How to Notify USCIS of an Address Change

 

Immigrants in the United States have to tell USCIS when they move.

 

A less known obligation among immigrants in the United States is the requirement to inform USCIS of any change of address within 10 days of moving. Legal permanent residents (aka green card holders) have this obligation. In fact, many classes of nonimmigrants have this obligation as well. 

 

The Law 

 

Yes - notifying USCIS of any address change is a requirement for immigrants in the United States even when an application is NOT pending. 

 

8 USC §1305(a) states: 

 

“Each alien required to be registered under this subchapter who is within the United States shall notify the Attorney General in writing of each change of address and new address within ten days from the date of such change and furnish with such notice such additional information as the Attorney General may require by regulation.”

 

How to Make the Address Change

 

Luckily, making the change is quite easy. It can be done one of three ways: 

 

1. Call USCIS at (800) 375-5283 and report your address change over the telephone (but be prepared for a wait time of up to an hour or longer!); 

2. Download the single page AR-11 from USCIS, fill it out and mail it to USCIS; or 

3. File the one page AR-11 with USCIS online. 

 

The process is easy and usually doesn’t take longer than an hour. 

 

What if You Don’t Notify USCIS? 

 

Technically, willful failure to notify USCIS of an address change is a misdemeanor, although we’ve yet to learn of someone being prosecuted for this. However, we have heard from colleagues of at least two instances in which a naturalization applicant was found to have failed the “good moral character” requirement for naturalization eligibility based on willful failure to notify USCIS of an address change. 

 

In any case, our motto here is: Don’t give USCIS an excuse to cause you trouble. Good luck! 

 

Want to be represented by us? Book a consultation here to get started right away. 

 

The Law Office of Parviz Malakouti does not guarantee the accuracy of information presented nor assume responsibility for actions taken in reliance of this information. The information in this page could become outdated. Each immigration case is particular and you should consult with a qualified, licensed immigration lawyer about your case before taking any steps.