What Happens at a USCIS Biometrics Appointment

When you apply for a benefit from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — such as a work permit, citizenship, green card or even a green card renewal — a standard part of the process is a biometrics appointment (also known as a biometrics screening). It may sound scary, but it shouldn't be a concern for most people. Regardless, it's important to understand what happens at your USCIS appointment, what to expect, and who should be concerned.

The technical definition of "biometrics" means that a person's unique physical and other traits are detected and recorded as a means of confirming identity. In simple terms, USCIS will obtain your photograph, fingerprints and have you sign your name. This process confirms your identity so that USCIS provides benefits to the correct person and facilitates the necessary criminal background check. A biometrics screening is not an interview.

biometrics appointment or screening at USCIS

USCIS Biometrics Appointment Notice

biometrics appointment notice (Form I-797)

USCIS will mail you the biometrics appointment notice after you submit your application or petition. The appointment will take place before you receive any benefits or a card in the mail. The letter will arrive as an "Application Support Center (ASC) Appointment Notice" (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) and will include information about the date, time and location for your ASC appointment. The appointment itself takes most people 15 to 30 minutes.

USCIS recommends that you attend the biometrics appointment at the Application Support Center that has been scheduled for you. If the location of this ASC is not convenient for you, some applicants have been able to reschedule the appointment at an alternative ASC. A change in location is at the discretion of USCIS. For a list of ASCs, see the USCIS Service and Office Locator.

Again, USCIS will schedule the time and location for you. USCIS recommends that you appear at the ASC which has been assigned to you.

ASC Biometrics Notice Codes

You may notice that your ASC Biometrics Appointment Notice includes a code in the top right part of the letter. The code is intended to indicate the type of biometrics processing to be performed. The possible values are:

  • Code 1 – fingerprinting for 10 prints only
  • Code 2 – photo, signature and index finger press-print
  • Code 3 – photo, signature, index finger press-print and fingerprinting for 10 prints

Rescheduling a Biometrics Appointment

USCIS generally recommends that you attend the appointment that they schedule for you. However, you may reschedule the appointment if necessary. USCIS no longer accepts written requests to reschedule the appointment. Instead, you must call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833) before the date and time of your original appointment and establish good cause for rescheduling. If you fail to call before your scheduled appointment or fail to establish good cause, USCIS may not reschedule the appointment. If you fail to appear for your originally scheduled biometric services appointment and the appointment is not rescheduled, they will consider the related application, petition, or request abandoned and, as a result, USCIS may deny it.

Depending on the type of application, region of the country, and workload, USCIS may initially schedule the biometrics appointment on day within 3 to 8 weeks of filing your USCIS form. USCIS Application Support Centers cannot reschedule the appointment for more than 30 days. Therefore, it's likely they will a reschedule date within a 30-day time frame from the date of the reschedule request.

Rescheduling your appointment will delay your case. It is likely that the application/petition you have filed will be denied if biometrics is not satisfied within a reasonable time frame as scheduled by USCIS.

application support center for biometric screenings

Families with Biometrics Appointments

If you have more than one person in your family that requires a biometrics screening, it's more convenient to have them scheduled together. USCIS will attempt to schedule your family's biometrics appointments together. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen.

If you have received your appointment notice, but your dependent(s) have not, it may be possible for your family members to attend your appointment. The USCIS ASC may agree to capture their biometrics on the same day even if they do not have scheduled appointments. The decision to combine the biometric screenings is at the discretion of the ASC. The ASC may refuse to do so.

Generally, children under 14 years of age are exempt from biometrics fee. However, your child must still appear at the ASC if a biometrics appointment has been scheduled by USCIS. You cannot ignore this notice. It's likely that your child is being called in for a "Code 2" biometrics appointment. For children who are adjusting status, this information is necessary for the generation of the permanent resident card (also known as a green card).

How to Prepare for the USCIS Biometrics Appointment

When you get your biometric services appointment notification, it will also include a list of items to bring to the appointment. In addition to the appointment notice itself (Form I-797C), you will be required to bring photo identification. Typically, acceptable documents include:

  • Permanent resident card (green card)
  • Passport or national photo identification issued by your home country
  • Driver's license
  • Military photo identification
  • State-issued photo identification card

fingerprint to be used as part of a criminal background check

When you appear for your biometrics appointment, USCIS will digitally capture your fingerprints, photograph and signature on a LiveScan machine. When it is time to sign your name, USCIS will ask you to attest to the truth of the following statement:

I declare under penalty of perjury that I have reviewed and understand my application, petition, or request as identified by the receipt number displayed on the screen above, and all supporting documents, applications, petitions, or requests filed with my application, petition, or request that I (or my attorney or accredited representative) filed with USCIS, and that all of the information in these materials is complete, true, and correct.

The language is only displayed in English or Spanish. If you require a different foreign language, USCIS recommends that you select the appropriate language translation and review it before you appear for your ASC appointment.

When to Be Concerned About a Biometrics Appointment

Most people don't need to worry about the USCIS biometrics appointment and subsequent FBI background check. USCIS will process this information through the FBI database in order to check for any criminal records.

However, if you think you might have a criminal record, contact an immigration lawyer before going to a USCIS biometrics appointment. (If you think you might have a criminal record, you should contact an immigration lawyer before filing any USCIS form.) Some crimes will make you ineligible for immigration benefits. A lawyer can request a background check before USCIS does and deal with it as necessary.

After a Biometrics Appointment

Once you have completed your biometrics appointment, you will be given a stamp on your appointment notice confirming that you attended. Keep this document safe. It serves as proof if USCIS cannot find its record stating that you attended the appointment.

USCIS biometrics stamp

The next step depends on the type of application you filed. Some, like marriage cases, require an interview; others, such as employment-based petitions, may only require interviews when there are issues that need further inquiry.

If you get another biometrics appointment notice in the following weeks, don't panic. This is usually the result of smudged prints, and fingerprints will need to be retaken to complete the background check. USCIS will not charge an additional fee.

Depending on your application type and the service center processing it, it may be several weeks (or months) before you hear from USCIS again. Remember, you can always check the status of your case online.

Additional Biometrics Appointments

There are many reasons USCIS may require an additional biometrics appointment for you. Biometrics data is considered valid for a period of 15 months. Therefore, it's very common for applicants to attend multiple biometrics appointment. This can occur if an application or petition is pending for several months or the person has requested a separate immigration benefit from USCIS.

Biometrics Appointment FAQs

How CitizenPath Helps You Prepare USCIS Forms

CitizenPath's self-directed service makes preparing USCIS applications easy. Designed by lawyers, our platform will help you eliminate the common errors that create delays, rejections and even denials. The low-cost service also provides alerts if you answer a question in a way that might be a problem. It only takes a few minutes, and you'll be able to file your form the same day.

The online service is a powerful, do-it-yourself tool that puts you in control. And we've got your back -- CitizenPath provides live customer support and a money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve your application.

package to prepare USCIS applications