I-751: Biometrics “Walk-In Gamble”....

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Before I continue, if you haven’t done so, start by reading this VJ post that I posted earlier, regarding my “walk-in biometrics” situation, as this explains as to why I had to do this earlier than scheduled in the first place:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry2218883

Now for the update here: I took the “walk-in biometrics gamble” today for the I-751 in Buffalo, NY and…

“It was successful!!! I-751 Biometrics completed on 09/24/08 for Ant! Yippee!”

Here is the story as to what happened during the “walk-in” today:

4am-7am: Woke up very early this morning, to a beautiful clear starry night/early morning sky, very tired and with only about a few hours or so of sleep. The sun slowly began to rise over the dark sky, and started to wake me up, as my husband drove for the next 2-3 hours to Buffalo, NY. We got to the city at 7am or so, where I went for my medical appointment first and very painfully physically got that over with first.

8:30am-9:00am:

Afterwards we drove further downtown to the building where I had to get my biometrics done. We parked about two blocks or so away on the side of the street next to a meter (about $2 or so, as I paid for 2hrs of parking), because there were no parking spaces directly in front the building. When we got inside the USCIS building, there were a few people ahead of us going through the metal detectors/scanners at the entrance, and so we waited. When it was our turn, I showed the guard at the entrance my biometrics letter (dated 10/02/08, the original scheduled biometrics date) and my husband and I showed our driver’s licenses as ID. The guard was friendly and then asked the standard “Do you have any cameras, cell phones, guns, weapons, knives, sharp objects, razors, staplers (huh), etc.?”, to which we said “no”, and didn’t question us any further. He then he told us to go straight through the metal detectors and to turn right ahead to the biometrics area/table.

At the table I “signed in” on their “waiting list”, picked up an “applicant information worksheet”, filled that worksheet out, and waited for my name to be called. The entire worksheet was about a page or so, with one part being asked of basic biographical information: name, address, phone, birthdates, SSN, A#, Case Receipt #, other names used/maiden names, and the benefits applying for (I-751, of course), etc. The other part of the worksheet, I admit, I found a bit amusing, being asked of other information such as: height and weight (nah, I won’t lie about that today), eye colour (who has maroon or pink eyes?), hair colour (sandy coloured sounds like someone who has sand in their hair), race (doesn’t that question seem a bit discriminatory? do I get extra points for checking off more than one option?), parent’s first names (even if they don’t exist in my life anymore?), country of citizenship (Canada, of course), and country of birth (wrote the birth country but also wrote country of citizenship/Canada on the same line, as I don’t have any connections to this other former birth country), etc.

After I completed the worksheet, I handed that in, along with my biometrics letter, and driver’s license to the USCIS fingerprint employee/worker there, and waited again for my turn. I was surprised that they didn’t ask me any questions about going in for a walk-in either, and then proceeded to stamp my biometrics letter with a receipt. Looking around, I could see that there were about 2-3 other people ahead of be waiting for their turn for biometrics, and I only had to wait 5-10mins after they were done for my turn.

When my name was called (lol…ok, this time around I heard the right name unlike the previous AOS time) I went behind a partitioned/separated area, where I was told to stand in front of a computer which was in front of a taped line. Standing in front of the computer, I showed the fingerprint employee my hands (palms up, as they asked to), they put some clear liquid on it (hand sanitizer, and my hands were dry too), and I put my fingers on a small lit-up screen on the table of the computer. My fingerprints were then “scanned” into the computer, while the employee rolled them across the screen, first with the left hand and next with the right hand: eight fingers all at once and then one at a time, and the two thumbs. On another small computer screen, I signed my name for the fingerprints. Next, I was told to sit in a chair in front of the computer, to have my photo taken by a digital black box/camera (no smiling, ears showing, etc.). “You’re done”, they said a few seconds afterwards. “What, you took my photo already?”, I asked, as I didn’t even see any movement and/or lights from the camera indicating such that my photo was taken. I wasn’t shown the photo either, so I have to guess and hope it turned out well when it appears on the green card.

“You’ll get the green card in the mail”, they say next, and give me back my stamped letter and driver’s license. “Yeah, in about 10 months,” I say in my head not out loud, as I walk out the door of the building about 20 mins later….

9:00am-12:00pm: Afterwards, my husband and I head off to spend the rest of the morning enjoying the sights and scenery of Buffalo at nearby Delaware Park, which to us was a perfect way to celebrate this "successful day" today.

“What a relief, I got that biometrics done early and done out of the way! Now the real waiting begins…” I think now, as I wait for a very long time for the next step of my I-751 case to be approved….

Ant (“Biometrics gambled and succeeded”. Next step: Waiting for an I-751 approval….)

[antda 13]

P.S. Doing a (happy dance) for a "Successful Day"!!!

P.P.S. Yippee! Another VJ member upgrade, as I'm now "Platinum Member", since that last post was my 750th one here on VJ! By the way, how exactly do I do that profile name/statement change thingy that platinum members and onwards status get to do?

Ant (750+1 VJ posts and still counting...)

Edited September 25, 2008 by AntandD

[aidan80 9]

Congratulations!.. Sounds fairly similar to my first biometrics during AOS!

[Silver 0]

Well done Ant - glad it was a successful day for you!

[1HappyGuy 45]

Ant,

Great story and congratulations on the success. This just proves that the biometrics can be accomplished earlier than the scheduled appointment.

At least you didn't have to drive to Buffalo in the winter. Now you just have to wait.

[*JG* 2]

Sounds like all the biometrics stories I have experienced and heard.

Glad it was painless for you.

[Bulanglang 1]

Sounds like all the biometrics stories I have experienced and heard.

Glad it was painless for you.

Congratulations!!

You have a good reason also for doing so the Walk in biometrics.

Mine is tomorrow, and have to bring my son with me (his is walk in)... and then, the long wait begins...

[PrinceandPrincess 0]

Awesome news and Congratulations on your successful day!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your replies, well-wishes, and congratulations. When I posted this message thread, I thought that it would be helpful to you too, to share my biometrics experience here. Yes, it's a relief that I got the biometrics done earlier than scheduled. In all honestly, if it wasn't for my situation/circumstances, I would have just gone on the the scheduled date a week later, as I'm not in a hurry really. But oh well, I had to do it this way earlier than scheduled, and yes, it does prove that "walk-ins" do work "successfully" indeed. Knowing that I had it biometrics before for the AOS helped, as I sort of knew what to expect this time around. And reading positive feedback on posts and of other example situations for walk-in biometrics here on VJ helped me too.

Thanks everyone, for being such a helpful and supportive community on VJ!

Now all I have to do is sit back and wait (for a very long time) for an approval. I've done my part, and now it's the USCIS' turn.....

Good luck everyone, on your immigration journeys too! And may your biomtetrics and the rest of the way be successful for you too.

Ant (Still waiting at the VSC...)

P.S. No, the biometrics were not "painful" at all. Lol...the only "painful" part of the day was the medical appointment that I had shortly beforehand that morning (thank goodness I had enough pain medication for that...ouch...).

P.P.S. Yeah, thank goodness we didn't have to drive through Buffalo in the middle of winter. Oh how the "lake effect" snow in our area can get pretty heavy at times! And who knows what would have happened if we got caught in a snowstorm and would have had cancel/reschedule because of that...

P.P.P.S. Hmmm..I wonder...why don't they just call it "fingerprints" and "photo", instead of "biometrics"?

Edited September 26, 2008 by AntandD

[meblue 5]

Congrats AntandD

Thanks for posting your biometrics experienced.

[KiminON 0]

cool beans!

i was thinking of giving going in early a try so I didn't have to get someone to cover my shift, but with my luck after a 2+hr drive they'd have turned me away and told me to come back on the day.

so now i owe a favour to my coworker.

[ForeverAmen 0]

Wonderful! I am happy things worked out for you.

Boaz