Hirono Announces Program for Mobile Biometrics Services on Neighbor Islands

Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced today that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will conduct a six month mobile biometrics pilot program for immigration benefits on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, and Maui from May through September.

US Sen. Mazie Hirono. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Currently, immigrants who require biometric intake and interview services must travel to Honolulu. The cost factor of air transportation for neighbor island residents is in addition to the time off from work or school, and USCIS processing fees.

“This pilot program will provide neighbor island residents with more equitable access to biometrics services as they apply for immigration benefits,” said Senator Hirono.

In June 2016, Sen. Hirono wrote to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director urging him to restore mobile biometrics services to neighbor islands. This extended pilot program follows a successful one-week biometrics collection on Maui that Senator Hirono announced in January.

“The Hawaiʻi Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association is very pleased that at long last, biometrics services have resumed to most of our neighbor islands. Requiring individuals to travel to Honolulu for biometrics appointments causes significant hardship to Hawaiʻi’s many immigrants who do not live on Oʻahu. We hope the program will continue long past the 6 month pilot time frame,” said Asako Shimazu, Chair, Ameican Immigration Lawyers Association Hawaiʻi Chapter.

USCIS will hold mobile biometrics collection for individuals who have received a biometrics appointment receipt on the following dates:

Maui: April 10-14, May 8-12, June 5-9, July 10-14, August 7-11, September 11-15

Hawaiʻi Island: April 24-28 (Kailua-Kona), May 15-19 (Hilo), June 19-23 (Kailua-Kona), July 17-21 (Hilo), August 21-25 (Kailua-Kona), September 18-22 (Hilo)

Kauaʻi: May 22-26, July 24-28, September 25-29