Over the past two  weeks, many of our clients have received a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services titled “FBI Privacy Requirements for Biometrics Collection by USCIS.” Several have called our office worried that something is wrong with their case. I want to reassure everyone: this is a routine notice, and it requires no action from you.

What is this letter?
If you recently attended a biometrics appointment, where USCIS took your fingerprints and photograph, you may receive this notice. Federal law requires that anyone whose fingerprints are used for an FBI criminal history check be told how that information is collected, used, and protected. This letter simply fulfills that legal requirement.

The notice explains that, since 2017, USCIS has been moving away from one-time background checks to a system called Continuous Immigration Vetting. Under this system, your biometrics stay enrolled with the FBI, so USCIS does not need to repeat the same checks from scratch each time. The letter also lists your privacy rights under 28 C.F.R. § 50.12, including your right to request a copy of your FBI record and to ask for corrections if anything is inaccurate.

Does this mean there is a problem with my case?
No. This letter is not a Request for Evidence, not a Notice of Intent to Deny, and not a sign of any issue with your application. It is being sent to applicants across the board. Many families are receiving one letter for each family member who attended biometrics, including children. The letter itself says it clearly: “You do not need to take any further action at this time.”

What should I do?
Simply file the letter with your immigration records and keep it safe. You do not need to respond, call USCIS, or send any documents. If USCIS needs anything further from you, it will send a separate notice.

As always, if you receive any USCIS correspondence you are unsure about, feel free to share it with your attorney. But for this particular letter, you can rest easy. Keep it for your records and continue with your case as usual.

By: Rahul Reddy

Rahul Reddy is the founding partner of Reddy Neumann Brown PC. He founded our firm in 1997 and has over 28 years of experience practicing employment-based immigration. Rahul‘s vast knowledge of the complex immigration system makes him an invaluable resource and an expert in the field. His personal experience with the immigration system has made him empathetic to each of his clients’ cases and empowered him to help others achieve the American Dream.

Rahul‘s dedication to serving the immigrant community is evident, from his daily free conference calls to his weekly immigration Q&As on Facebook and YouTube Live. He is an active member of the immigrant community and one of the founders of ITServe Alliance. He has been a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1995.