On June 28, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched a new self-service tool allowing benefit requestors and their attorneys and accredited representatives to reschedule most biometric appointments before the date of the appointment. Previously, benefit requestors and accredited representatives could only reschedule a biometric appointment by calling the USCIS Contact Center. With this new tool, those individuals who have or create a USCIS online account can reschedule most biometric appointments without having to call the Contact Center. The new tool, however, cannot be used to reschedule an appointment that has already been rescheduled two or more times, is within 12 hours, or has already passed.
The biometric services appointment rescheduling tool can be accessed via a USCIS online account regardless of whether the pending case was submitted online or by mail. Benefit requestors and accredited representatives will still have the option to call the USCIS Contact Center to reschedule an appointment, but USCIS strongly encourages users to use the new tool to save time, increase efficiency, and reduce call volume to the USCIS Contact Center.
USCIS is also issuing guidance to explain that it will determine “good cause” when there is an untimely request to reschedule a biometric services appointment, or someone fails to appear for an appointment. Good cause exists when the reschedule request provides sufficient reason for the benefit requestor’s inability to appear on the scheduled date. Sufficient reasons may include, but are not limited to:
- Illness, medical appointment, or hospitalization
- Previously planned travel
- Significant life events such as a wedding, funeral, or graduation ceremony
- Inability to obtain transportation to the appointment location
- Inability to obtain leave from employment or caregiver responsibilities
- Late delivered or undelivered biometric services appointment notice
USCIS only accepts untimely rescheduling requests made to the USCIS Contact Center and does not accept untimely requests to reschedule by mail or in-person at a USCIS office or through the myUSCIS online rescheduling tool.
