What actually happens...

[BishopMnA 0]

Hello All,

My wife (K-1) has her Biometrics appointment for EAD and GC on August 16th. What actually happens at the Biometrics appointment? I've read on VJ that they take more fingerprints and photos. Is there more than that?

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Nope they just take digital fingerprints for each finger and also take digital photo and you have to sign your name onto the computer... thats it

Kez

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hello All,

My wife (K-1) has her Biometrics appointment for EAD and GC on August 16th. What actually happens at the Biometrics appointment? I've read on VJ that they take more fingerprints and photos. Is there more than that?

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

That's about it, but my wife experienced a problem with her name change. The woman who took her form told my wife she couldn't use her maiden name for her middle name (which is traditional in many cultures). Some people here on VJ didn't experience such a problem. We'll change her name once she gets her Green Card. They didn't allow me inside the office during her appointment - security policy. Also, no cell phones are permitted inside.

[joeyjoey 1]

Nope they just take digital fingerprints for each finger and also take digital photo and you have to sign your name onto the computer... thats it

Kez

They take your fingerprints, each finger. You make a digital signature. They also take a photo. This photo will appear on your green card.

[cardamom 0]

Hello All,

My wife (K-1) has her Biometrics appointment for EAD and GC on August 16th. What actually happens at the Biometrics appointment? I've read on VJ that they take more fingerprints and photos. Is there more than that?

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

Hi Mark

My experience here in LA was really simple -- we waited and were called in about 40 mins after our appointed time by a technician, who was really friendly. They took my fingerprints - all ten fingers and one or two individual ones (for the EAD) and some had to be re-done because I didn't press down hard enough. Most of the fingers had above 60 point score, one had a lower score (50 something if I remember correctly) and the computer said there was a "match" (in a follow up check online we found that such matches are common, and only if you get a really low # may there be a problem but otherwise it is fine). I asked the technician about the scores but she knew nothing about them - that is the part the FBI checks as well/or the computer checks against the FBI records. A low score, which I am assuming to mean in the 30s from what I've read (just googling biometrics) means that you may have aspects of your finger that match a finger on the FBI database - this is not necessarily any sort of problem though.

Then they took my photo - I got to review it, didn't like it, and so they took it again (didn't like this one either but felt silly to say so). And that was it. The whole process took about 15 mins max.

I got my EAD with the photo and the fingerprint on it recently.

Hope this helps. Other people's biometrics seemed to have been just as simple. They also stamp your appt notice when you get in and you get it back so you have proof that you made it to the appointment. Other VJers may have different takes on it - either way, don't worry or stress out.

Cheers, Cardamom