Over the last year, the coronavirus pandemic has largely altered the way we live our lives. Unfortunately, this remains true for immigration processes. For many, biometrics appointments have been delayed for months now, and as a result, they are wondering what the future holds in regards to their future citizenship. Please continue reading and speak with our knowledgeable Wisconsin immigration attorneys to learn more about the delay in biometrics appointments and how our firm can assist you. Here are some of the questions you may have:
Why do I need a biometrics appointment?
Biometrics appointments are a key factor in your path to citizenship. In your appointment, you will have to provide a photograph, signature, and fingerprints.
Why have biometrics appointments been delayed?
Biometrics appointments have been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, more than one million immigrants have been denied access to these appointments, preventing them from becoming naturalized citizens. Unfortunately, if this has happened to you, you are most likely very curious about when you can resume the process, and there are very few answers available at the moment. Even after USCIS reopened, individuals were still unable to attend their canceled biometrics appointments.
What should I do?
Fortunately, USCIS has recently announced that for some individuals, they will reuse previously collected biometric data to conduct their background checks. This means that, in some cases, if you are an immigrant and USCIS has already previously collected this data from you in the past, there is a chance that they will simply reuse this data, thereby allowing you to bypass the biometrics part of the process. If this happens, you will receive a Form I-797 in the mail that states USCIS will be reusing your initially-provided biometrics. That being said, this is not the case for all immigrants.
Can I attend a walk-in biometrics appointment?
Unfortunately, you cannot, even if you are willing and able to. USCIS has stated that due to COVID-19, walk-in visits for biometrics are no longer allowed, and this will remain true until otherwise notified. That being said, military applicants and their family members can still attend biometrics appointments. If you have any additional questions or you would like to know more, please do not hesitate to speak with our experienced Wisconsin immigration attorneys today to learn more about how we can help you through every step of the naturalization process ahead.
Contact our experienced Wisconsin firm
John Sesini is an experienced immigration attorney with offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee Wisconsin. Our firm understands what is at stake when it comes to immigration law matters, which is why If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to contact the Sesini Law Group, S.C., and schedule your initial consultation with our firm today.