Fingerprints taken at US embassy

[barbara_mic 0]

Hi,

I am British and married to an American. I have my 10-year green card, we have been married for several years, and I filed an n400 for naturalization in March. I filed under 319b because of our long term overseas employment with an eligible US nonprofit organization. I used an online form and did not know the applications sometimes come with fingerprint packets included.

My question:

Can I have my biometrics done at the US embassy/consulate where we live? Is there anyone who has succesfully done this for an n400?

We met with the consular officer who said that from his standpoint they can do it, but they need some kind of instruction from the USCIS as to where to send the fingerprints when they take them.

On 26 March we phoned USCIS to ask about this. On 1 April we received a letter acknowledging our request and stating that we would "receive a letter from the officer." As of 16 july we have not received one. We have since spent several hours on the phone at the immigration helpline but no one can seem to give us an answer. We cannot even get anyone on the phone who is familiar with 319b at all.

We were getting regular biometrics appointment letters from the Orlando service center for a couple of months. Each time we sent a reply telling them about our request to have them done at a US embasssy which was pending. Now the appointment letters have stopped coming and we do not know what to do.

Thank you for your help and sharing your experiences.

[NickD 203]

Hi,

I am British and married to an American. I have my 10-year green card, we have been married for several years, and I filed an n400 for naturalization in March. I filed under 319b because of our long term overseas employment with an eligible US nonprofit organization. I used an online form and did not know the applications sometimes come with fingerprint packets included.

My question:

Can I have my biometrics done at the US embassy/consulate where we live? Is there anyone who has succesfully done this for an n400?

We met with the consular officer who said that from his standpoint they can do it, but they need some kind of instruction from the USCIS as to where to send the fingerprints when they take them.

On 26 March we phoned USCIS to ask about this. On 1 April we received a letter acknowledging our request and stating that we would "receive a letter from the officer." As of 16 july we have not received one. We have since spent several hours on the phone at the immigration helpline but no one can seem to give us an answer. We cannot even get anyone on the phone who is familiar with 319b at all.

We were getting regular biometrics appointment letters from the Orlando service center for a couple of months. Each time we sent a reply telling them about our request to have them done at a US embasssy which was pending. Now the appointment letters have stopped coming and we do not know what to do.

Thank you for your help and sharing your experiences.

This is way over my head, but here they use that new laser fingerprint detector that displays the fingerprints digitally on a computer screen where say our local police department is still using ink. I hear they electronically transmit those prints to the FBI so may be good to learn if your embassy has that capability.

When I couldn't get answers from the USCIS, contacted my senators office, he has an immigration gal that even when I was on the phone with her, she was doing something on her computer to get the answers almost instantly. Too bad we weren't on a video conference, but apparently they have connections we don't. Also helps to send a couple of bucks for your senator's campaign fund, LOL, that really helps, the American way, one favor deserves another. We even got a personal invitation to a private party and met our senator personally. Still was cheaper than hiring an immigration attorney and the food was excellent.

[Completely 3]

Hi,

I am British and married to an American. I have my 10-year green card, we have been married for several years, and I filed an n400 for naturalization in March. I filed under 319b because of our long term overseas employment with an eligible US nonprofit organization. I used an online form and did not know the applications sometimes come with fingerprint packets included.

My question:

Can I have my biometrics done at the US embassy/consulate where we live? Is there anyone who has succesfully done this for an n400?

We met with the consular officer who said that from his standpoint they can do it, but they need some kind of instruction from the USCIS as to where to send the fingerprints when they take them.

On 26 March we phoned USCIS to ask about this. On 1 April we received a letter acknowledging our request and stating that we would "receive a letter from the officer." As of 16 july we have not received one. We have since spent several hours on the phone at the immigration helpline but no one can seem to give us an answer. We cannot even get anyone on the phone who is familiar with 319b at all.

We were getting regular biometrics appointment letters from the Orlando service center for a couple of months. Each time we sent a reply telling them about our request to have them done at a US embasssy which was pending. Now the appointment letters have stopped coming and we do not know what to do.

Thank you for your help and sharing your experiences.

YES, YOU CAN DO FINGERPRINTS IN THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR AREA.. YOU JUST NEED TO PAY I GUESS 100$.. i DONT KNOW IF EMBASSIES HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES BUT I JUST DID THIS LAST MAY. I AM DONE NOW WITH MY IMMIGRATION!!! )))

[Completely 3]

Hi,

I am British and married to an American. I have my 10-year green card, we have been married for several years, and I filed an n400 for naturalization in March. I filed under 319b because of our long term overseas employment with an eligible US nonprofit organization. I used an online form and did not know the applications sometimes come with fingerprint packets included.

My question:

Can I have my biometrics done at the US embassy/consulate where we live? Is there anyone who has succesfully done this for an n400?

We met with the consular officer who said that from his standpoint they can do it, but they need some kind of instruction from the USCIS as to where to send the fingerprints when they take them.

On 26 March we phoned USCIS to ask about this. On 1 April we received a letter acknowledging our request and stating that we would "receive a letter from the officer." As of 16 july we have not received one. We have since spent several hours on the phone at the immigration helpline but no one can seem to give us an answer. We cannot even get anyone on the phone who is familiar with 319b at all.

We were getting regular biometrics appointment letters from the Orlando service center for a couple of months. Each time we sent a reply telling them about our request to have them done at a US embasssy which was pending. Now the appointment letters have stopped coming and we do not know what to do.

Thank you for your help and sharing your experiences.

YES, YOU CAN DO FINGERPRINTS IN THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR AREA.. YOU JUST NEED TO PAY I GUESS 100$.. i DONT KNOW IF EMBASSIES HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES BUT I JUST DID THIS LAST MAY. I AM DONE NOW WITH MY IMMIGRATION!!! )))

YES, YOU CAN DO FINGERPRINTS IN THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR AREA.. YOU JUST NEED TO PAY I GUESS 100$.. i DONT KNOW IF EMBASSIES HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES BUT I JUST DID THIS LAST MAY. I AM DONE NOW WITH MY IMMIGRATION!!! )))

There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration..

Better you follow the instruction and dont ask anyone, this might just confused you, but if you need help let me know. I filed mine in March, got the NOA on April, NOA2 for interview in 3rd week of May,have the interview in 1st week of June and did the oath at the same day.

Hi,

I am British and married to an American. I have my 10-year green card, we have been married for several years, and I filed an n400 for naturalization in March. I filed under 319b because of our long term overseas employment with an eligible US nonprofit organization. I used an online form and did not know the applications sometimes come with fingerprint packets included.

My question:

Can I have my biometrics done at the US embassy/consulate where we live? Is there anyone who has succesfully done this for an n400?

We met with the consular officer who said that from his standpoint they can do it, but they need some kind of instruction from the USCIS as to where to send the fingerprints when they take them.

On 26 March we phoned USCIS to ask about this. On 1 April we received a letter acknowledging our request and stating that we would "receive a letter from the officer." As of 16 july we have not received one. We have since spent several hours on the phone at the immigration helpline but no one can seem to give us an answer. We cannot even get anyone on the phone who is familiar with 319b at all.

We were getting regular biometrics appointment letters from the Orlando service center for a couple of months. Each time we sent a reply telling them about our request to have them done at a US embasssy which was pending. Now the appointment letters have stopped coming and we do not know what to do.

Thank you for your help and sharing your experiences.

YES, YOU CAN DO FINGERPRINTS IN THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR AREA.. YOU JUST NEED TO PAY I GUESS 100$.. i DONT KNOW IF EMBASSIES HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES BUT I JUST DID THIS LAST MAY. I AM DONE NOW WITH MY IMMIGRATION!!! )))

YES, YOU CAN DO FINGERPRINTS IN THE US EMBASSY IN YOUR AREA.. YOU JUST NEED TO PAY I GUESS 100$.. i DONT KNOW IF EMBASSIES HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES BUT I JUST DID THIS LAST MAY. I AM DONE NOW WITH MY IMMIGRATION!!! )))

There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration..

Better you follow the instruction and dont ask anyone, this might just confused you, but if you need help let me know. I filed mine in March, got the NOA on April, NOA2 for interview in 3rd week of May,have the interview in 1st week of June and did the oath at the same day.

And too, I did everything in my own. I did not hire a lawyer.

[barbara_mic 0]

Hi. Thank you for this reply. We went to the Embassy and they said they could do them, but they do not know where to send them and neither do we. We filed the N400 to the Texas service center but our appointment requests have all been coming from Orlando, which is the office nearest to our US mailing address used on the N400. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Barbara

[NickD 203]

Hi. Thank you for this reply. We went to the Embassy and they said they could do them, but they do not know where to send them and neither do we. We filed the N400 to the Texas service center but our appointment requests have all been coming from Orlando, which is the office nearest to our US mailing address used on the N400. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Barbara

Didn't Completely say:

"There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration.."

Some have posted here sending in the 80 buck fee and not getting a biometrics appointment because they were going to use the I-751 prints if less than 15 months old. I did go to the USCIS site and typed in biometrics in their search engine and read a congressional hearing on this. It still costs the USCIS money to retrieve and store this data. I interpret this to mean, even if you pay your embassy a hundred bucks for the prints, would also send in the 80 bucks as well, or your application may be rejected.

[barbara_mic 0]

How do we find out WHERE to send the fingerprints so they will catch up with our N-400? The embassy does not know, they just give us the fingerprints and we have to find out where to send them ourselves.

Thank you,

Barbara

[NickD 203]

How do we find out WHERE to send the fingerprints so they will catch up with our N-400? The embassy does not know, they just give us the fingerprints and we have to find out where to send them ourselves.

Thank you,

Barbara

I find some errors in our N-400, send an update to exactly the same address we sent the N-400 to, wife's IO said they received them, so I would assume the same exact address you sent your N-400 to.

[NickD 203]

How do we find out WHERE to send the fingerprints so they will catch up with our N-400? The embassy does not know, they just give us the fingerprints and we have to find out where to send them ourselves.

Thank you,

Barbara

I find some errors in our N-400, send an update to exactly the same address we sent the N-400 to, wife's IO said they received them, so I would assume the same exact address you sent your N-400 to.

Skip what I said, I really don't know, when we go into our field office they take a digital image of the prints, send to those the FBI and somehow to the service center. Since the FBI can check these in less than 24 hours if lucky, has to be an electronic transfer with an FBI approval. I had several questions to the officer that fingerprinted my wife, was told, he doesn't know, just works here. Is your embassy talking about the old ink prints or the new digital?

We also had to hand fill out a special form each of the three times prints were taken and had to be signed. They stamp our biometrics form and give that back to us and keep that hand written form. These are the mechanics at the local field office if that helps any. Wife also had seemingly questions of her IO at her interview, was told that she didn't know either, it's frustrating. Could try that 800 number for the USCIS, or even try to find an immigration attorney.

Or maybe someone in your situation will respond with luck.

[Completely 3]

Hi. Thank you for this reply. We went to the Embassy and they said they could do them, but they do not know where to send them and neither do we. We filed the N400 to the Texas service center but our appointment requests have all been coming from Orlando, which is the office nearest to our US mailing address used on the N400. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Barbara

Didn't Completely say:

"There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration.."

Some have posted here sending in the 80 buck fee and not getting a biometrics appointment because they were going to use the I-751 prints if less than 15 months old. I did go to the USCIS site and typed in biometrics in their search engine and read a congressional hearing on this. It still costs the USCIS money to retrieve and store this data. I interpret this to mean, even if you pay your embassy a hundred bucks for the prints, would also send in the 80 bucks as well, or your application may be rejected.

Barbara,

I just told the Officer that this will be for N400 packet under 319b.. They wrote N400 on the right side and sealed the envelope and put the embassy seal on it..

I had put that envelope in the packet together with the other documents..

I paid $675.00. but I received a mail indicating that the application fee is only $595.00. They told me that they will refund the 80$ excess for biometrics but never got the check.

[T and M 1]

Hi. Thank you for this reply. We went to the Embassy and they said they could do them, but they do not know where to send them and neither do we. We filed the N400 to the Texas service center but our appointment requests have all been coming from Orlando, which is the office nearest to our US mailing address used on the N400. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Barbara

Didn't Completely say:

"There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration.."

Some have posted here sending in the 80 buck fee and not getting a biometrics appointment because they were going to use the I-751 prints if less than 15 months old. I did go to the USCIS site and typed in biometrics in their search engine and read a congressional hearing on this. It still costs the USCIS money to retrieve and store this data. I interpret this to mean, even if you pay your embassy a hundred bucks for the prints, would also send in the 80 bucks as well, or your application may be rejected.

Barbara,

I just told the Officer that this will be for N400 packet under 319b.. They wrote N400 on the right side and sealed the envelope and put the embassy seal on it..

I had put that envelope in the packet together with the other documents..

I paid $675.00. but I received a mail indicating that the application fee is only $595.00. They told me that they will refund the 80$ excess for biometrics but never got the check.

I am preparing an N-400 application via 319b for my wife. Called the US embassy in La Paz and they said they no longer do fingerprints. Said they no longer use the fingerprint cards and the digital thing has to be done in the states. They do not have digital capability. Any thoughts?

They DID say that perhaps their security office has some fingerprinting capability and said that I should check with you guys to see what branch of the embassy did your fingerpints....

Glad Completely convinced me to start my wife's application. We are already getting held up!!

Thomas

[barbara_mic 0]

Ours were taken by the security officer who had to be scheduled with a special appointment. On cards, not digital. Have just sent them to the Texas Service Center (per 800 no instructions - US Consul did not know what to do with them) and they have received them but we have not heard yet if they are accepted. Hope so. A trip to the US just for fingerprints would be ridiculous. Also the Embassy did fingerprints all the time for visa applications, but not for N-400 so they did not really know what to do.

Hi. Thank you for this reply. We went to the Embassy and they said they could do them, but they do not know where to send them and neither do we. We filed the N400 to the Texas service center but our appointment requests have all been coming from Orlando, which is the office nearest to our US mailing address used on the N400. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Barbara

Didn't Completely say:

"There is a lot of people that are not aware for 319b.. but all you have to do is make an appointment to the US Embassy for fingerprints, then just tell them you need it for immigration purposes.. once they did that, they will put the card in a brown envelope sealed indicating for N400.. Do not open it, just include that in the packet you will send to the immigration.."

Some have posted here sending in the 80 buck fee and not getting a biometrics appointment because they were going to use the I-751 prints if less than 15 months old. I did go to the USCIS site and typed in biometrics in their search engine and read a congressional hearing on this. It still costs the USCIS money to retrieve and store this data. I interpret this to mean, even if you pay your embassy a hundred bucks for the prints, would also send in the 80 bucks as well, or your application may be rejected.

Barbara,

I just told the Officer that this will be for N400 packet under 319b.. They wrote N400 on the right side and sealed the envelope and put the embassy seal on it..

I had put that envelope in the packet together with the other documents..

I paid $675.00. but I received a mail indicating that the application fee is only $595.00. They told me that they will refund the 80$ excess for biometrics but never got the check.

I am preparing an N-400 application via 319b for my wife. Called the US embassy in La Paz and they said they no longer do fingerprints. Said they no longer use the fingerprint cards and the digital thing has to be done in the states. They do not have digital capability. Any thoughts?

They DID say that perhaps their security office has some fingerprinting capability and said that I should check with you guys to see what branch of the embassy did your fingerpints....

Glad Completely convinced me to start my wife's application. We are already getting held up!!

Thomas

[Completely 3]

Hi Barbara,

How things went on your application? Did you receive your 1st NOA? I wish you all the best!

Completely.

[T and M 1]

Ours were taken by the security officer who had to be scheduled with a special appointment. On cards, not digital. Have just sent them to the Texas Service Center (per 800 no instructions - US Consul did not know what to do with them) and they have received them but we have not heard yet if they are accepted. Hope so. A trip to the US just for fingerprints would be ridiculous. Also the Embassy did fingerprints all the time for visa applications, but not for N-400 so they did not really know what to do.

All of your advice was spot on! Despite repeated calls to the embassy's American citizen services where they said very firmly, "We don't do fingerprints anymore," I continued to call back. Even offering to bring my own cards, they said, "We don't have anyone trained to do that."

Completely then recommended I asked to be transferred to security and sure enough, they scheduled an appointment, took us upstairs where no one gets to go, and did my wife's fingerprints for free!

It was fantastic and now her N-400 is back on track.

Thanks all.

[Completely 3]

Ours were taken by the security officer who had to be scheduled with a special appointment. On cards, not digital. Have just sent them to the Texas Service Center (per 800 no instructions - US Consul did not know what to do with them) and they have received them but we have not heard yet if they are accepted. Hope so. A trip to the US just for fingerprints would be ridiculous. Also the Embassy did fingerprints all the time for visa applications, but not for N-400 so they did not really know what to do.

All of your advice was spot on! Despite repeated calls to the embassy's American citizen services where they said very firmly, "We don't do fingerprints anymore," I continued to call back. Even offering to bring my own cards, they said, "We don't have anyone trained to do that."

Completely then recommended I asked to be transferred to security and sure enough, they scheduled an appointment, took us upstairs where no one gets to go, and did my wife's fingerprints for free!

It was fantastic and now her N-400 is back on track.

Thanks all.

You know I have to be pushy or else I am not going to get what I need.

Being someone came from a third world country, we have to ask people for second opinion till I get the desired answer, and based it if they have the same answers..

Honestly, I had a lot of experience dealing with the Embassy and other government agency, some people really ignore me.. So i have to ask, again and again, till I find a way, then stop if there is no other solutions at all.

Hey Goodluck to everyone, all my prayers for you all!

Edited September 25, 2008 by Completely