| If | Then |
| The ISO cannot approve the petition and the petition cannot be statutorily denied, e.g., the petition is based on a non-qualifying relationship | The ISO will send the military member an RFE for additional documentation to establish claimed relationships or to address other deficiencies to the military member’s last known (physical or APO/FPO) address. |
| The Service Center receives a response to the RFE | The ISO will continue the adjudication and post adjudication processes. |
| The RFE response is still insufficient the ISO will | The ISO will place the petition on an overseas hold until the military member returns to the country-regionplaceU.S. |
| There is no response to the RFE within the appropriate RFE response period (12 weeks) | The ISO will place the petition on hold for up to 18 months. |
| The response to the RFE is returned as undeliverable the ISO will | The ISO will place the petition on hold for up to 18 months. |
| Eighteen (18) months have passed since the Service Center placed the petition on hold | The ISO will either: (a) Deny the petition if the petitioner is no longer in the military Or (b) Administratively close the petition if the petitioner is still in the military. |
| The petition is denied | The ISO will reopen and/or reactive the petition upon the petitioner’s request (at anytime and at no charge to the petitioner). |
| The petition is administratively closed | The ISO will reopen and/or reactive the petition upon the petitioner’s request (at anytime and at no charge to the petitioner). |