Biometrics, how long does it take?

I have my biometrics appt tomorrow at 11am, unfortunately I live in the boondocks so I have to drive three hours away, then drive back right after and go back into work. Does anyone know how long the actual appointment is? I know its just fingerprints and a photo, but is it really that simple? Is it like a regular Dr's office where you can be in the sitting room forever waiting.

Are you providing them in Croydon or somewhere in the US?

It will depend on where you are having them done.  For example, DH had his done in Portland, Oregon approx 2 weeks ago on a Friday.  We had to drive 2 1/2 hrs for his appointment and we had to park on the side of a road and feed a meter.  We spent 20 mins in total from when we entered to when we left.  His appointment was at 11am.  He took the whole day off work so we could have a day out in the city etc...  which we don't do too often.

Also just to add, I had to go to the same office for my fingerprints for my US Citizenship in May 2008, my appointment was at 8am and I was literally in there for 10 minutes.

So the answer is it doesn't take long but.......if you are going to a major city which has far busier offices than Portland, Oregon then I can't say how long it will take.  If you are in the UK and going to Croydon then someone will be along to answer what Croydon is like, I can only say what our experiences here in the USA are like regarding Biometrics.

Hope this helps.

Had mine done on april 3rd in Pittsburgh, PA. Showed up 20 minutes early and was out 10 minutes before my scheduled appointment time. Was way easier and faster than I was expecting!

My actual appointment was about an hour, if I remember rightly. Most of it waiting.

Hartford, Connecticut -- and not a nice part of it, either. The woman who took my prints was angry about something and raving. She kept whipping around, shouting to a colleague and gesturing in the air. With my finger.

Took me two hours in Croydon.  3 minutes of actual fingerprinting and photo.  1 hour 57 minutes of waiting.  

Its in the US, Jacksonville to be exact.


Hopefully its that quickly for me and she does it RIGHT.

Just make sure she puts your middle name in if you didn't already state this on the form.

It will depend on where you are having them done.  For example, DH had his done in Portland, Oregon approx 2 weeks ago on a Friday.  We had to drive 2 1/2 hrs for his appointment and we had to park on the side of a road and feed a meter.  We spent 20 mins in total from when we entered to when we left.  His appointment was at 11am.  He took the whole day off work so we could have a day out in the city etc...  which we don't do too often.

Also just to add, I had to go to the same office for my fingerprints for my US Citizenship in May 2008, my appointment was at 8am and I was literally in there for 10 minutes.

So the answer is it doesn't take long but.......if you are going to a major city which has far busier offices than Portland, Oregon then I can't say how long it will take.  If you are in the UK and going to Croydon then someone will be along to answer what Croydon is like, I can only say what our experiences here in the USA are like regarding Biometrics.

Hope this helps.

Oooo, I'll be using that office in June when I do my biometrics, I'm like 45 minutes outside of Portland. It's good to know that they're reasonably quick at least, as long as they do it right

My appt was in Detroit and it took 10 mins max.  I was in and out with no wait.

Oooo, I'll be using that office in June when I do my biometrics, I'm like 45 minutes outside of Portland. It's good to know that they're reasonably quick at least, as long as they do it right

The first time I went there I drove right past the office and promptly got confused and lost in Downtown Portland what with all the one ways 

This time I printed out a Google Street view of the building so I could visually see it and remember this time not to fly right on by.  The office is so nondescript, you wouldn't know they are doing fingerprints etc.. in there.  There is literally a piece of paper stuck in the window telling what the office is all about, the door has a huge 721 over it, other than that you would drive right on by which I did.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=721+Southwest+14th+Avenue++Portland,+OR+97205-1904.&sll=45.514527,-122.677084&sspn=0.003368,0.009506&ie=UTF8&ll=45.520782,-122.686365&spn=0.006735,0.019011&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=45.520708,-122.68642&panoid=FweUyOoZWxsZHSYiF14KhQ&cbp=12,289.7282573186609,,0,1.546275395033862

No kidding, I'd sail by that, I was thinking it'd be some huge government building Thanks for that link, I'll bookmark it, it'll help in the future since once I get lost in Portland, I'm done for  *is horrible with navigating one way streets in Portland*

No kidding, I'd sail by that, I was thinking it'd be some huge government building Thanks for that link, I'll bookmark it, it'll help in the future since once I get lost in Portland, I'm done for  *is horrible with navigating one way streets in Portland*

JFYI It is a one way street so if you do fly by you will have to find a way back around.  Just get directions from where you live and once you get onto SW 14th go really slow.  There is meter parking on both sides of the street so it doesn't matter which lane you end up in as it is one way.

Actually if you are able to you should go and check it out earlier so when the time comes you will have no problems.  The 2nd time around for me was so much easier.  Take Steve to Powells (gotta take him there, wow what an experience) and then go for a walk around downtown, find you way there and then you'll know where it is for your appointment.

A = Powells
B= Biometrics Office

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1005+W.+Burnside,+Portland,+OR+97209+(Powell%27s+Books)&daddr=721+SW+14th&hl=en&geocode=FfygtgIdsAew-CG4LogHP38_Tg%3B&gl=us&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=45.52171,-122.68447&sspn=0.003368,0.009506&ie=UTF8&ll=45.522015,-122.683715&spn=0.003368,0.009506&t=h&z=17

Sorry for hijacking the topic.

New York, and 10 minutes at MOST.  It took me longer to find parking than the actual process.

Sacramento, CA I arrived 2 hours before my appointment on a Friday (after have driven for 2 hours to get there) and was actually let in and done in 5 minutes, then I drove to FedEx & sent in my docs to the Consulate. Had my visa the next business day, Monday.