Biometrics in immigration refers to the collection of physical identifiers, primarily fingerprints, facial photographs, and digital signatures, that the U.S. government uses to verify your identity and run background checks during an immigration application. If you’ve filed or plan to file a petition with USCIS, you’ll almost certainly need to complete a biometrics appointment as part of the process.
What Gets Collected and Why
The Department of Homeland Security collects three core types of biometric data from immigration applicants: fingerprints, a facial photograph, and a digital signature. In broader border security contexts, DHS also uses iris scans, though these aren’t part of a standard USCIS application appointment.
Your fingerprints serve as the backbone of the security screening. Once collected, USCIS sends them to the FBI for a full criminal background check. The FBI runs them against its Universal Index, a massive database containing criminal, administrative, and law enforcement files. The response comes back as one of three results: no record found, a record exists, or the fingerprints were unclassifiable and need to be retaken. Separately, the FBI also runs a “name check” on every applicant, searching a different set of files for any flags.
Your photograph is used for identity verification throughout the process and for producing secure immigration documents like green cards or work permits. The digital signature you provide carries legal weight: by signing, you’re attesting under penalty of perjury that everything in your application is complete, true, and correct.
How the Appointment Works
After you file your application, USCIS will mail you an appointment notice (Form I-797C) with a specific date, time, and location at a local Application Support Center, or ASC. These are dedicated USCIS offices set up specifically for biometric collection. You don’t need to bring your attorney or representative, though you can.
Bring two things: your appointment notice and a valid photo ID such as a passport, green card, or driver’s license. If you received multiple appointment notices, bring all of them. USCIS also recommends reviewing a copy of your filed application beforehand, since they won’t provide one at the appointment. The actual collection happens on specialized machines and is typically quick.
If you don’t speak English comfortably, bring someone who can translate for you, whether that’s a family member, friend, or your attorney. USCIS has written instructions available in several languages, but the staff interaction itself is in English.
Who Needs to Provide Biometrics
Most people filing immigration applications need a biometrics appointment. This includes applicants for naturalization, green cards, work permits, asylum, and several other benefit categories. Children under 14 are exempt and won’t be scheduled for a biometrics appointment. Everyone 14 and older is expected to appear.
Fees for Biometric Services
Under the 2024 USCIS fee rule, the separate biometric services fee has been eliminated for most applications. The cost of collecting and processing your biometrics is now folded into the main filing fee. The exception: applicants filing for Temporary Protected Status (Form I-821) and certain immigration court forms still pay a standalone $30 biometric services fee.
What Happens If You Miss Your Appointment
Missing your biometrics appointment can stall or derail your entire application. USCIS cannot move forward with processing until your fingerprints and photo are on file. If you know in advance that you can’t make it, you can request a reschedule through your USCIS online account, but you need a legitimate reason (“good cause”) and must submit the request at least 12 hours before your scheduled time. If you’re inside that 12-hour window or have already missed the appointment, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283.
How Long Biometrics Stay Valid
Biometric results don’t last forever. For immigration court proceedings, fingerprints must have been taken and cleared within 15 months of your hearing date. If that window has passed, you’ll need to redo them. For USCIS applications, expiration timelines vary by case type, but the general principle holds: if your case drags on long enough, you may be asked to provide fresh biometrics.
Mobile Collection for Special Circumstances
If a disability or health condition prevents you from traveling to an ASC, USCIS can send staff to collect your biometrics at an alternative location. This mobile biometrics service is also available in limited cases for people living in remote areas far from an ASC. It’s handled on a case-by-case basis, and USCIS considers factors like travel distance and difficulty. You’ll need to request it, and approval is at USCIS’s discretion.
How Long the Government Keeps Your Data
DHS retains biometric records for up to 75 years. This applies to fingerprints and photographs collected from non-citizen travelers and immigration applicants alike. The retention period is designed to support long-term immigration tracking and law enforcement activities. Facial images used for real-time identity matching at airports and seaports are handled differently: those are purged from the matching system within 12 hours and from temporary storage within 14 days. But the underlying biometric record transferred to DHS’s central database stays on file for decades.
DHS is required to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, the E-Government Act, and the Homeland Security Act when handling this data. In practice, that means your biometric information is subject to federal privacy protections governing how it’s collected, stored, shared, and eventually disposed of. DHS publishes Privacy Impact Assessments detailing the specific safeguards for each biometric system it operates.