Common RFEs on Foreign Academic Credentials

Introduction

If you’re reading this, you probably already know what an RFE is. But for the uninitiated, an RFE is a Request for Evidence, sometimes referred to as a “Challenge,” from USCIS. An RFE from USCIS means that the officer reviewing the case needs additional information to ensure that the applicant meets the specific requirements of the visa category they are trying to obtain.

RFEs can challenge any number of things about the case, including the candidate’s foreign academic credentials. In this article we’ll provide an overview of RFE challenges concerning foreign degrees and how MotaWord’s Academic Evaluation services can not only help you prevent getting an RFE but can also provide evaluations that help respond to RFE challenges.

Common Triggers RFEs of Foreign Academic Credentials

While it would be impossible to list every possible RFE reason here, there are certainly some common challenges to be discussed.

Duration of the Program

Perhaps the most common challenge is a “duration of the program” challenge. Bachelor Degrees that are less than four years in duration but are equivalent to full US Bachelor degrees are especially susceptible to this kind of challenge. These sorts of degrees can be found in the UK, Germany, and Italy, to name just a few countries. USCIS regularly challenges these degrees, alleging that three years of study cannot be comparable to a four-year Bachelor’s degree. But what USCIS doesn’t take into consideration is the quality of these three-year programs and the entry requirements that must be met to enroll in them. MotaWord understands these unique degrees and specializes in preparing evaluations for them.

Another related problem occurs when a candidate completes a degree in less time than the normal duration of the program. Perhaps the most prominent example of this comes from India, where through “lateral entry,” students can enter a four-year Bachelor’s program in the second year of study and complete the full four-year degree in just three years. Note that, again, USCIS is failing to take into account the entry requirements for the program.

Non-Degree-Granting Institutions

Sticking to degrees from India for a bit, another common USCIS challenge can be found from diplomas from non-degree granting institutions. For instance, passing the Final Examination and obtaining a Final Examination Certificate and Certificate of Membership from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is comparable to the completion of a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the US. However, ICAI is not a university or higher education institution. This is what leads to the challenge: USCIS doesn’t consider this credential to be a degree because it is not awarded by a school. There are several other credentials like this in India:

• Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) Final Exam & award of Associate Membership
• Associate Membership in the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
• Associate Membership in the Institution of Engineers
• Associate Membership in India (IEI) Institution of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineers (IETE, formerly AMIETE)
• Associate Membership in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, India (IMEI)]
• Associate Membership in the Aeronautical Society of India

And from the United Kingdom, these credentials come from Non-Degree Granting institutions:

• Associateship of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Associateship of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Associateship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

It should be noted that although the above credentials are considered equivalent to US Bachelor’s degrees, this is not always the case for professional memberships from other countries around the world. For instance, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential from outside the US would not be subject to academic evaluation as it has no academic equivalency.

Quality of Evaluation Reports

USCIS regularly discards evaluations that make conclusory remarks but don’t explain how they arrived at their conclusions or provide any context or analysis. It is for this reason that MotaWord’s evaluation services aim to provide highly detailed and well-researched reports. Our evaluations are not simply an opinion rendered from thin air. We dedicate ourselves to fully understanding the academic credentials we evaluate and aim to provide reports that inform and advise USCIS adjudicators accurately and convincingly.

Incomplete Documentation

A surefire way to get an RFE from USCIS is to not provide transcripts. Though it is sometimes not necessary to see transcripts to evaluate a degree, it is always highly recommended to provide all transcripts or marksheets and, moreover, to submit all academic documentation, certified translations of any of the above if necessary, along with your MotaWord Academic Evaluation when filing with USCIS. There are two important reasons to do this: first, if you provide MotaWord with transcripts, we include it our list of documents reviewed, signaling to USCIS that transcripts were considered in the evaluation, preempting USCIS from challenging the evaluation on the grounds that transcripts were not reviewed; and, secondly, submitting the transcripts to USCIS helps to avoid incomplete documentation challenges. USCIS can be finicky. Their job is to make sure that every aspect of the case is correct.

Name Discrepancy

It goes without saying that when names on academic documents don’t match, USCIS will be forced to issue an RFE. One of the most common causes for name changes is of course marriage. Regardless of the reason for a name change, including an official change of name document or marriage certificate with you academic materials can help MotaWord to verify the change of name in your academic credentials. However, it is also important to note that abbreviations and initials can cause name discrepancy challenges. This is particularly common in India where the names printed on diplomas are regularly abbreviated and not always consistent. If your name is spelled different ways or appears in initials, a good strategy is to get ahead of USCIS by pointing to the various iterations of your name. We’d also recommend leaving a note to us when ordering an evaluation, telling us which iteration of your name you’d prefer we use as your official name. MotaWord’s team of evaluation experts will be sure to list all iterations of your name and will note in our report if a change of name or marriage certificate document was reviewed to add veracity to the evaluation and defend against USCIS challenges.

Conclusion

Addressing the intricacies of RFEs from USCIS that challenge foreign academic credentials demands meticulous attention, comprehensive documentation, and collaboration with seasoned professionals. Understanding the common obstacles outlined in this article and proactively tackling them can bolster applicants' cases and enhance the likelihood of a favorable outcome. Partnering with MotaWord, a reputable credential evaluation service, compiling thorough documentation, and responding promptly and accurately to any RFEs received are vital steps in this process. With diligence and persistence, applicants can surmount these hurdles and pursue their immigration objectives with confidence.