Missed Biometrics appointment - what now?

[TrueBrit]

So following on from my post of earlier today prompted by me wondering why I hadn't seen anything following our filings with the USCIS last month, I get home tonight and there's a letter in my mailbox from the USCIS confirming the biometrics appointment at the local USCIS office.

Only problem is that the date of the letter and envelope postmark is March 1st and today is March 20th. Yep, it took the good old USPS 19 days to deliver the letter!

Worse yet, my appointment was for Saturday last weekend. Reading the letter it appears that failure to appear at the biometrics appointment constitutes abandonment of the I-485 and I-765 applications to which the appointment relates. It took only 39 cents for a person paid $6/hr who wears a shirt with their name embroidered on it to potentially waste the hundreds of dollars we've spent on filings fees and other things like medicals.

Rather than take this lying down, I've written and mailed a letter to the local office and I'll call them tomorrow to protest my innocence and request a rescheduled appointment by checking the box on the I-797C I received.

Other than praying that they understand that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't there, does anyone have any advice as to how to unwind this mess?

Thanks in advance

[dial1010usa]

Sorry to hear that. It happened to my mother after renewal of GC, not exactly the same case but when I sent the letter they didn't receive it so they sent me a letter to that she was not going to get new GC. This happened in 2004 and after I filed motion of appeal everything went well.

Don't worry, you need to apply for "appeal for motion" and it will cost you $110 and make sure you send thru certified mail and get a return receipt. Go to INS website and look for a appeal for motion form.

If you just send a plain letter that won't help you. I think you have 30 days to apply for appeal.

Good luck and hope my 2 cents will help you.
[email protected]

[TrueBrit]

Here's how you fix it

If you end up receiving the Biometrics appointment letter after the date of the scheduled appointment (as I did) here's how to fix it.

Using INFOPASS on the USCIS website, I set up an 'ask a question about my case' appointment with the local USCIS office (not the ASC office where the biometrics appointment was scheduled).

I took the receipt notices and a photocopy of the biometrics appointment letter and explained what happened. They then rescheduled the appointment in a really flexible way. The whole reschedule process, including waiting, took about 45 minutes start to finish once I arrived at the USCIS office.

They printed out an appointment letter for the local ASC office that allowed me to show up anytime they were open on any day during the next two weeks. Rather than mess around, I just went straight down there and it took about 2 hours from start to finish to get the fingerprints and photograph taken.

[samwisegamgee]

No Worries

Absolutely no worries. It happened to my wife. I called the National customer support and they advised me to go to the ASC on any following Wednesday and request for biometrics to be taken. ASC will normally not deny the walk-in if they are not too busy. Hence I would recommend being there early. But we did not have any problem in getting ours done, even though we were a month late!

[pishwish]

response to Infopass

They should give you another appointment if you have missed your biometric appointment BUT if you have already had your i485 denied because of this DO NOT waste your time like i did and set up an info pass appointment because all youll get is someone telling you what you already know. I wasted 2 weeks while i waited for this infopass for nothing I now have one day to file the appeal motion which is a pleasant 585 dollars which i dont have. So if your visas already denied skip the info pass and file for appeal immediately within the 33 days of the letter you recieve

[cmtsuk]

missed ASC biometric appointment ....

I somehow missed my ASC biometric appointment on Friday 23 Oct 2009 at the New York Varrick Street center. The biometric test is part of my petition to remove green card conditionality (form I 751). After reading some advice on this forum, I went to the center today (saturday). Though the ASC was closed, the security guard confirmed that I could turn up any day after my appointment, but that Wednesday was best as they do not schedule any appointments on wednesdays. Mondays are apparently the busiest.

I plan to call the national helpline number to verify they will not assume my I- 751 application has been abandoned, and then go first thing on monday to the ASC and see if they will take me then. Otherwise, I'll go back on wednesday.

Thanks to those who pointed out the fact that you could go later even if you missed your appointment.

[Ramonalei]

How did it go cmtsuk?

Im in the same situation as all of you (missed my bio appointment). So, the consensus seems to be that you can just show up to the office on any given day (preferably slow wednesday) and ask to take the fingerprints and pic, even if it is weeks after the appointment. My question is, though, does it still have to be before your GC expires? I assume so, but as I am studying in London it will be expensive (and academically problematic). Does any of you have experience with acquiring your GC (ie by removing previous conditions) whilst abroad?

Thank you, and I must say that I am relieved that it seems I havent forfeited my whole GC process even though I missed the bio appointment. Doing the whole thing again would cost me thousands of dollars (not only application fee, but lost income!). So thank you all for sharing your experiences!

[andret]

biometrics timing

hello,
talking about biometrics, could you please share some information regarding timing, as I am about to file a form to the USCIS and would like to know how long does it take since you send the documents by mail to uscis till you get the appointment notification (regardless of the usps delays). I am always travelling out of town because of my husband's job and i am afraid that the notification can get to our inbox but we are not around.
is there any other way to know about your appointment i.e. online, USCIS telephone center, or other?
or do you know if it is possible to give the USCIS another address (i.e. parent or relative) so they can notify me if i am not in town?

thank you all!!

[visjig]

So following on from my post of earlier today prompted by me wondering why I hadn't seen anything following our filings with the USCIS last month, I get home tonight and there's a letter in my mailbox from the USCIS confirming the biometrics appointment at the local USCIS office.

Only problem is that the date of the letter and envelope postmark is March 1st and today is March 20th. Yep, it took the good old USPS 19 days to deliver the letter!

Worse yet, my appointment was for Saturday last weekend. Reading the letter it appears that failure to appear at the biometrics appointment constitutes abandonment of the I-485 and I-765 applications to which the appointment relates. It took only 39 cents for a person paid $6/hr who wears a shirt with their name embroidered on it to potentially waste the hundreds of dollars we've spent on filings fees and other things like medicals.

Rather than take this lying down, I've written and mailed a letter to the local office and I'll call them tomorrow to protest my innocence and request a rescheduled appointment by checking the box on the I-797C I received.

Other than praying that they understand that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't there, does anyone have any advice as to how to unwind this mess?

Thanks in advance

Happened same with my wife, who as soon as she discovered the letter in the mailbox the very next day went to the address mentioned in the letter for biometrics in Atlanta, GA. To our surprise they let her in the center even though the scheduled appointment had been missed. Gave the biometrics and happy days. The guard outside the center said that these are common occurrences!!!!

Good luck.

[skqthuny]

Help

I was trying to get my green card renewed so I applied in March 2010. I went to get my biometrics taken the following month and then I had left the country for some work! When I got back a month and a half later, I saw that I had to get another set of biometrics taken since it was unclassifiable but I had missed the date!
I walked into the INS office and they took my biometrics again. I still don't have my greencard and it's going to expire next month. I also found a letter showing that they denied my case the on 8.25 which is a day after I went to get the biometrics done.
I signed up via INFOPASS to meet with a someone since I cannot afford to pay the $585. Does anyone have any suggestions??? Is there a definitive way I can convince them that I should get approved for this?? Thanks!

[littlewindy]

Biometric test reschedule

I received the ASC notice for the test in NEw York on Feb14, but I will be out of town at that time. I sent the reschedule mail but no reply yet. I can't find any phone number for the local ASC in New York. Can I just bring my copy of notice and go to the place after I come back( Feb15 )? Any one has experience with them or know their number?

[cemal]

green cart

I was trying to get my green card renewed so I applied in March 2010. I went to get my biometrics taken the following month and then I had left the country for some work! When I got back a month and a half later, I saw that I had to get another set of biometrics taken since it was unclassifiable but I had missed the date!
I walked into the INS office and they took my biometrics again. I still don't have my greencard and it's going to expire next month. I also found a letter showing that they denied my case the on 8.25 which is a day after I went to get the biometrics done.
I signed up via INFOPASS to meet with a someone since I cannot afford to pay the $585. Does anyone have any suggestions??? Is there a definitive way I can convince them that I should get approved for this?? Thanks!

hi guys,

i m selected for 2012 green card from lotary.i send them first aplication form .but we didnt get any oppointment day .we will got o ofis to baltimore which we are not going to our countrys.i call state department to ask same advise they told me we gonna pay same fee which 440.00each person then we will get oppintment that is that correct please same advise who has experinyes.

[balkahlon]

Missed my appointment for biometrics.. N 400

Hi guys
Till yesterday I was so upset .. I had biometric appointment for n 400 on
April 2 nd 2012 but I thought it's on April 4th .. When I find out
One day before I was shocked n worried but then I sereached
Online n just went to ASC n given fingerprints they didn't ask
Me nothing.. So u don't have to worry incase If u miss ur appointment
Just go dere and get ur biometric done.. I went to ASC Naperville .. Staff
Was nice...

Good luck to everyone

[sona_h]

missed biometrics appointment for n400

Hello,

Usps delivered my biometrics letter march 23 days but appointment dte was for march 18 and gives no proof for his error. I went to local ASC office but they said there been very busy and I'm better off rescheduling. I also called to make sure my application will not be abandoned - they said to just reschedule.

Anyone experiences this? Any idea how much of a delay to expect after rescheduling?

Any input would be so helpful! Thank you in advance!

[elecbear]

Just get it done

I missed the biometrics appointment and I was very upset and didn't know what to do until I got all the infor I need here, to make the ones who missed their bio-appointments' life easier, I'll just post a to-do list, also thanks to all you guys for your post, they are really helpful, and thanks to the nice ppl in ASC as well.

to-do:

1. Don't get panic, just bring ur notice of appointment and ur passport (or DL or state ID) with you and go to the ASC on WEDNESDAY (this is very important since everyday except Wednesday is for the ppl who have appointments, not us, who missed their appointment;

2. Tell the staff in ASC that you need to have the bio-appointment, and show them ur notice of appointment, they will let you have one, and the whole thing is DONE.