Biometric walk-ins: The point is?

[SpongebObiWan 0]

I see from reading the forums that many people attempt early "walk-ins" to take care of their biometric requirements, as opposed to just waiting for the appointment date. What is the purpose in this? Is their some benefit to the biometrics being accomplished prior to the appointed time? The logical side of my brain tells me that any deviation from the prescribed appointment times given by USCIS, could potentially gum up the works more then it could potentially speed things up. What am I missing here?

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

People do it to speed up their case but not all offices accept walk-ins so you're really just taking a chance by going in. You don't have to walk-in, just wait until the appointment if it makes you more comfortable. People who have been refused at their local offices don't get into trouble for walking in, they just waste a few hours of their day

Edited November 6, 2009 by RebeccaAndPhil

[SpongebObiWan 0]

People do it to speed up their case but not all offices accept walk-ins so you're really just taking a chance by going in. You don't have to walk-in, just wait until the appointment if it makes you more comfortable. People who have been refused at their local offices don't get into trouble for walking in, they just waste a few hours of their day

Ahhh..okay. Thanks. I just wondered if I was missing something here and if there was some really good reason to do a walk-in. Since the location we will do that is an hour and a half away, I think we'll just wait anyway. And besides, my paranoid mind-set tells me "Don't spit into the wind, don't pull on Superman's cape, and don't mess with Bad Bad Leroy B. Uscis".

[Otto 83]

What am I missing here?

You're not missing anything - going early (a 'walk in') or on the day of your appointment have the same result; finger prints and photos.

I don't think many people do a walk-in just to speed up the process - some maybe but most (in my opinion) do so because their appointment date falls on a day that is inconvenient (work, school, etc).

[Alice 0]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

[juliava 80]

In my situation an early walk in would've been a very good idea that didn't occur in my mind at that time. Now I regret it, because my AOS process has been delayed.

As you see on my signature I had myAOS interview on Sept 15, and the biometric app for I-485 was scheduled for Sept 30th!

Well, I wanted to follow exactly what the forms say and...look what happened. They couldn't finalize my case on the interview day because there were no fingerprints taken at that time. I did my bio on Sept 30th and still no answer!

[SpongebObiWan 0]

In my situation an early walk in would've been a very good idea that didn't occur in my mind at that time. Now I regret it, because my AOS process has been delayed.

As you see on my signature I had myAOS interview on Sept 15, and the biometric app for I-485 was scheduled for Sept 30th!

Well, I wanted to follow exactly what the forms say and...look what happened. They couldn't finalize my case on the interview day because there were no fingerprints taken at that time. I did my bio on Sept 30th and still no answer!

I'm surprised there were two separate appointments for biometrics, one for the EAD and a different one for the AOS. Is that common?

[juliava 80]

Well, I don't think it's very common. When I went for my first bio I thought the fingerprints would be taken for both EAD and AOS, even though the app letter was for EAD only.

Anyway, the second app letter was for both EAD&I-485. When I went there I explained that I already have my EAD and my interview so they took my fingerprints only for I-485. I really don't know what happened and why things got so messed up, but I don't wish anybody this kind of situation.

[luckykaren 0]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

Really? Do they open on Saturday??

[Otto 83]

I'm surprised there were two separate appointments for biometrics, one for the EAD and a different one for the AOS. Is that common?

Its not uncommon - typically both are generated at the same time and have the same date; not always though so you go to the earliest appointment date and show both case/receipt numbers (both appointment notices) and they'll record both.

[juliava 80]

I'm surprised there were two separate appointments for biometrics, one for the EAD and a different one for the AOS. Is that common?

Its not uncommon - typically both are generated at the same time and have the same date; not always though so you go to the earliest appointment date and show both case/receipt numbers (both appointment notices) and they'll record both.

You are right!

The thing is first time I received the bio app letter for EAD only. I thought those fingerprints will be used for I-485 as well-wrong thinking, of course. I didn't have a 2nd bio appointment letter for AOS or anything saying that I was supposed to have my prints taken for AOS.

So after this 1st bio my EAD card arrives and after a couple of weeks my AOS interview appointment letter gets in the mail.

One week before the interview I receive in the mail the second bio appointment notice-this time for both EAD (again????) &AOS-it was 1 letter that included both receipt numbers. This bio was scheduled 2 weeks AFTER the interview. Isn't it a messed up situation? :wacko:

Edited November 7, 2009 by juliava

[Alice 0]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

Really? Do they open on Saturday??

Yes , I thought that they do not open as well , but we decided to drive there and to take a look , office was opened . Not sure about hrs , but from 09 AM till 3 PM or so , there we a lot of people but line went really fast .

Assume all other offices open as well on Saturdays .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

[JERIII 8]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

Really? Do they open on Saturday??

Yes , I thought that they do not open as well , but we decided to drive there and to take a look , office was opened . Not sure about hrs , but from 09 AM till 3 PM or so , there we a lot of people but line went really fast .

Assume all other offices open as well on Saturdays .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

No, I can tell you that not all the biometrics offices are open on Saturday. For example, the one in Hartford, CT is not.

[luckykaren 0]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

Really? Do they open on Saturday??

Yes , I thought that they do not open as well , but we decided to drive there and to take a look , office was opened . Not sure about hrs , but from 09 AM till 3 PM or so , there we a lot of people but line went really fast .

Assume all other offices open as well on Saturdays .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

No, I can tell you that not all the biometrics offices are open on Saturday. For example, the one in Hartford, CT is not.

Thanks for the kind replies!

BTW, I've tried hard to find whether ASC in St.Louis(MO) is open on Saturday but no luck. Is there anyone tried walk-in Biometrics at St.Louis on Saturday?

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Office usually works on Saturdays and for me it was more convinient to go there on Saturday than on Friday morning .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

Really? Do they open on Saturday??

Yes , I thought that they do not open as well , but we decided to drive there and to take a look , office was opened . Not sure about hrs , but from 09 AM till 3 PM or so , there we a lot of people but line went really fast .

Assume all other offices open as well on Saturdays .

AOS from B-2

----------------------------------------------------------

09/25/2009 Sent AOS package to Chicago

09/27/2009 Package arrived in Chicago

10/02/2009 checks cashed

10/05/2009 NOAs received ( dated October 01 )

10/11/2009 Biometric appointment scheduled for October-23.

10/17/2009 Walk-in biometrics

No, I can tell you that not all the biometrics offices are open on Saturday. For example, the one in Hartford, CT is not.

Thanks for the kind replies!

BTW, I've tried hard to find whether ASC in St.Louis(MO) is open on Saturday but no luck. Is there anyone tried walk-in Biometrics at St.Louis on Saturday?

If you go here: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...office_type=ASC and put in your zip it'll bring up your local office and should have the hours. Our local Philly office has their hours on there...but they aren't open on Saturday