You can now reschedule your biometric appointment online: the immigration service has launched a new tool

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a new self-service tool that allows you to reschedule biometric appointments. This is stated in press release departments.

Photo: IStock

Previously, benefit seekers and accredited representatives could only request a rescheduled date by calling the USCIS Contact Center. With this new tool, those who have or have created an online USCIS account can reschedule most appointments at the ASC without having to call the contact center.

The USCIS Application Support Center, or ASC, is an office that provides additional or ancillary services in dealing with a huge number of applications for immigration benefits.

However, the new tool cannot be used to reschedule a meeting that has already been rescheduled two or more times, is scheduled for the next 12 hours, or has already passed.

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The tool can be accessed via USCIS online account. Benefit applicants and accredited representatives still have the ability to call the USCIS Contact Center to reschedule an appointment, but the agency strongly recommends using the new tool to save time, improve efficiency, and reduce the number of calls to the USCIS Contact Center.

The Immigration Service may consider a late request for a rescheduling or a no-show for an appointment, but only in the case of a “good reason”. These include:

• illness, visit to the doctor or hospitalization;
• previously planned trip;
• significant life events such as weddings, funerals or graduations;
• inability to get to the meeting place;
• inability to get leave;
• notification of late delivery or non-provision of biometric services.

Requests related to these reasons are accepted only through the contact center.

Mobile biometric services

Although USCIS believes that a person withdrew his application, petition or request if he did not appear for a meeting on biometric data, there are still several nuances, writes LinkedIn.

If you are unable to make an appointment, you may request mobile biometric services in addition to the transfer.

These services are provided by the agency to individuals with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from attending meetings in person.

In other very limited circumstances, USCIS may, in its sole discretion, provide domestic mobile biometric services to those who are unable to attend scheduled biometric collection meetings in person.

Consequences of not attending an ASC meeting

Failure to show up for your scheduled biometrics meeting will result in significant delays in processing your immigration application. USCIS may even decide that your application is no longer relevant and reject it accordingly. Nolo.

Your only option after an application has been rejected is to resubmit it (assuming you are still eligible), including paying new filing fees.

What to do if you miss a meeting

Let's say you got a meeting notice but missed it, perhaps due to illness, forgetfulness, or traffic problems. In such a case, you will need to contact USCIS by phone (800-375-5283) or online to request a new biometric collection appointment. However, be prepared to give a good reason for missing the ASC meeting. USCIS is unkind to people who simply don't show up and then expect to be given another time.

In the past, the faster option was to visit the ASC as a workaround. The idea was to go to the office where the appointment was made, bring a copy of the biometrics notice as well as the documents listed on the notice, and explain to the officer why you missed the initial appointment.

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However, it was never guaranteed that this would work. USCIS is not required to accept biometrics outside of scheduled pickup times.

If you received a biometric notification but the ASC office was closed that day

Sometimes USCIS has to close offices. Always check the closure information page before you go to your appointment. You can find it at link.

If this happens, then you don't need to do anything. USCIS will automatically send you a rescheduling letter.

If you need to provide biometric data outside the United States

If you live outside the US and need to provide biometrics, the process will be different. If you are applying for naturalization, you are not attending a biometrics meeting. Instead, you submit two passport-style photographs of yourself and, in some cases, a Form FD-258 fingerprint card, along with the application. Contact your local US consulate or embassy and go to Ink Fingerprinting Overseas for more information.

For applications other than naturalization, USCIS overseas offices will only accept biometric data in rare and exceptional circumstances. Plan any international travel accordingly.

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