No News On Biometrics. I-485 Status not yet uploaded.

[sasaqlain 24]

Have been visiting this forum for a while now and have come to the conclusion that the Biometrics appointment letters arrive within 2-3 weeks of application submission. My case was admitted on January 16th 2009 and the files last Touched on January 30th 2009. I am still awaiting my Biometrics appointment letter. When would the best time to call if i dont hear from them. Is there is a time frame, as while submitting the I-130, we didnt receive the NOA and when contacted USCIS, we were told to wait for 30 days and then approach them. They are not going to make it any easier for us are they.

Can I apply for a SSN on the I-485 NOA?

Suppose if the Biometrics letters do arrive, do they already have a date for me on them or am I supposed to called the ASC's and schedule an appointment. Also, how much further are the scheduled dates for, in NY.

[jhunjhun 7]

Have been visiting this forum for a while now and have come to the conclusion that the Biometrics appointment letters arrive within 2-3 weeks of application submission. My case was admitted on January 16th 2009 and the files last Touched on January 30th 2009. I am still awaiting my Biometrics appointment letter. When would the best time to call if i dont hear from them. Is there is a time frame, as while submitting the I-130, we didnt receive the NOA and when contacted USCIS, we were told to wait for 30 days and then approach them. They are not going to make it any easier for us are they.

Can I apply for a SSN on the I-485 NOA?

Suppose if the Biometrics letters do arrive, do they already have a date for me on them or am I supposed to called the ASC's and schedule an appointment. Also, how much further are the scheduled dates for, in NY.

I'm sorry if you haven't received your bio appt yet...it takes awhile sometime but it usually arrive within a month...anyways, you cannot use the NOA of your I-485 to apply for SSN...you need to wait for your EAD to get approved then use the card to apply for SSN....

Edited February 10, 2009 by jhunjhun

[JulianDavid 0]

I understand your concern cause I'm in the similar situation. You can call USCIS and place service request on bio appointment after 30 days from NOA date (they state USCIS is supposed to schedule bio appointments within 30 days). When you do get the invitation, it will be for some certain date, usually the letter comes about two weeks before. I have just placed the service request with them today since it has been 32 days from our NOA date (our NOA was issued on 8th January and have heard nothing from them so far). Was told to wait for reply within another 30 days

[Dakine 26]

If you don't get the biometrics appointment letter within 30 days of receipt notice call USCIS and make a Service Request!

[sasaqlain 24]

Thank You All. This is all so messed up. Btw, would anybody please tell me which number to contact them at for a service request. I am assuming its the Infopass.

[map1map 3]

An InfoPass is a meeting in person with an Immigration Officer, at a local office. It can be scheduled online, at: http://infopass.uscis.gov/

A service request is placed over the phone when you have concerns related to the forms you have submitted, need clarifications on them, need USCIS to correct something that appears incorrect on your NOAs. The phone number is the one written in the NOAs you received, 1-800-375-5283. An automatic voice will respond and will provide the status of your application. To go straight to a human operator, as soon as the automatic voice starts, dial 123 (this acts as a shortcut).

If you have not received the bio appointment letter, definitely either call to place a service request, or schedule a meeting with an immigrtion officer through InfoPass.

and/or ask for placement of a service request.

You cannot apply for a SSN with the NOA on I-485. You need to have the employment authorization card to do it.

The biometrics appointment letter will indicate the place (address), date, and time when you should have it done.

[sasaqlain 24]

Thank you map1map, Your advice to get hold of an operator at USCIS was very valuable and it saved me alot of time. Could anybody throw some light on their these operators ability please. Do they have an updated inof on your case status. Since its been almost a month and I haven't heard anything about my Biometrics or I-485. When i spoke to one of the operators, she assured me that I'll get my appointment letter within the month and shouldn't worry about it. What do I do now?

[dbears 1]

Thank you map1map, Your advice to get hold of an operator at USCIS was very valuable and it saved me alot of time. Could anybody throw some light on their these operators ability please. Do they have an updated inof on your case status. Since its been almost a month and I haven't heard anything about my Biometrics or I-485. When i spoke to one of the operators, she assured me that I'll get my appointment letter within the month and shouldn't worry about it. What do I do now?

I am in a similar situation plus there is also an RFE letter that was supposed to have been sent Jnauary 29th which we still have not received. The service center agent was no help except to tell us to wait and call them again after the 20th of this month (our NOA1 was dated January 20). We have tried making infopass appointment for biometrics inquiry last week and all they said was wait for up to 2 months for the biometrics letter, they did not even check our case online.

I hope we will all get our biometrics appointmet soon and hopefully interview schedule would soon follow. Good luck and God bless.

[sasaqlain 24]

How reliable and efficient are these Human Operators. D o they have access to the most updated info on your case! I mean to ask, if they already sent out the Biometrics Appointment letter and for some reason the mail is lost, would the operators at USCIS be able to tell me that there has been progress on my case or have updated info?

[dbears 1]

How reliable and efficient are these Human Operators. D o they have access to the most updated info on your case! I mean to ask, if they already sent out the Biometrics Appointment letter and for some reason the mail is lost, would the operators at USCIS be able to tell me that there has been progress on my case or have updated info?

They will not tell you anything about your biometrics but they will tell you to call them again a month after the date indicated in your receipt notice. My case for example, the received date on my NOA is January 14, 2009, Notice Date is January 20, 2009.. the lady I talked to earlier told me to call them again if I don't receive anything by the end of this week, Friday being February 20 which would be exactly 1month from the NOA1 notice date.

That will be how far you can go with the "human operators". Are they reliable? Well, a lot of people are calling this service center line the "MISinformation" line so I guess that should tell you something.

[JulianDavid 0]

I absolutely agree with Dbears - those operators (or so-called customer representatives) are not even USCIS employees. They are there just to tell you the information that you already have from their web-site or to file a service request. In order to get more REAL information on your case, you should try and make the operator transfer you to the supervisor (immigration officer) who has the access to your case.

Our NOAs were issued on January 8th - and still no bio invitation . I placed the service request with USCIS exactly after 30 days (they wouldn't accept it earlier) and was told to wait for the reply for another 30 days. Some people say it helped and they got their appointment within these 30 days. Well, we will wait but if there is nothing by 30th day, my husband is going to call USCIS and won't leave them alone till they transfer him to the superviser who can give up-to-date information We are also thinking of making Infopass appointment. Good luck to all of us!

[map1map 3]

How reliable and efficient are these Human Operators. D o they have access to the most updated info on your case! I mean to ask, if they already sent out the Biometrics Appointment letter and for some reason the mail is lost, would the operators at USCIS be able to tell me that there has been progress on my case or have updated info?

They will not tell you anything about your biometrics but they will tell you to call them again a month after the date indicated in your receipt notice. My case for example, the received date on my NOA is January 14, 2009, Notice Date is January 20, 2009.. the lady I talked to earlier told me to call them again if I don't receive anything by the end of this week, Friday being February 20 which would be exactly 1month from the NOA1 notice date.

That will be how far you can go with the "human operators". Are they reliable? Well, a lot of people are calling this service center line the "MISinformation" line so I guess that should tell you something.

If I were you I would schedule an InfoPass. In my case, the over-the-phone scheduled service at the 1-800 number resulted in a letter in the mail, about 3 weeks after it, informing me that my application is in the system that schedules appointments, but they are not sure when that would be because the application support centers (places where they take the biometrics) are very busy. Instead, 3 days after the InfoPass, the local office where I had the InfoPass issued the biometrics appointment.

I concur, those service customers are of no use for us. They can schedule the service request or tell you what is the current status of your application, the status on the website. They don't have access to your file, because of privacy of information concerns. I guess an immigration officer at the infopass has greater access to the system.

[dbears 1]

They will not tell you anything about your biometrics but they will tell you to call them again a month after the date indicated in your receipt notice. My case for example, the received date on my NOA is January 14, 2009, Notice Date is January 20, 2009.. the lady I talked to earlier told me to call them again if I don't receive anything by the end of this week, Friday being February 20 which would be exactly 1month from the NOA1 notice date.

That will be how far you can go with the "human operators". Are they reliable? Well, a lot of people are calling this service center line the "MISinformation" line so I guess that should tell you something.

If I were you I would schedule an InfoPass. In my case, the over-the-phone scheduled service at the 1-800 number resulted in a letter in the mail, about 3 weeks after it, informing me that my application is in the system that schedules appointments, but they are not sure when that would be because the application support centers (places where they take the biometrics) are very busy. Instead, 3 days after the InfoPass, the local office where I had the InfoPass issued the biometrics appointment.

I concur, those service customers are of no use for us. They can schedule the service request or tell you what is the current status of your application, the status on the website. They don't have access to your file, because of privacy of information concerns. I guess an immigration officer at the infopass has greater access to the system.

I was not as lucky, had infopass last week for biometrics inquiry and was told to just wait for a month or two... had another infopass today for the RFE that was supposed to have been sent 3 weeks ago but we never received and while at the infopass for that, I had to throw in the biometrics inquiry again since I was face to face with different officer from last weeks infopass.. but unfortunately, same answer: It takes a while, just wait for it for a month or two.

[map1map 3]

I was not as lucky...

Sorry to hear that...

[sasaqlain 24]

Man! Just dont know what to do. My First NOA for I-130 never reached me, but with the biometrics, if I lose the letter in the mail and miss the appointment, They would have cancelled my case way earlier before i would get to find out about it. Thats yet another fear I have. And since I am adjusting Status from Tourist....I have to have the EAD to be able to apply for SSN or a Drivers License, without which i am absolutely useless.

Thank you all for your input and sharing your experiences.