USCIS Service and Office

How many lives have been ruined because of the US immigration bureaucracy.
This immigration service center is the cleanest and most efficient one that I’ve visited. Yet, some of paper pushers who work here are still rude and condescending.
Instead of abusing their power they should be extremely thankful and respectful toward each immigrant that is setting a foot in this place.

I used this location for my naturalization application. This center is very fast in processing everything. The whole process from me turning in my application to attending the Oath Ceremony is slightly less than 5 months.
The staff are all very friendly too.
12÷1÷2015 Sent my N-​400 application via USPS priority mail.
12÷4÷2015 Application received
12÷8÷2015 Notice was sent to me notifying of receipt of my application
Jan 2016 I believe I went for a biometric fingerprint within a month of turning in my application but can’t remember the exact date. Fingerprint was done in a flash. In and out within 10 mins.
3÷16÷2016 Receive notice to show up in a month for interview.
4÷19÷2016 Interview. You just need to bring the documents required per instructed on the paper. For me I just needed to bring a Driver’s License, the appointment letter, permanent residence card and passports.
The actual interview was very quick as well. Interview itself was about 10 mins and they pass you right on the spot.
Then you wait in the lobby for 10 mins to receive the notice for location of oath in one week’s time. This notice is handed to you instead of being mailed which make the process really quick.
4÷26÷2016 Oath Ceremony

I visited there with my wife for biometric appointment of green card renewal. This was the most efficient and friendly place I’ve ever seen. From the initial greetings, security check, check in and fingerprint/​photo, everything was smooth and flawless.

We had our biometric appointment scheduled at this center last year. My toddler daughter is usually not very friendly with strangers, and hence started crying hysterically when they tried to take her photo.
We were given some extra time to calm her up, but she continued crying. To my surprise, all the USCIS employees were extremely patient and understanding all this while.
They allowed us to come back again after couple of days during off hours, and this time a couple of lady employees put in extra efforts to take my daughter’s photo.
I am really very thankful to everyone at this center for all their extra efforts and help during those stressful moments.

Very pleasant visit. We went for bio metrics appointment for my GC, it’s just straightforward and the staff were very warm and approachable. It took 50 minutes for family of 4, in and out

I have to use this location to help my applicants for processing in the US Army (MAVNI Program) The military coordinator is great! She helped me out a lot with a situation I had with one of my future soldiers. The security for this place is very well conducted. Its a govt. building so you will go through a metal detector. DON’T bring any form of a weapon. You will go to 2 booths to get your ticket nd to figure out which person you need to see. Just like the DMV if you are a walk in you might be waiting for a long time. I HIGHLY suggest you make an appointment and show up 10 – 15 minutes before the appointment time. Parking is usually fine but this place can get crowded. Don’t get an attitude with an of the employees. They deal with a stupid amount of paperwork… Just get your business done and roll out!
«It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.» — Sir Winston Churchill

My mother is 78 years old & she went for an interview the third time. First two times they failed her because she did not understand some questions. Third time she did well in her test. She memorized 100 questions and answers. She was able to answer the questions. The officer Ena failed her third time, reason was she did not speak fluent English. The officer was very rude and she did not ask many questions. Interview took place for less than 10 minutes. Don’t they have any time frame for the interview?

I went here yesterday for biometrics and had a very pleasant experience. I reached about half an hour before my appointment time and was in and out in less than 15minutes.
The biometrics process was pretty straightforward. One needs to go through security check first (it helps if you just carry your id and appointment letter inside to speed up the process). Next go to the reception counter at the biometric area, the staff will hand out a form to fill up. After reviewing the filled forms they will issue a token number. You are called by token number and your finger prints, photo, signatures etc are taken. That’s it.
All the staff that I interacted with were pleasant and helpful. For those complaining about security check, you should know this is standard procedure followed by USCIS and US consulates/​embassy all around the world and there is nothing new about it.

Be aware! There is a guy at the counter who will try to humiliate you for overseeing the «please wait here» sign. I walked in and saw the chairs, so I sat down. Then I see people being called by the numbers so I went to the counter and asked to be checked-​in. This guy, who I wasn’t even asking, started pointing out the «please wait here» sign and making a scene that I didn’t read that sign. Granted, I should have read signs more carefully, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to act is a such disrespectful and foolish manner; acting all crazy, hitting the «please wait here» sign, flipping his arms in the air, and rolling his eyes. I just said «oh my bad» and continued with the check-​in process.
I don’t expect to get a good «customer» service at an immigration office. However, that doesn’t mean that I have to be attacked for overseeing a sign. For Christ’s sakes, it’s their job to direct people and get them get checked-​in! Ugh! Thankfully I will never have to go back to this place ever again!

I went here twice for biometrics appointment. I did a «walk in» cause I wanted to do it earlier than my schedule.
notes:
–Walk ins are welcome. You can come as early as 7:30am so your name would be number 1
–They only start doing walk ins after 9am so you have to wait for a bit without any magazines and no cellphones are allowed inside.
On both times, I finished before 10am

This USCIS Service Center is awesome. I had two experiences, one for the biometrics and one for the I-​485 interview. Both processes were performed with utmost professionalism and the officers were very helpful and considerate. The AOS interview was on time and there was absolutely no waiting — quite unexpected provided the sheer number of applicants they have to handle everyday. Overall, I would rate this center very high. I remember my officer by the name of «Frankel» and he was extremely nice and generous to us (my wife and I).

I was very impressed with the leniency at the Immigration office. My husband and I have been trying to get him legalized for about 7 years now because the first time we applied for his green card we hadn’t been married for 2 years yet, so they only gave him a temporary green card that expired. Now, I’m usually very organized and nag my husband to get on the same level as me, but this time it was me that almost screwed everything up. I did not even realize that my drivers license had expired, and that was my form of legal ID for our appointment. Luckily, they allowed it since it only been expired for about a week. Phew! Thank goodness!
We could not find a babysitter for our 2 year old daughter so she had to join us. Now, mind you, the office is extremely quiet. They has a little corner with a table and crayons for kids, but that’s about it. They make it pretty known that kids aren’t exactly welcome. Sorry! I don’t have the luxury of a ²⁴⁄₇ babysitter. That being said, one of the ladies did go out of her way to interact with my daughter for a little bit and give her some special attention. After that, though, we were given dirty looks by everybody in there.
When we were finally called back, my daughter was obviously bored, like a two year old would be, and did not want to sit in one place. The man who was interviewing us said that my husband could take her back out to the waiting room to fill out the form he needed to, & I can stay in the office to get my portion of the interview done. That’s cool! After about 10 minutes, he walked me out so he could grab my husband and we noticed that my husband and daughter were outside. Come to find later when we left, they actually asked my husband to leave because my daughter was crying too loudly. What!!! My husband had to come all the way back through security to get back into the office for his interview and I sat out in our car with my daughter to keep her entertained.
The man that interviewed us was very polite and tried to make the process simple and easy for us because he could tell it was a hard time. Overall, the way they conduct business is very professional during the actual process, but they need to be a little more accommodating to families. After all, you are an immigration office usually dealing with familial situations.

Here is a sum of my visit. I went in and I was greeted by this guy that looked like he hated everything in life. I could barely hear what he was saying and he clearly did not want to be there talking with me. Then I went to a «security station».
Let me pause here and say that I am just here to have my fingerprints taken. But moving on.
Taken by surprise, I just did what I usually do: Take off my laptop, shoes, etc etc. When my bag when through the scanner, I happen to have a pocket knife in there. The guard was quite rude and said «don’t you know that you have to go through security?». At this point I didn’t want to say anything, he looked pretty angry and I just wanted to get it done.
I understand that if you go into a plane you can’t take certain things; We’re in a flying tin can with no where to run. Thats why I remove stuff like utility knives from the bag. But I don’t remove it when I go to the bank, the doctor, pharmacy, work or even the DMV. Why would I need to do any different here. I should have asked if I could take liquids with more than 100ml…
Anyways, I go back to the car, and drop EVERYTHING except my car keys and my documents. When through security quite well this time, even though they all look more annoyed than before, which I thought was impossible.
I go in, I get in line just to get a paper and «show my hands». After that I fill the paper with the information that is already on the OTHER PAPER and get in line again.
This time I get a number. I sit down.
In this room, you can’t use a phone, you can’t eat, you MUST to sit down. They were calling people out for it! But the numbers go by quite fast, only waited around 15 mins.
I hear my number. I talk with the first nice person I meet ever since I entered the building. He was professional, efficient and was able to smile once in a while. Got out of there 2 mins after I got called. Luckily there were no security checkpoints to go outside.
Key points:
1 — If you hate your job, quit and stop being an asshole.
2 — If you want my finger prints why do I have to take my shoes off and scan my bag? What, I’m going to attack the finger print station?
3 — I’m waiting in a room with no magazines, can’t use my phone, can’t stay standing up. Is this kindergarten and we’re all being grounded?
Worst part is, chances are you don’t even have the right to choose which office to go to. But hey, now you know!

Just had an awful experience. Immigration officer Wu interviewed me. He discarded my request for the name change as part of the naturalization process because he wants me to go to court separately and spend $ 500 because he thinks I got an opportunity to come to this country. Well everyone applying for the citizenship got this opportunity so why is here even an option to change names. Basically discriminated against me. Then he lied to me that USCIS does not work with courts and I do not have an option to take an oath in front of the judge, which is basically against the policies I have read on the USCIS website. Shame on you officer Wu and you are cursed for the rest of my life.
Not only this he also wasted my 1 hour talking about his own personal life and how he became rich and then went bankrupt before taking this job. The actual interview questions didn’t take more that 5 to 10 minutes. But I sat in front of him for 75 minutes.
Beware of this office. They want you to spend unnecessarily more money on government and discriminate against you.

Although I was able to get the job done in a decent amount of time, the staffs were super rude!

Wow, I just had an amazing experience with this field office! Found out last night that my green card expires next week, but I have a trip planned to Switzerland at the end of the month! Yikes! So I scheduled an appointment online last night and was able to get one for 9:15am today! Brought all my paperwork and a copy of the online renewal application. Long story short: I was in and out within less than an hour, including a 10-​months extension sticker plus fingerprinting! Staff was very friendly, respectful and helpful. I remember the awful times years ago when it was «first come, first serve» with huge lines in front of the offices. This is very different now and I am extremely happy with the whole process! Well done.

I had to do my biometrics here and was expecting to spend at least 1 – 2 hours but it took only 15 mins for the whole process. Very quick and surprisingly nice, organized staff!

Went for our biometrics and the process was done pretty fast. Very organised and the staffs were friendly.

Great service. Very fast line. Straight to the point. No cell phones that means very quiet.

had my citizenship processed recently… FINALLY. after waiting for more than 10 years to file…
If you’re like me and keep on delaying applying for your citizenship coz it’s expensive… DO IT NOW. the price will just keep going up…
When i was eligible; i remember it was only $ 400.00. I had to pay $ 680.00 including the biometrics in October 2013 when i applied.
And coming here was great… but scary at the same time…
Biometrics was fast.
Oathtaking was in that room they had at the back. Fast…
My interview was quick and easy because i studied…
So yah… I’m finally an owner of an american passport. Yay!
The whole process took about 3 months.