Updated
USCIS RFE rates for H-1B, L-1, O-1 and other work visas
How often USCIS asked for more evidence before deciding an I-129 work visa petition, every month since October 2014, from the counts USCIS publishes each quarter.
H-1B, FY2026 so far
Oct 2025 to Jun 2026
8.5%
of the 278,650 H-1B petitions USCIS decided had an RFE (23,554).
The same months a year earlier, Oct 2024 to Jun 2025
8.1%
of 310,464 decided had an RFE (25,233).
Of the H-1B petitions decided with an RFE in FY2026 so far, 81.7% were approved, against 97.0% of all H-1B petitions decided. Data through June 30, 2026.
- Had an RFE
- Had an RFE and was approved
The H-1B share was 21.3% in FY2017, 37.9% in FY2018 and 40.1% in FY2019, and its highest month was November 2018, at 66.1%. It was 16.2% in FY2021 and 8.5% in FY2025.
Each column is the share of the H-1B petitions USCIS decided that month that had an RFE. More
Every I-129 visa, by fiscal year
The share of each visa's decisions that had an RFE, FY2015 to FY2026, every card on the same scale.
H-1B
FY2026 so far
8.5%
of 278,650 decided had an RFE, 81.7% of those approved
L-1A
FY2026 so far
25.9%
of 18,553 decided had an RFE, 71.2% of those approved
L-1B
FY2026 so far
29.4%
of 10,263 decided had an RFE, 74.5% of those approved
L-1A and L-1B
FY2016
32.1%
of 40,057 decided had an RFE, 55.6% of those approved
FY2015 to FY2016 only: the files that reach those years print L-1A and L-1B as one table.
Blanket L
FY2026 so far
22.6%
of 990 decided had an RFE, 92.9% of those approved
O-1 and O-2
FY2026 so far
24.2%
of 23,417 decided had an RFE, 66.8% of those approved
P
FY2026 so far
19.9%
of 7,203 decided had an RFE, 60.5% of those approved
R-1
FY2026 so far
18.2%
of 6,881 decided had an RFE, 83.3% of those approved
TN
FY2026 so far
13.0%
of 11,349 decided had an RFE, 67.7% of those approved
H-2A
FY2026 so far
7.9%
of 26,425 decided had an RFE, 84.5% of those approved
H-2B
FY2026 so far
7.1%
of 12,695 decided had an RFE, 89.6% of those approved
Every visa and year as a table
| Visa | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B | 22.3% | 20.8% | 21.3% | 37.9% | 40.1% | 28.7% | 16.2% | 9.6% | 9.9% | 8.2% | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| L-1A | 33.7% | 43.9% | 53.8% | 51.9% | 49.9% | 34.4% | 31.5% | 26.2% | 24.1% | 25.9% | ||
| L-1B | 41.6% | 48.9% | 55.0% | 58.4% | 57.0% | 40.5% | 38.2% | 26.7% | 26.2% | 29.4% | ||
| L-1A and L-1B | 34.3% | 32.1% | ||||||||||
| Blanket L | 35.6% | 33.9% | 37.0% | 36.7% | 35.2% | 29.6% | 28.6% | 24.6% | 22.5% | 22.6% | ||
| O-1 and O-2 | 24.9% | 22.6% | 21.9% | 22.8% | 26.4% | 30.4% | 27.8% | 20.7% | 22.6% | 19.0% | 19.7% | 24.2% |
| P | 20.9% | 20.2% | 21.7% | 21.5% | 23.6% | 26.9% | 20.9% | 19.5% | 21.8% | 18.7% | 17.4% | 19.9% |
| R-1 | 33.3% | 32.7% | 40.1% | 33.2% | 29.1% | 28.5% | 24.3% | 18.7% | 19.0% | 16.0% | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| TN | 17.3% | 23.6% | 21.9% | 28.2% | 24.5% | 21.6% | 24.3% | 17.1% | 17.2% | 15.8% | 13.1% | 13.0% |
| H-2A | 10.3% | 13.5% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 11.1% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 6.6% | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| H-2B | 20.9% | 36.1% | 22.4% | 19.1% | 17.2% | 15.8% | 14.3% | 10.0% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.6% | 7.1% |
FY2026 runs to June 2026. A blank cell is a year USCIS's files don't carry for that visa.
What this can't tell you
- RFE rates for the I-140, the I-485 or any one employer. USCIS publishes these counts for the I-129 alone, and for no petitioner by name.
- How many RFEs were sent. A petition with several RFEs counts once, as one completion that had an RFE.
- What happened to petitions filed in a month. A month counts the petitions USCIS decided in it, many filed months earlier, and the RFE may have gone out in yet another month.
- Why the H-1B share rose in FY2018 and FY2019. The files count RFEs; they give no reason for them.
- Final outcomes. Approved and denied are USCIS's initial decisions; a later revocation or reopening isn't in them. Extensions and new petitions are counted together.
Read next
FAQs
What is an RFE?
A request for evidence: USCIS writing to the petitioner for documents or explanations before it decides. The petition waits until the answer arrives or the deadline in the RFE passes, and then USCIS approves or denies it.
How does USCIS count completions with an RFE?
A completion is a petition USCIS approved or denied in the month, an initial decision only. It counts as a completion with an RFE if USCIS sent at least one RFE on it, and a petition with several RFEs counts once. The RFE may have been sent in an earlier month than the decision.
Does an RFE mean my petition will be denied?
Usually not. Of the H-1B petitions USCIS decided with an RFE in FY2026 so far (Oct 2025 to Jun 2026), 81.7% were approved, against 97.0% of all H-1B petitions decided. Petitions with an RFE are approved less often than the rest, and most still are. The cards above give the same share for every visa.
Where are the RFE rates for green cards?
USCIS doesn't publish them. Its request-for-evidence counts cover the I-129 work visa petition alone, with nothing like them for the I-140 or the I-485. For those forms its quarterly data gives approvals, denials and how long decisions took, on the USCIS processing times page.
USCIS I-129 requests for evidence: USCIS quarterly I-129 requests for evidence (uscis.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026 · quarterly
What this data includes
USCIS I-129 requests for evidence: I-129 petitions USCIS decided each month, by visa, and how many of them had a request for evidence, from FY2015. Initial decisions only, a petition with several RFEs counted once, and no figures for the I-140, the I-485 or any employer.
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