How to Prepare for a USCIS Fingerprints Appointment

If you’re in the process of obtaining a the green card, naturalization process or certain deportation cases, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will require you to attend a biometrics (fingerprint) appointment. The purpose of “biometrics” refers to the processes used to identify people based on physical traits. Immigrant applicants need to participate in biometrics appointments for the purpose ofFederal Bureau of Investigation criminal background checks.

Once USCIS office start processing your application, you will receive a USCIS biometrics appointment notice, with place, date and time for you to take the USCIS Biometrics. Upon receipt of the USCIS appointment notice read the instructions carefully. if the fingerprinting location is far from your area van may be available  to take you to the finger printing locations,. Note that the USCIS appointment notice will tell you whether a van serves your area.

The USCIS biometrics appointment letter will specify if any  documents  you need to bring with you. If the document is in a language other than English you must have certified translations. You will also need bring with you,  a photo identification document such as a passport or driver’s license.

At the USCIS Biometrics Appointment

After you arrive at the USCIS biometrics center with your USCIS appointment notice, make sure not to bring into the building your cell phone or any digital camera.   Cameras and phones are forbidden in the USCIS offices.

USCIS biometrics center , you will be asked to fill out a form with some personal information.Then your fingerprints will be taken. Most USCIS offices use ink to take fingerprints — however, many offices are switching to electronic fingerprinting.
 

Following the USCIS Biometrics Appointment

Your fingerprints will then be analyzed by the FBI in about  a month’s time. In case if the fingerprint is not clear they will reject and send it back to the USCIS. This is  common as some prints are smudged. USCIS does not charge an additional fee for the second fingerprinting work.

You can check with the FBI whether it has completed the criminal backgrounds and sent it back to the USCIS. Note that USCIS will not divulge the results, whether the fingerprints was rejected or not. If the Federal Bureau of Investigation rejects your finger print twice then you will have to  get a police clearance from each place where you had lived in the past five years.

USCIS biometrics are valid for 15 months. If your application is not processed within 15 months, USCIS will most likely send another notice for a biometrics appointment

Applicants for political asylum do not have to pay the biometrics fee. Applicants who file concurrently formI-485 based on an employment petition and Form I-765 (employment authorization) will receive one USCIS appointment for biometrics. USCIS will take biometrics for both forms in one visit and the applicants need to pay only one biometric fee with the I-485.