or Translation Issues

USCIS may request a civil document that was missing, incomplete, or not sufficient for the particular issue being reviewed. Documents issued in a foreign language generally must be accompanied by a full English translation certified by the translator as complete and accurate, as required by USCIS instructions.

If you are checking whether your marriage-based filing included the documents USCIS commonly expects, review SimVisa’s Marriage-Based Green Card Documents Checklist.

5. Inconsistent Information in the Filing

Sometimes an RFE focuses on information that appears inconsistent across forms, supporting documents, or earlier immigration records. The best response is to identify the precise discrepancy, determine why it occurred, and explain the facts accurately.

Do not create a new explanation simply because it seems more convenient. If the issue involves a significant discrepancy, prior immigration history, or a potentially material error, consider having an immigration attorney review the response before submission.

How to Read Your RFE

• Confirm the receipt number and the immigration benefit involved
• Read every page of the notice, including any continuation pages
• Make a list of each item USCIS specifically requests
• Separate evidence that is required to answer the RFE from optional evidence that may provide useful context
• Check the response deadline printed on the notice
• Follow the submission method, address, and formatting instructions provided by USCIS
• Keep a complete copy of everything submitted and proof of delivery or submission
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How Much Evidence Should You Send?

More evidence is not necessarily better. A strong RFE response should make it easy for the officer to identify the requested evidence and understand how it addresses the issue.

For each requested item, provide the clearest available evidence and a concise explanation when context is necessary. Avoid burying the requested documents under large amounts of unrelated material.

What If You Cannot Obtain a Requested Document?

Do not simply ignore a requested document because it is difficult to obtain. First determine whether the RFE or applicable USCIS instructions allow alternative evidence or an explanation of why the document is unavailable.

If the missing document involves a foreign civil record, prior immigration history, or another complicated issue, professional legal review may help determine how to document the situation.

RFE vs. NOID: What Is the Difference?

An RFE asks for additional evidence or information. A Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) is different: it tells the applicant or petitioner that USCIS is considering a denial and provides an opportunity to respond to the stated grounds.

Because the legal and factual issues can be more significant in a NOID, do not treat a NOID as simply another document request.

An RFE or NOID is also not guaranteed in every case. In defined circumstances, such as missing initial evidence or evidence of ineligibility already in the record, USCIS can deny a request without first issuing either notice.

How Long Do You Have to Respond?

Use the deadline printed on your notice. USCIS regulations set a maximum response time of 12 weeks for an RFE and 30 days for a NOID, and under the current regulation additional time to respond may not be granted, so do not plan on an extension. The actual notice in your case controls the deadline and instructions you must follow.

What Happens After You Respond?

After USCIS receives the response, the agency continues reviewing the case. The response may resolve the issue, lead to additional review, or result in another case action.

Processing times are not guarantees of a decision date. USCIS’s processing-time methodology includes cases in which an RFE or other notice was issued, so an RFE response can affect the overall time a case takes to reach a decision.

Added security checks and policy-driven reviews introduced in 2025 and 2026, including enhanced FBI background checks that can hold final approval until they are complete, can also lengthen the time a case takes after a response is submitted.

You can monitor your case through USCIS Case Status Online.

When Should You Consider Attorney Review?

• The RFE questions whether the evidence establishes the claimed marital relationship
• The case involves a prior marriage or complicated immigration history
• The RFE raises an inadmissibility, status, or other legal issue
• The financial sponsorship issue involves a complicated I-864 or joint-sponsor problem
• The notice appears inconsistent with the evidence already submitted
• You are unsure whether a partial response is legally sufficient