Why am I paying for ANOTHER set of biometrics!?

[pumpkinsnook 0]

Hi everyone - I'm a little confused here and although I'm not surprised the Immigration folks are trying to get me to pay them TWICE for this it seems like they could streamline their own process here.

Last summer I had my conditions removed and got my 10 year GC. To do this I had to have (and pay for) the biometrics - fingerprints and photo for the GC. Now with the N-400 .. only 12 months later I am paying (and presumable schlepping all the way to Philly!) for ANOTHER set of biometrics (and sending my own photos for some weird reason). They have them, they're less than a year old ... why not just use what they have.

As a matter of fact they have my marriage cert/husbands BC/ tax returns etc already from TWO previous applications just to get here and get conditions removed.

Am I crazy in wondering why they don't just use what they already have on my file?

Kara

[flavaofsummer 0]

they wont ask u to pay again they just ask u go to re do ur fingerprints..it says it on the paper they send u that u dont have to pay for this,,

Hi everyone - I'm a little confused here and although I'm not surprised the Immigration folks are trying to get me to pay them TWICE for this it seems like they could streamline their own process here.

Last summer I had my conditions removed and got my 10 year GC. To do this I had to have (and pay for) the biometrics - fingerprints and photo for the GC. Now with the N-400 .. only 12 months later I am paying (and presumable schlepping all the way to Philly!) for ANOTHER set of biometrics (and sending my own photos for some weird reason). They have them, they're less than a year old ... why not just use what they have.

As a matter of fact they have my marriage cert/husbands BC/ tax returns etc already from TWO previous applications just to get here and get conditions removed.

Am I crazy in wondering why they don't just use what they already have on my file?

Kara

[NickD 203]

Am I crazy in wondering why they don't just use what they already have on my file?

Kara

Don't believe your crazy, sure we all have been through this, with the initial green card, removal of that conditional residence thingy, and the N-400, we just went through the third set of finger prints. And even though the 80 buck biometric charge was the same, we had to supply our own passport type photographs. But my wife liked that as I do a much better job than the USCIS and took several shots so she could chose the one she likes.

And like everyone else here, did not or could not send one bit of new evidence that we were married and living together as I already had updated our I-751 application with the latest tax return evidence plus a couple of other joint purchases in hopes that would bring our dusty application to their attention.

The 80 bucks is one thing, taking off two days of work and that long drive is another, and all for redundant information, you would think a copy of your new green card is all that would be necessary. Doesn't anyone at the USCIS realize what we had to go through just to get that?

Guess not, even made the comment to the officer, why a third set of fingerprints, don't know, just work here. Could write your congressman.

[motu 6]

I think its perfectly sane to get another set of fingerprints and run it against the database - they might, possibly catch a few criminals. Also keep in mind that some people file after 5 years of residency (or more) and so the photographs may not be that recent. (I waited for 10 years to file for citizenship and I know of a couple people who have been here almost 30 - 35 years and have not filed for citizenship yet.) When my wife applied for a day-care job - even they needed her fingerprints for county records (she had to go for a third time already - once for AOS, once for removal of conditions and then for the day-care job! She may need to repeat in another year for N400.)

[Sherlock 0]

Am I crazy in wondering why they don't just use what they already have on my file?

Kara

Don't believe your crazy, sure we all have been through this, with the initial green card, removal of that conditional residence thingy, and the N-400, we just went through the third set of finger prints. And even though the 80 buck biometric charge was the same, we had to supply our own passport type photographs. But my wife liked that as I do a much better job than the USCIS and took several shots so she could chose the one she likes.

And like everyone else here, did not or could not send one bit of new evidence that we were married and living together as I already had updated our I-751 application with the latest tax return evidence plus a couple of other joint purchases in hopes that would bring our dusty application to their attention.

The 80 bucks is one thing, taking off two days of work and that long drive is another, and all for redundant information, you would think a copy of your new green card is all that would be necessary. Doesn't anyone at the USCIS realize what we had to go through just to get that?

Guess not, even made the comment to the officer, why a third set of fingerprints, don't know, just work here. Could write your congressman.

I agree about all the copies of the documents, but I do think there is a purpose to multiple biometrics and recent pictures. I think it is to ensure that there isn't a switch at some point in the process.

[NickD 203]

but I do think there is a purpose to multiple biometrics and recent pictures. I think it is to ensure that there isn't a switch at some point in the process.

Regardless of what we may think or assume there is no doubt that when we applied for the N-400, the USCIS stated we had to send in that 80 bucks for biometrics, so you knew in advance that you had to pay this fee and make that trip.

Ha, if not happy with it, could shop around for citizenship in a different country where the biometrics fee was lower or not even required. In defense of the USCIS, they posted all the requirements and fees before hand so it was your choice either to accept them or not. Have to say the USCIS has been fair in this respect, wasn't like they said to send in a couple of bucks, then hit you later with different charges and requirements like so many auto shops and building contractors around here do.

So there wasn't any unexpected surprises, and we all knew that we have to wait, and wait, and wait. So we really don't have anything to complain about in this respect.

[tammiandtom 0]

Every time I update my teaching license (every two years), I have to get new fingerprints taken, and pay again.

[kmineo 0]

but I do think there is a purpose to multiple biometrics and recent pictures. I think it is to ensure that there isn't a switch at some point in the process.

Regardless of what we may think or assume there is no doubt that when we applied for the N-400, the USCIS stated we had to send in that 80 bucks for biometrics, so you knew in advance that you had to pay this fee and make that trip.

Ha, if not happy with it, could shop around for citizenship in a different country where the biometrics fee was lower or not even required. In defense of the USCIS, they posted all the requirements and fees before hand so it was your choice either to accept them or not. Have to say the USCIS has been fair in this respect, wasn't like they said to send in a couple of bucks, then hit you later with different charges and requirements like so many auto shops and building contractors around here do.

So there wasn't any unexpected surprises, and we all knew that we have to wait, and wait, and wait. So we really don't have anything to complain about in this respect.

I agree with Pumpkinsnook. I think that if you have had you biometrics in the last 2 years, you shouldn't have to redo it. It sounds like a waste of time (both for the applicant and the government) and money. We all know that it is there in advance, but that doesn't make it right. I accept that it is going to happen but am not happy about it. It just doesn't make that much logical sense.

Don't know how it helps to catch criminals. The fingerprints are already in the system, surely crime labs are going to reference the database when looking for their suspect. They won't input the fingerprint, and just wait for the susupect to be fingerprinted in the future.

Edited May 12, 2008 by kmineo

[NickD 203]

Ha, did think about making the check for 80 bucks less and sending in the two previous I-797C's as proof of biometrics. But do you want to know something? I chickened out at the last minute. Another ha, if you walk into any casino, have to play by their rules, no one is forcing me to walk into a casino, but do want US citizenship for my wife and so does she, so we play by their rules, whether we agree with them or not.

[zyggy 9]

It's because they don't keep your fingerprints on file... Once they are done with their checks... the USCIS deletes the prints for privacy reasons...

[kmineo 0]

Ha, did think about making the check for 80 bucks less and sending in the two previous I-797C's as proof of biometrics. But do you want to know something? I chickened out at the last minute. Another ha, if you walk into any casino, have to play by their rules, no one is forcing me to walk into a casino, but do want US citizenship for my wife and so does she, so we play by their rules, whether we agree with them or not.

That would have been funny, but it would be like going to a casino, chances would have been very slim that it would have worked. Yeah I think it is silly, but we will end up paying it too. But the funny thing is this is our country, we the people make the rules (or should), so although it is in practice like the casino example you listed, it really shouldn't be that way unless we walk into a casino where "we" made up the rules.

[NickD 203]

I see my wife's I-751 application was updated once again two weeks after she received her ten year card. Is that when they took her application with the tons of documents sent with it and ran it through a paper shredder?