Having some issues with biometric scheduling

[Lee VD]

Once again, government inefficiency and bureaucracy rears its ugly head....

 

My wife did biometrics with CBP for Global Entry on 3/17.

We had an appointment scheduled at the USCIS for biometrics for a UK Visa the next day, 3/18.

We asked if those biometrics on the 17th could be used for the 18th. Answer no, of course, that's a different department (aren't they both part of DHS?). Wasn't the point of the post 9/11 consolidation to be able to SHARE security information? Surely all the biometrics on file from the green card process, several entries to the U.S., and this should be enough to provide fingerprint data, but no...

 

So, 3/18 biometrics were done for UK visa (in Houston). That was easy, you could schedule it online as you apply for the visa online. You can choose any location in the country and date/time available.

 

She applied for the N400 shortly after this (after she was challenged by the CBP officer suspiciously as to why she hasn't applied for citizenship, in a tone implying she is still active in the CCP or something...)

 

We were waiting for the appointment notice hoping to get it by 4/13 when we would be out of town again until 4/23. It never came yet.

We arrived home on the evening of 4/23 to get the appointment notice telling her to appear on 4/23 at 11am!!

The notice was dated 4/3, it was postage metered on 4/10! It took 7 days to print and mail?

 

Of course we called USCIS to inquire as to what to do and got the expected only answer: mail in to reschedule. No option to schedule online, no option to speak to a person to schedule a day that works for us.

 

I travel constantly for work and she comes with me. We will be out of the country in the latter half of May into early June.

I sent in the notice with a request to re-schedule on some days in early May that works for us. However, I see that the likely turn around time is not going to allow those options so we are likely to get a reschedule during our next trip. We may also get that notice in the mail when we are gone and miss it again.

 

If the case has not already been considered abandoned, will likely be cancelled on a second missed appointment, you think?

 

So here's the plan:

 

I have heard that walk-ins are possible but have seen mixed results reported: 1) allowed right in, 20 mins, done 2) turned away at the door 3) allowed in but waiting several hours standby unsuccessfully as each hour block could not be processed in the hour available.

 

I am scheduling an InfoPass appointment for the last business day we are at home, first thing in the morning.

If we get the appointment letter before then and it gives us a date that does not work, will send in again requesting for reschedule for sometime in late June when we are home.

If we do not get the appointment letter, will go to InfoPass appointment and request to know what date we have been scheduled (if the letter is being processed or in the mail).

Ask if we can do it right there and then, or ask to reschedule for a day that works.... if they will do it for us.

 

I am trying to figure out what days are better to attempt a walk in (Seattle). Seeing mixed results reports online, Mondays are bad and Wednesdays may be good (no scheduled appointments some say?), however I think we can only get there on a Friday anyway.

 

With an InfoPass appointment at least we can get in the door. From those few reporting using this path they have all been successful in getting biometrics done then.

 

I debated going straight for a walk in after missing the appointment but only day we can get there is a Monday and I see a couple unsuccessful reports for that day of the week.

 

(If we could only schedule online, like the UK visa process allows, there would be no issue... or be able to book with a person)

Any other advice?

 

Lee

[dnoblett]

Got to love inefficient government, for us it was visit the ASC 3 times over the years, first for AOS, then ROC, and then a year or so year later for Citizenship, you would think they would simply pull this data up from the record, kind of like my state's DMV every time I renew my license.

 

Fortunately now my wife is a U.S. Citizen there is no need to get visas to travel to UK and Europe, just one for China.

[Lee VD]

Amazingly we got super fast turnaround time on the request. They must have processed in one day... it didn't wait 7 days to get mailed. Fortunately they were able to give us the latest day we requested, so we are good to go! Would have been faster if you could do it online! Infopass appointment and UK Visa/USCIS biometric appointments can be done online....

[Lee VD]

Biometrics done yesterday in Seattle at 1pm on a Friday. It was not very busy at all and she was through the gauntlet in 20 minutes. One tip, they make you fill out a silly form with all info they already know, maybe its just to test you to see if you are who you say you are. Get the form and get in line right away with a pen and complete the form while waiting in line, that will make sure you draw the lowest number possible to await your biometrics. There were 4 stations so it went quickly. I would think walk-ins would have been accommodated but I don't know for sure.