Immigrants have to establish that they meet certain standards to enter and remain in the United States of America. Security issues are a main concern during immigration proceedings. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducts careful background checks to exclude dangerous individuals from the United States.
Background checks are necessary at every stage of the immigration process, including visa applications, visa renewals, status adjustment and naturalization. There are numerous other security procedures in place for the protection of people across the country. Ensuring that immigrants are of good moral character requires tracking their conduct after they enter the country.
One of the ways that the USCIS identifies and tracks individual immigrants is through the collection of biometric information. Those seeking visas, adjusting their status or naturalizing may need to attend a biometrics services appointment. What does the USCIS typically look at during those appointments?
Biometrics are unique personal characteristics
Someone’s biometrics allow for accurate identification by law enforcement and government agencies. There are numerous different types of biometric markers, but the USCIS looks primarily at three characteristics.
Many times, what the USCIS wants in a biometrics services appointment is a record of someone’s fingerprints. Fingerprint records can help identify those involved in certain criminal cases. Other times, a signature sample might be what the organization requests. There could be a digital signature needed in addition to a sample of someone’s usual legal signature.
The USCIS may also require photographs to facilitate visual identification of an immigrant. The goal is to gather necessary biometric information to clearly identify the immigrant and connect them to any prior criminal activity.
Typically, the USCIS sends requests in writing when there is a need to gather biometric information about an immigrant. Providing initial biometric information or validating existing biometric documentation may be part of numerous stages of the immigration process. Immigrants generally need to make time for the appointments and cover all necessary fees, is compliance with USCIS regulations is crucial to obtaining immigration opportunities.
Learning more about different immigration requirements can be beneficial for those hoping to enter or remain in the United States. Biometrics services appointments are one of many requirements necessary during the immigration process.