Received our biometrics appointment letter, question about location and date

[Kristina&Baz 0]

So we just got my husbands biometrics appt letter in the mail, he is set to go to the office in Jacksonville, FL on December 17.

My question is this: we are currently traveling the country full-time and are not currently near the Jacksonville office. I know they pick that office because it's closest to our home address, but is it possible to call them and change it? We're near Los Angeles right now and could easily visit an office there.

In addition, would they let him show up earlier than the appointment date (he'd have the appointment notice in hand) and wait as a "standby"? Or is the notice date ironclad? I know it says we can reschedule, but would rather just do it a week earlier if possible since our schedule is tight in the next 2 weeks or so due to holiday travels. Worst case scenario is we just extend our stay by a day so he can go to an LA service center on the scheduled date.

[Jo Së 200]

but is it possible to call them and change it? Yes, you can certainly call and ask, worst they can say is no.

In addition, would they let him show up earlier than the appointment date In a lot service centers you can simply take the appointment letter and walk in before the actual appointment, you could try that too, worst they can do is turn you around.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The date is specific to the office, so changing to LA might be a totally different date. I would walk in to an LA office next week, present your letter, and tell your story. Maybe go just after lunch so that are not super busy with the morning crush of appointments. Check their hours online.

[JayJayH 546]

The field offices in Los Angeles generally will not even let you in the door without an appointment letter. Security will tell you to make an InfoPass appointment. You may get an InfoPass appointment before the 17th, but you also may not. There's usually a 2 week wait.

The San Fernando Valley field office in Los Angeles (The one in Chatsworth, not the downtown one) allows for walk-ins without an appointment letter in case of emergency - There is no definition of "emergency," but potentially missing the biometrics appointment would be within the realms of "emergency" in this context. To get in without an appointment though, you need to be in line outside the field office between 6:30am and 6:45am - It's first come first serve, so you may want to line up around 6:10am. They will not let you in the doors unless you're in line by 6:45.

Once you're past security, you will wait for your name to be called, and you will be able to speak with a USCIS supervisor. Make sure to bring the biometrics appointment letter with you. Will they let you do the biometrics there? I have no idea. But at least you'll be able to speak to a field office supervisor in person without waiting for an appointment. Go first thing Monday.

The SFV field office is closed on Thursdays.

19809 Prairie Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Good luck!

Edited December 5, 2015 by JayJayH

[Kristina&Baz 0]

Thank you everyone! We're going to go in early tomorrow (Monday) to see about doing his walk-in. Will report back.

[JayJayH 546]

Thank you everyone! We're going to go in early tomorrow (Monday) to see about doing his walk-in. Will report back.

Please do.

Good luck!

[Kristina&Baz 0]

UPDATE: We just got back from the Chatsworth, CA office and were successful in getting a walk-in. We arrived at 6:35am, with only two other people in line. When the doors opened at 6.45am, there were only an additional 3-4 people in line. We were told that people with an appointment go on the left, and walk-ins go on the right. We told them we had no appointment, and went into the room on the right. When we were finally called up to a window around 7:45 (we were fourth on the sign in sheet), we showed our appointment notice for our home ASC (Jacksonville) and were told to go across the hall to the office there and ask to speak to the ASC manager. It seems the waiting room on the right is for interviews and other paperwork inquiries.This was aggravating, since we basically waited an hour for no reason.

Across the hall we got in line to speak with the woman at the front desk (about 10 people but it moves fast) and were told to go over to the ASC managers office. Waited 5 minutes for the manager to call us in, she signed off on the biometrics appointment letter and we got back in line. They have clipboards with info that needs to be filled out before you reach the person at the front desk, so make sure that's filled out before you even get to the front. She took our appointment letter, but gave us some grief about not having the original (it was a photocopy), stating that they need to have the original on file at the office. Thankfully she accepted it, but note that they strongly prefer the original. Everything went smoothly after that, and we were out within 20 minutes of entering the biometrics room.

For anyone looking to do the same as us (received the biometrics appointment notice for another location/date and time): Tell the security guard that you already have an appointment letter for another ASC!! We assumed "walk-in" meant walk-in for that location specifically. Seems that a walk-in is just shorthand for "USCIS isn't expecting you at all in any way". If you already have an appointment letter in hand (even for another place and/or time), just tell them the deal and they should direct you left, into the biometrics room. We saw another guy who arrived at the same time as us (appx 6.40am) and he walked into the biometrics room right after we did, so I'm pretty sure this is a common error. Signs would help greatly! Also, if they tell you to speak with the manager, don't wait in line (if there is one), just go straight forward from the front doors to that room and the office is by the roped off "management only" waiting area. Make sure she/he sees you, since the windows to the office don't actually let them see you from where they sit (go figure!)

Edited December 7, 2015 by Kristina&Baz

[JayJayH 546]

Problem solved. Glad you got the biometrics done!