Will USCIS Check My Criminal Background After I Apply for Green Card?

One of the questions asked by the potential green card holders is the investigation phase to be carried out by USCIS. This stage can be considered as a standard control. Suppose you are applying for immigration to the United States. In that case, you already know that your application will include several steps under the name immigration background check.

These steps begin with a medical examination. This includes collecting fingerprints and performing a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This decision often leads to uncertainty among candidates. They don't always know what the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) need to analyze or worry about.

 

Who Needs the Controls Made by USCIS?

The background check phase is very important in terms of eligibility for the green card. If you want to immigrate to the USA, you must fill out a form. This is a requirement regardless of your age, nationality, nationality, or religion. It includes conditions such as rectifying the situation and applying for naturalization using Form I-485.

Anyone who registers for the immigration lottery is subject to criminal and national security checks to ensure they meet the requirements and do not pose a threat to the United States.

 

How Does Immigration Background Check Work?

Biden will positively change DV Program policies, but immigration background control is still working hard. This review consists of three parts. To migrate, you must obtain approval from all three. Otherwise, you cannot guarantee the visa interview or move on to the following immigration process stage.

Please note that USCIS reserves the right to conduct additional investigations if necessary. However, in general, the following controls are considered sufficient.

 

Name Verification Process

Another step of the immigration background check is also known as IBIS name verification. Immigration officials use this system at entry points. It uses a central system that collects information from various institutions, databases, and system interfaces to collect data on public security, national security threats, and other law enforcement issues. The U.S. Customs and Border Service will immediately know if further investigation is needed when you review this system.

 

Fingerprints

Your records are stored in a biometric cabinet. USCIS will inform you that you can attend a biometric service meeting at your local registration support center as soon as you register for immigration.^[*]

Your fingerprints will be sent to the FBI for verification by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Service in West Virginia. This check provides information on all criminal records in the United States.

What Is Checked with Fingerprint?

With fingerprint control, it is checked whether you have a criminal or administrative record or not.

The FBI's fingerprint verification usually takes 24 to 48 hours. If your fingerprints show that you have a criminal record, a complete criminal record report will be sent to USCIS.

Your fingerprints are valid for 15 months from the date the FBI processes them. Suppose you do not attend a biometric visit without notice to USCIS or for a good reason. In that case, your application will be considered rejected. For security reasons, be sure to follow the date and time specified by USCIS whenever possible.

 

FBI Name Verification Stage

FBI name verification is fundamentally different from FBI fingerprint verification. An important step is immigration background check.

Your name is checked across various databases of known criminals or suspects, including the FBI Universal Index, to find a match under this stage. This includes administrative documents, candidates, criminals, employees, and other forms filled in by law enforcement.

This investigation should only take two weeks but may take more than a year due to significant business delays. If no match is found, your immigration application can continue. However, if a match is found, you will be notified within 6 months. In some cases, complex and highly confidential information may take longer to resolve.

Suppose none of these three steps are suitable for illegal or criminal immigration activities. In that case, you are eligible to move on to the next step in the immigration process.

If you are in the immigration background check stage, and you don't have a criminal record. In that case, you don't have to worry about anything. However, it is helpful to know that. Background investigations take time. Therefore, the investigation process carried out for you has been going on for a long time will not mean any negativity. These checks are carried out routinely. Every person applying for a Green Card goes through these investigation stages. However, suppose you do not have any of the adverse situations described here. In that case, you will most likely successfully pass the background investigation phase managed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).