“Fingerprint Fee Was Received”: what it means
USCIS has accepted the biometrics part of your filing. An appointment notice usually comes next.
Checked against USCIS guidance on October 17, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of this page.
What this status means
Some forms require fingerprints and a photo. USCIS uses them to confirm your identity and run the required background and security checks. This message means USCIS has recorded the biometrics part of your filing as accepted.
The name dates from when most forms carried a separate biometrics fee. Since April 1, 2024, the cost of biometrics has been part of the filing fee for most forms, so the message usually does not mean you paid anything extra.
What usually happens next
- USCIS mails a biometrics appointment notice (Form I-797C) with the date, time and Application Support Center (ASC) location. The online status often changes to “Biometrics Appointment Was Scheduled” first.
- For some forms USCIS can reuse an earlier photo instead of booking a new appointment. Not for an N-400, N-600, I-90 or I-485: USCIS says those forms require new biometrics, including a new photo, so expect an appointment.
2 steps · Checklist
Next steps: Fingerprint Fee Was Received
What to do now, as a checklist you can save and tick off.
Make sure USCIS has your current address
Make sure USCIS has your current address, so the appointment notice reaches you. Changing it with the Postal Service is not enough: USPS does not forward mail from USCIS.
Keep the appointment notice when it arrives
When the notice arrives, keep it. You bring it to the appointment with valid photo identification, such as a passport, green card or driver’s license.
Free, and yours to edit — tick items off on the web or in the MyCheck app.
Do I have to pay a separate fingerprint fee?
For most forms, no. The USCIS fee rule that took effect on April 1, 2024 removed the separate biometric services fee in most cases and built the cost into the filing fee.
The rule kept a separate biometric services fee only for Temporary Protected Status and for filings accepted on behalf of the immigration courts (EOIR). Check the fee for your form on the USCIS website before you pay anything.
Will I need a new biometrics appointment if I gave fingerprints before?
It depends on the form. For many forms USCIS can reuse a photo it took within the past 36 months, and may not call you in again.
An N-400, N-600, I-90 or I-485 is different. USCIS does not reuse photos for those forms and says they require new biometrics, including a new photo, so expect an appointment even if you have been fingerprinted before.
What happens if I miss the biometrics appointment?
If you miss it without asking to reschedule or updating your address in time, USCIS can treat the application as abandoned. If you cannot go, reschedule before the appointment rather than after it.
Read more
Sources
General information about how USCIS status messages are used, not legal advice. The notices USCIS mails you are the official record for your case.
