Biometric Documents for H4, L2, i485 (What to Expect at ASC Center)

USICS biometric is required for all H4 and L2 extensions filed in the US.

The same USCIS biometric centers are also used for i-485 green card fingerprints.

Biometric Appointment Letter Time

The biometric appointment is scheduled after an average of 17 to 20 days from the date of filing. It does vary for the type of application and the workload at the ASC center close to your residential address.

• H4, L2 Biometric appointment letter can take anywhere between after 8-30 days of filing an H4 application. COVID has extended this time to about 90 days.
• i-485 biometric appointments take about average of 10-90 days.

Documents Required

1. Biometric appointment notice (Form I-797C)
2. Valid photo identification – Original – Green Card, Passport, US driver’s license, or state ID card

An appointment letter will be issued irrespective of whether H1B is approved or H1B gets RFE. Similarly, the i485 biometric appointment is issued irrespective of EAD and AP approval.

Do not miss your fingerprinting appointment as it may lead to denial of your application. There have been many cases of H4 and L2 extension denial when users did not receive the letter at all.

Fees Calculator

You can use this calculator to find out the Biometric fees for H4, L2, and i-485 applications.

The app gives an estimate of USCIS as well as the fee charged by attorneys. The attorney fee is not mandatory and varies greatly with the immigration law firm.

Appointment Notice

There is no separate USCIS biometrics form.

You just fill the H4 extension form i539 and USCIS automatically creates an appointment for you. The same is true for i-485 applications.

This is a sample Biometric appointment notice sent by USCIS for the H4 extension application.

Your appointment notice (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) will include the date, time, and location for your ASC (Application Support Center) appointment.

What Happens at Biometric Center?

There is no dress code for Biometrics. Cell phones are not allowed inside the ASC center and should be left in your car.

The fingerprint process is simple:

1. Fill an application information worksheet at the Biometric Center. Write your name, DOB, eye and hair color, height, and weight.
2. You are given a token number.
3. Wait for your turn and then they click your photo and take fingerprints. 
4. Make sure that your signature matches the one you did on your form i539 while filing the application.
5. They stamp your biometric appointment letter.
6. The status on the USCIS site may change to ‘Fingerprint Review was completed‘.

This stamped letter can be used in your child’s school leave application as a reason for taking off.

Reschedule Appointment

You can choose to re-schedule the Biometrics appointment if the ASC center is too far from your home.

We have seen that people are receiving an appointment at a center which is somewhere in Illinois which is 10 hours drive from where the person is physically located i.e. in Tennessee.

This could happen if your attorney used his OWN address instead of the user’s physical address to fill the form.

Fee Refund

There is no USCIS biometrics fee refund if you do not appear for your fingerprints appointment.

You can only reschedule your appointment without paying new fees of $85.

EAD Processing Time After Biometric

• i-485 EAD and AP can be approved without appearing for a Biometric appointment too. The general processing time is 15-30 days after taking your fingerprints.
• H4 EAD may be approved in 15 days after biometric. H4 extension is also processed at the same time as H4 EAD. The same timing holds good for L2 EAD too.

FAQ

Source: USCIS