I dont remember who told me about 18 month- lawyer or immigration officer. I think it was at the interview because I asked why I had to do biometrics twice.
FBI might have a bigger database. They prob keep all crime related prints. But I doubt that this is a case with CIS. So, that is how people had a few A#. I have heard about it. Just never made connection.
But I doubt it will work in future. Soon, even our passports will have our prints.
QUOTE(NickD @ Jun 24 2008, 07:07 AM)

I think it is related to file maintanance (they dont have a storage capacity or else; so, fingerprints get delited in 18 months). I think a 3 months prior to this, you should get a second bio. Plus, I think they dont link same persons bio to different applications. So, for N-400 a new set of fingerprnts to make.
So how do you explain those that posted here with two or more A-Files, somehow over the years they were issued an alien number, and picked up a second one keeping them from further processing until their files were compiled with the older file being 5-7 years old. This kind of says that our records are not destroyed and we have sent three sets of those same old proofs already.
The 80 bucks is nothing compared to the expense and inconvenience of driving down there, but that is our fault for not buying a home across the street from a field office. In a laughing and joking manner, asks the officer what did they do with the first two sets of finger prints, his response was, I don't know, I just work here.
Only thing we know for sure, if you do not keep your biometrics appointment, your application will be denied, you will lose your fee and the time you waited, and will have to reapply again. In that Discovery Channel FBI Files program, they claim they caught criminals with fingerprints taken some 60 years ago that they still had on file.
Don't try to make sense of it, just do it.