How to file an Address Change with the USCIS

United States law requires that most non-US citizens report a change of address within 10 days of moving.  The only persons exempt from this requirement are those who are in the United States on A or G non-immigrant status and certain non-immigrants who do not possess a visa and whose current stay in the United States has not exceeded, or will not exceed, 29 days.

Additionally, U.S. citizens who have filed Form I-864 Affidavit of Support to sponsor a foreign national must also report a change of address to immigration.   This change of address must be filed within 30 days of moving.

Please note that changing your address with USPS will not update your address with USCIS.  Rather, affirmative steps must be taken to notify immigration of the address change.  Failing to report a new address promptly can result in a delay to a pending application and it can also lead to fines or result in serious immigration consequences.

Furthermore, if you have multiple pending petitions with USCIS you should ensure that each petition is updated with the new address using each individual petition receipt number.

There are various ways for non-citizens to update their address with immigration:

1. Updating with USCIS online through your USCIS Account.
2. Filing Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card, online: https://egov.uscis.gov/coa/displayCOAForm.do

Note: When you get to the question, “Have you filed an immigration-related application or petition and have not yet received a decision notice, card or document?” do the following:

• Answer “yes” if you still have an application pending that you want USCIS to update your address. From there, you will go to the page that asks you to select the “petition type” that is pending and add the “receipt number” for the pending application, in addition to entering your personal data and new address. If you have multiple applications pending (i.e. I-485, I-131, I-765) select all the case types and the receipt numbers for each case, otherwise USCIS will update the address for only the file you indicate and you may not receive the approval or card for a different, albeit related, petition.
• Answer “no” if you have no pending application and just doing the normal, required address change. From there, you will go to the page that asks you to enter your personal details and new address.

Once the address has been updated, you should receive mail confirmation of your address change.  Please note that if you are able to update the address online, you are not required to mail in Form AR-11.

3. Mailing Form AR-11 to USCIS. If you choose to submit the completed Form AR-11 by mail, please send it to the following address:

US Department of Homeland Security
Citizenship and Immigration Services
ATTN: Change of Address
1344 Pleasant Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Please keep in mind that not everyone is eligible to update their address online. If you are a victim of domestic violence, trafficking, or certain other crimes, then you must fill out Form AR-11 and mail it to the USCIS’s Humanitarian Division.