I-9 compliance - how employers stay audit-ready with Form I-9
8 mins read | Aug 11, 2026
There's no guarantee that your immigration RFE will be approved, because the decision belongs to USCIS, not to any attorney or firm.
What a firm can stand behind is its work: the scope it commits to, whether an RFE response is included in the fee, transparent pricing, and an honest read on whether your case is ready. If you have seen a competitor advertise an "RFE guarantee" or a "money-back guarantee," the short version is that these promises almost always cover fees or re-work, not the immigration outcome. This piece answers the questions people actually ask on a sales call, so you can tell a meaningful promise from a marketing line.
Can an immigration lawyer guarantee my visa or green card will be approved?
No. No immigration lawyer can guarantee that your visa or green card will be approved, because approval is a discretionary decision made by USCIS based on the law and the evidence in your file.
An attorney can build a strong case and improve your odds, but the final call sits with a government adjudicator who applies the same legal standard to every petition. Anyone who promises a guaranteed approval is making a claim they have no authority to keep, and most bar ethics rules treat a guaranteed-result promise as a red flag. A reputable firm guarantees effort and scope, the work it will do and how thoroughly, rather than a result it does not control.
What is an RFE, and does getting one mean my case is denied?
An RFE, or Request for Evidence, is a normal request from USCIS for more documentation, not a denial. When an officer finds the record incomplete or unclear on a specific point, USCIS issues an RFE that names what is missing and gives you a deadline to respond. You supply the evidence, the officer reviews the fuller file, and the case moves toward a decision. Getting an RFE means the case is still open and being decided, which is very different from a denial.
The fear of an RFE usually comes from confusing it with the two worse outcomes, so it helps to see all three side by side.
| USCIS action | What it means | How worried to be |
|---|---|---|
| RFE (Request for Evidence) | Officer wants more proof on a specific point before deciding | A hurdle, not a verdict |
| NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny) | Officer is leaning toward denial but gives you a chance to respond | Serious, still answerable |
| Denial | The petition is refused | The decision, subject to appeal or refiling |
A strong RFE response often turns a wobbly case into an approval, which is exactly why so many firms advertise around it. For why RFEs happen and how to respond, see our guide on the USCIS Request for Evidence and our breakdown of how long USCIS takes to respond to an RFE.
How much does a visa cost?Get a personalized price and timeline estimate based on your visa type and nationality.
What can an immigration firm legitimately promise, then?
A firm can legitimately promise clear scope, an RFE response included in the fee, transparent pricing with no hidden costs, and an honest assessment of whether you are ready to file. These are the things inside a firm's control, and the ones worth comparing. Scope means a written list of what the fee covers, from strategy and evidence-gathering through filing and any RFE response. Transparent pricing means one number you can plan around, with government filing fees stated up front rather than surfacing later as surprise line items.
The most valuable promise often sounds least like a sales pitch: an honest "you are not ready yet." A firm that tells you your evidence is thin, or that a different category fits your profile better, is protecting you from filing a case that leads to an RFE or a denial. That candor changes your odds before USCIS ever sees your file. To see how legal fees are typically structured, our post on how much an immigration lawyer costs breaks down the common pricing models.
How do I read the fine print on a money-back immigration guarantee?
Read a money-back immigration guarantee by asking exactly what triggers the refund, what amount comes back, and what is excluded, before you sign anything. The phrase carries no fixed meaning, so the value lives entirely in the terms. Get clear answers to these questions in writing:
- What triggers a refund? A denial, a specific type of denial, or only if the firm misses a deadline? The trigger defines whether the guarantee ever applies to you.
- How much is refunded? The full legal fee, a portion of it, or only the unused part? Government filing fees paid to USCIS are almost never refundable, since that money already went to the agency.
- Is the RFE response included or billed separately? A guarantee means little if responding to an RFE costs extra on top.
- What voids the guarantee? Missed deadlines on your side, incomplete information, or withdrawing the case usually cancel any refund. Know the conditions before you rely on them.
- Who decides if the terms were met? If the firm is the sole judge of whether it earned the fee, the guarantee is weaker than it looks.
A promise you can hold someone to names the trigger, the amount, and the exclusions. A promise that stays vague under questioning is a marketing line, and the honest move is to treat it that way.
How does Tukki handle RFE guarantees and refunds?
Tukki does not guarantee approvals, because no one honestly can, and instead stands behind scope, price, and candor. The RFE response your case needs is included in the fee, so an RFE does not turn into a surprise bill. Pricing is one end number that already folds in government filing fees, so you plan around a single figure rather than discovering costs partway through. You can see how each step and its cost fit together on our process page.
The part that changes your odds happens before filing: an honest candidacy assessment. If your profile is not ready, or a different visa or green card category fits you better, our attorneys tell you up front rather than filing a weak case and billing you for the RFE later. That honest read, paired with transparent pricing, is the real counter to a gimmicky guarantee.
Tukki is a U.S. immigration provider that helps skilled professionals and their employers with work visas and green cards, from H-1B and O-1A to EB-1A and EB-2 NIW, with dedicated attorney support, RFE responses included in scope, and transparent pricing. If you want a straight answer on whether your case is ready and what it will cost, start with our pricing.