Filing for a green card or U.S. citizenship? Here’s what to expect at your biometrics appointment with USCIS: It’s quick—just 15 to 20 minutes—but it’s a big deal. USCIS will: Take your fingerprints (sometimes one, sometimes all ten) Snap a photo of your eyes Send everything to the FBI for a full background check This is how the government clears you before moving forward with your case. Once your biometrics are cleared, that’s when things really start moving—visa interviews, citizenship appoint