I responded to the RFE, and after a while a new RFE arrived. What’s odd is that its questions were completely different — about things that weren’t mentioned at all in the first one. Has anyone else run into this? Is this normal practice or something unusual?
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Yes, that happens. It didn’t happen to me twice in a row, but I’ve read about similar cases — sometimes the case just lands with a different officer who looks at it with fresh eyes and different criteria. It’s not a verdict; rather, it usually means the first answer satisfied them and now they’re digging deeper. The main thing is to calmly go through the new questions and answer clearly)
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oh, don’t worry yet — a second RFE with new questions can actually mean the first one was approved. I’ve seen that happen more than once when the case gets passed to a different officer who then latches onto their own issues. calmly go through the new letter and answer as clearly as you did the first time; usually a decision comes after that )
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I’ve seen different variants and I’ve come across this one about five times. There were cases where first an RFE (Request for Evidence), then a NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny). That’s classic. Two RFEs in a row also happens, but more rarely. Once they lost the response to an RFE — more precisely, 100 pages of it — and they (USCIS) had to send a new RFE saying, “we lost part of your response, please send your response again.”
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A second RFE with new questions — that usually means the case went to a different officer. Roughly speaking, everyone looks through their own lens and latches onto different things. When I dealt with my RFE, I realized the main thing: you have to answer exactly what they ask — don’t make stuff up and don’t add filler. If the new questions are specific and on point, that’s actually a good sign; it means the case is being read for real, not just getting a formal brush-off.
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In fact, a second RFE (Request for Evidence) with different questions isn’t uncommon — it’s just that few people talk about it. An important point that hasn’t been mentioned here yet: when you respond to a new RFE, don’t touch what was already accepted on the first one; don’t go in there and “improve” it. Answer strictly the new questions, attach what they ask, and that’s it. If I were you, I’d also check the deadlines — the second RFE has a separate deadline; it doesn’t extend the first.
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Ugh, I totally know that feeling when you open an envelope and it’s another RFE and you’re like “seriously??” When I was dealing with my case, my lawyer explained that this can really happen when they switch officers — and they were right that you shouldn’t mess with anything that’s already been accepted. The only thing I’d say is don’t drag out your response and find someone who can look at the new questions with fresh eyes, because I tried answering myself and made a bunch of stupid mistakes. Also read people’s stories about going through the consulate — there’s a forum thread with real cases here 🌍 Интервью в консульстве: 10+ реальных историй и как подготовиться — it helps to understand the logic of how they think.
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The most important thing right now is—carefully read exactly what they’re asking in the new RFE, because essentially they’re showing you the weak points of your case through the eyes of a specific officer. After my denial I realized that if I hadn’t tried to guess what the officer wanted and had just answered what was written, I might not have had to reapply. And don’t drag your feet on the deadline—better to send it early than to be stressing later.
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A friend of mine told me she also had two RFEs (Requests for Evidence), and her attorney said it’s almost the norm now — cases are getting 2–3 of them. The main thing is don’t panic and don’t start redoing what you’ve already sent — just take the new questions and methodically answer each one, no extra fluff. Maybe it’s different now, but when I went through it a calm, clear response worked best.
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