After you file certain applications, USCIS schedules a biometric services appointment at a local Application Support Center (ASC) to take your fingerprints, photograph or signature. This page sets out what USCIS publishes about that appointment: what to bring, how rescheduling works, and what happens if you miss it. It applies to Guatemalans filing an I-485, I-765, I-90, N-400 and other forms. It is general information, not legal advice.
Quick summary: Your appointment notice is Form I-797C, with the date, time and ASC location. Bring every I-797C appointment notice you received and valid photo ID (USCIS’s examples: Green Card, passport, driver’s license). To reschedule, use your USCIS online account only (“Do not mail your request”), before the appointment, at least 12 hours ahead, and with good cause. To change ASC, you must also reschedule: walking into a different ASC means your appointment will not be processed. Under 12 hours or already missed: 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or Emma. Asylum and NACARA 203 applicants who need a disability accommodation must call. USCIS page last reviewed 04/30/2026; checked October 21, 2026.
What the appointment is for
USCIS says it schedules the ASC appointment after you file if it needs your fingerprints, photograph or signature. It cites its general authority to collect biometrics under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(9). The biometrics are used to confirm your identity and run background and security checks. For an I-90, they also produce your replacement Green Card. For an I-765, they produce your work permit (EAD).
The Form I-797C, Notice of Action you receive gives the date, time and location of the appointment. Keep it with your case papers; your receipt number and case status are tracked separately.
What to bring
| Bring | USCIS detail |
|---|---|
| Your ASC appointment notice (Form I-797C) | If you received more than one biometrics notice, bring all of them |
| Valid photo identification | USCIS’s examples: Green Card, passport or driver’s license |
| Anything your notice lists | USCIS says your notice gives specific instructions on what to bring |
| Do not bring | Weapons such as firearms, knives, pepper spray and ammunition, which federal law prohibits in any USCIS facility, even with a permit |
If your ID is a Guatemalan passport. USCIS’s examples say “passport” and do not name a country. If yours has expired, the renewal from the US is covered in renewing a Guatemalan passport from the USA.
Your lawyer does not need to come. USCIS says your attorney or accredited representative does not need to go with you, even if they filed your case.
What happens at the ASC
- You give your biometrics on machines built to collect them.
- When you give your digital signature, you attest under penalty of perjury that your filing and its supporting documents were complete, true and correct when filed. For some forms, this is required even though you already signed the form.
- Anyone 14 or older must sign. Children under 14 do not have to, but may sign if they can; a parent or legal guardian may sign for them.
- The attestation is called the Acknowledgement of Appointment at USCIS Application Support Center and is shown in English and Spanish.
- ASC staff cannot change your name or other personal information. The notice comes from what you put on the filing.
Rescheduling: the rules in one table
| Situation | What USCIS says to do |
|---|---|
| You need another date | Request it in your USCIS online account. “Do not mail your request” |
| Timing | Before the date and time of the original appointment, and online at least 12 hours before it |
| Reason | You must establish good cause |
| You want a different ASC | Reschedule in advance and select the other ASC. Showing up at a different ASC without rescheduling: your appointment will not be processed |
| Less than 12 hours to go, or already missed | Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or chat with Emma |
| The online account is not working | Same Contact Center number, or Emma |
| You feel sick | Follow the same reschedule steps |
| A serious ongoing medical condition keeps you at home or in hospital | Ask for a mobile biometrics / homebound appointment, following the Notice for People with Disabilities section of your appointment notice |
If you do nothing. USCIS says that if you do not request a reschedule before the appointment, or do not establish good cause, it may treat your application, petition or request as abandoned and may deny it. The same warning appears in the alert box at the top of USCIS’s page.
Older advice about walking in elsewhere is out of date. USCIS says some applicants used to be processed at an ASC other than the one on their notice if there was capacity. Its page now says that without a reschedule, the appointment at a different ASC will not be processed.
Language help and accommodations
- Interpreter. USCIS says that if you do not understand spoken English, you should bring someone who can translate for you, such as a family member, attorney or accredited representative.
- Other languages. USCIS posts ASC instructions in Arabic, Chinese, Creole, French, Korean, Polish and Portuguese.
- Disability accommodations. Request them online on USCIS’s accommodations page, or call the Contact Center (English and Spanish). Asylum and NACARA 203 applicants must call to make the request. If NACARA applies to you, see NACARA relief for Guatemalans.
Finding your ASC and getting help
USCIS points to its Service and Office Locator to find the ASC closest to you, and to the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833), with representatives in English and Spanish. If you move before the appointment, USCIS says to follow its change-of-address instructions; see changing your address with USCIS and the immigration court.
Related
- USCIS case status and your receipt number
- Adjustment of status (I-485)
- Work permit (EAD, I-765)
- Renew or replace a green card (I-90)
- US citizenship (N-400)
- All diaspora guides
Sources
- USCIS, Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/preparing-for-your-biometric-services-appointment (read October 21, 2026; page last reviewed/updated 04/30/2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I bring to my USCIS biometrics appointment?
USCIS says to bring your ASC appointment notice (Form I-797C), and all of them if you received more than one, plus valid photo identification such as your Green Card, passport or driver’s license. Your notice may give more specific instructions. Weapons such as firearms, knives and pepper spray are not allowed in any USCIS facility.
How do I reschedule a USCIS biometrics appointment?
Through your USCIS online account. USCIS says not to mail the request. You must ask before the date and time of the original appointment and establish good cause. Online requests must be made at least 12 hours before the appointment; if it is less than 12 hours away, or you already missed it, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or chat with Emma.
Can I go to a different ASC than the one on my notice?
Only by rescheduling in advance and selecting the other ASC. USCIS says that if you appear at an ASC other than the one on your notice without having rescheduled, your appointment will not be processed. Some ASCs used to take walk-ins from other locations if capacity allowed; USCIS says that is no longer how it works.
What happens if I miss my biometrics appointment?
If you do not request a reschedule before the appointment, or do not establish good cause, USCIS says it may consider your application, petition or request abandoned, and it may be denied. If you already missed it, USCIS points you to the Contact Center or Emma.
Can I bring someone to translate?
Yes. USCIS says that if you do not understand spoken English, you should bring someone who can translate, such as a family member, attorney or accredited representative. The attestation you sign at the machine is shown in English and Spanish. USCIS also posts instructions in Arabic, Chinese, Creole, French, Korean, Polish and Portuguese.
Can the ASC correct my name or date of birth?
No. USCIS says the notice was generated from the information on your filing and that it cannot change your name or other personal information during the ASC appointment.
