Are K's supposed to be fingerprinted and photographed at the POE?

[pax 0]

I wasn't sure, so I thought we should ask...

I have to be fingerprinted myself for a job soon, and Ewen mentioned that he was not fingerprinted or photographed when he came in on his K-1 last month. When he was here on the VWP, he had his eye scanned and was photographed, and gave index (he thinks) prints.

As I wrote when he got here, he had to go to the "back room" to get everything processed; the first officer wasn't sure what to do with his visa, so he had to go to secondary. In the process of opening the envelope and checking everything over, they never did prints or photographs. I couldn't remember if any other K's ever had to do this, so...is it normal for K's to not do biometrics at the POE? If not, and he should have been fingerprinted and photographed, do we need to do a deferred inspection or anything? I know he has to get his biometrics for AOS eventually anyway, but thought I would ask if they missed anything at the POE.

Thanks.

[Jenn! 918]

Wadi had biometrics at POE (JFK).

I noticed in the timeline that one of the options for POE is "Biometrics taken? (Y/N) This would indicate to me that some people have it done and others don't.

[Lou Lou 1]

I was fingerprinted and photographed in primary and then went to secondary. I would hardly think it's something to worry about as like you said you're going through AOS soon AND he was 'scanned' on the VWP.

Edited to add it was just index prints, not the whole caboodle.

Edited May 17, 2006 by Lou Lou

[Indo_mommy 0]

They took my fingerprint & photo at the 'booth' before they took me into that 'back room' in JFK.

[Mrs.J06 4]

I was fingerprinted and photographed when I came as a VWP visitor before we had filed, but not when I entered with the K1 (POE was Minneapolis).

All the guy in the booth did was stamp some documents out of the brown envelope, stamp my I-94 and my passport and send us on the way!

[moondancer627 0]

Anton's prints are all over the place, everything he does is a fingerprint fiasco...

I guess some INS officers are more finger print happy than other's you'd think by now there would be some general database area for all fingerprints to be kept as they don't change ....

Moondancer

[rebeccajo 14]

Hmm. Well, Wes says he was fingerprinted. And he's 'pretty sure' he was photographed. He says they did it first thing when he got to the desk, and that's why I don't remember it. I was still in the other line.

......you'd think by now there would be some general database area for all fingerprints to be kept as they don't change ....

Moondancer

Well, from what I understand there is some general building where all the prints are stored. But the software is not yet in place to link them up in any useful fashion for security checks ........

[Satisfaction 1]

My husband was fingerprinted and photographed at POE (JFK). He came on a K-3 visa.

[Fuzzness 2]

I was not fingerprinted or photographed, nor was i taken to secondary. and the officer had to ask the other officers what to do.

[TracyTN 237]

Kinda sounds like it varies from POE to POE.

[aidan80 9]

When I entered the US (Sanford FL) on the VWP back in July 2004 (think the US VISIT system wasn’t online back then) I was obviously not fingerprinted nor had any photos taken.. just asked a few questions like.. “are you sure your going home in two weeks?” and sent on my way.

The last time I entered the US via Orlando on my K1 the immigration officer just told me to go wait in the office because my paperwork would take some time to process. I waited and waited and waited.. then I was given back my passport with a stamp in it showing I was admitted , I was not fingerprinted nor any photos taken… I was free, free to get married and free to roam the US .. actually I just followed everyone else hoping they where heading to the exit!..

Edited May 18, 2006 by aidan80

[HuffyTheSlayer 22]

Ewen went through Newark didn't he? I also went through Newark and wasn't photographed and finger-printed. I'm pretty sure all that stuff is already in your K1 packet, anyway. Because they scan your fingerprints at your interview and already have pictures of you.