Urgent - Biometrics in USA in USCIS center

[RMen]

I called up the VAC, they said it might open next week but cannot guarantee that yet. Asked me to call and check again next week, so yes, it is somewhere around the corner but the guessing game continues at least for another 7 days, if not more!

 

[Workaholic2020]

Can anyone at least get the phone access to any of their offices? I called VAC in LA, only recorders and cannot get to a real person. So I used the chat - they can do little more than copying and pasting policies, but the representative is kind so we talked a bit about the unknowns. Here are some get aways of our discussion:

1. About the reopening date, they are awaiting the confirmation from the main office. Main office means the main office of VAC in the US, but they cannot share any contacting methods beyond the phone number that is only a recorder.
2. 3 Canada VACs in Caribbean opened today. The representative suggested me to keep contacting them everyday to check the updates.
3. I asked the representative if she could help me pass up the message to IRCC to create us a way out of this limbo, like we can do it in USPS or even by scanning machines ourselves, or just go through with the application and postpone the biometrics step until a later stage (like asynchronic programming!). She says she could not help passing the message, but we can use "Contact Us" in https://www.canada.ca/home.html

 

[Workaholic2020]

If you have time, I wonder if you could join me to work out a way for us - and for people in any countries where COVID-19 is still rampant. Biometric collection should not become a blocker to this whole process, it is inefficient - Canada takes in only 4000 immigrants recently which is much below the previous years. If their staff has few applications to go through now, they have to stay idle. However, they will be flooded by unblocked applications after the biometrics resume at a later time, and the entire queue is very likely to become a headache. This is not efficient and not benefitting Canada.

Instead, if they go on processing the application now, and collect biometrics at a later stage, most people, including the IRCC itself will benefit from this procedure. As for the cost, I cannot imagine there to be many cases where IRCC reviewed the applications but the biometrics proves void later. The benefit of this refactor is likely to supersedes the cost in almost any circumstances. If a large number of people pass this message to IRCC, maybe they will consider.

 

[haritosh82]

This is getting very frustrating! Allowing for biometrics has no bearing on actual travel. Opening for biometrics, in fact, would ease their lives to reduce the pile up and improve processing times. Totally ridiculous and frustrating!

 

[Workaholic2020]

This is getting very frustrating! Allowing for biometrics has no bearing on actual travel. Opening for biometrics, in fact, would ease their lives to reduce the pile up and improve processing times. Totally ridiculous and frustrating!

Totally agree, this procedure is inefficient and brings far more trouble and almost no gain. I am planning to write to IRCC suggesting them to postpone biometrics and let our application through.

 

[haritosh82]

Just FYI, I have already tried it and all they did was to send me a generic response back saying it’s in process and I need to wait until biometric offices reopen.

 

[Workaholic2020]

Just FYI, I have already tried it and all they did was to send me a generic response back saying it’s in process and I need to wait until biometric offices reopen.

The team replying our emails are authorized to do only this and nothing more. However, they should be able to reflect it upwards when the voice become unignorable. If one person does it, they will reply with templates. 10 people do it, they may still do so. But the more people write to them, the stronger the message becomes, and the more likely they will prioritize this and start to take measures. Canada cannot block immigrants outside forever, the COVID-19 has already significantly bring down their intake.

 

[haritosh82]

Well, consider me part of the mission. Let’s see how many others respond to form a big enough group to get our voices heard!

 

[Narik29]

Well, consider me part of the mission. Let’s see how many others respond to form a big enough group to get our voices heard!

US Visa application centers are opening on Jul 13 where Canada biometric can also be accepted...but I believe VFS in network and LA are gonna open on Jun 30

 

[Ryerson2020]

Hi,

Who told you about this date i.e 13 Jul , i just called USCIS support center and they don't have any tentative opening date yet.

 

[matteosc]

Hi,

Who told you about this date i.e 13 Jul , i just called USCIS support center and they don't have any tentative opening date yet.

This is second-hand information, but they say so in a Webinar that they had last week.

Me and my wife are in the same situation: waiting for the ASC to reopen. We were originally scheduled for March 18, so it will be likely a 4 months delay because of the USCIS office closure. This is very frustrating, given also that every single bar/restaurant/shop is currently open...

 

[Workaholic2020]

This is second-hand information, but they say so in a Webinar that they had last week.

Me and my wife are in the same situation: waiting for the ASC to reopen. We were originally scheduled for March 18, so it will be likely a 4 months delay because of the USCIS office closure. This is very frustrating, given also that every single bar/restaurant/shop is currently open...

Same here. My appointment is Feb 23, it is delayed for 4 whole months and likely to be delayed even more. Just for biometrics alone. This is so frustrating.

 

[DavehM]

The most unfortunate thing is that we do not know when they will allow travels to happen, given the current spike in COVID-19 cases in the US...

 

[matteosc]

Hi all,

I was checking this morning and it looks that a lot of ASCs are permanently closed.
This is not updated in the official IRCC website, but on the appoint scheduler they are gone.

I do not know why they cannot let us use the USPS offices, which do fingerprints.

 

[harirajmohan]

Seems that more problems are still on the way. Possibly more workers will not be going to office at uscis hence i assume that it would affect these biometrics appointments as well.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/politics/uscis-immigration-citizenship-furlough/index.html
"US immigration agency prepares to furlough more than half of its workforce"