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How To Avoid Lines at your USCIS Appointment

I have been to USCIS processing centers so many times in the ten years up to my naturalization. I’veĀ  been for biometrics repeatedly, every time I lose my green card. The drive to the Biometrics center is not inconsiderable, and this time I finally worked out how to make the appointment take less time so I can get back on the road home. I spend more time with the family, and less on uncomfortable plastic chairs in waiting rooms.

It’s pretty simple really, and it was my wife who discovered it while getting her photo and fingerprints taken for another visa unrelated to my US immigration.

So you’ve got your appointment letter and it says something like 11:00 am. The thing is, there are a whole bunch of people who got the same invitation, all saying 11:00 am. So you turn up 15 minutes early and go to the official with your invitation to the party. You get first in line. And then at 11:00 am all the other people in your one hour time slot show up and then wait around for as long as an hour.

Meanwhile, you waltz up to the first appointment in your time slot and you’re on your way. OK. So it’s not rocket science, but it can save you a bunch of waiting.