Reentry Permit Biometrics Appointment - Vet School in the UK

[gnt88 0]

Hello,

I am a green card holder, originally from the UK and I need to apply for a reentry permit. I am a little bit confused by some of the information I have read and wondered if someone could offer some advice about how to apply for a reentry permit around college dates. Apologies if this has been posted before.

I am currently in the UK and need to apply but I am enrolled on a summer research program before I start Vet school in fall. This means the earliest I would be able to get back to the US is Christmas, which I understand is chancing my hand a bit.

I have read that you can only apply for the reentry permit from the US, so I would have to search for a FedEx near to the airport and get my documents and filing fee sent off as soon as I land, however the biometrics appointment is what's really worrying me. I have read a post that states 'apply for a biometrics appointment well in advance of your travel dates to ensure you can schedule an appointment'. As the biometrics fee is part of the reentry filing fee and application...is it possible to apply for biometrics before I get there? That would be brilliant as I'd be able to plan my trip back to work around that.

However if I can't do that, I've read that it takes 4 weeks from application to get and complete your biometrics appointment. Unfortunately due to my holidays, I don't have 4 weeks to spend in the US over christmas. I can do that over summer, but I don't have any other time apart from those two breaks. Also being a student (not supported by parents), it's very expensive to get a flight and file for a reentry permit.

Time is really critical and I need to make sure I plan it well so that I can have my reentry permit sent to the US embassy in London where I can pick it up.

Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks!

Edited July 12, 2014 by gnt88

[Hypnos 6,578]

It's not possible to apply for a biometrics appointment until you have filed the I-131. You will normally receive a biometrics appointment within a month of filing. Obviously, if you do not attend the biometrics appointment then the I-131 would be denied.

As you say, you can have the re-entry permit itself sent to a foreign US post, such as London, but for the biometrics you must be physically present in the US on that date.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Hypnos

[gnt88 0]

Great, thanks for clarifying!