Foreign nationals living in the U.S. for 30 days or more are legally required to report any change of address to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 10 days of moving. This rule does not apply to individuals on A or G visas or ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) visitors, but it does include green card holders. In addition, any individual (U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident) who sponsors a foreign national on a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (usually through a family-based immigration sponsorship process), and whose sponsorship agreement is still in force, must submit a completed and signed Form I-865 within 30 days of moving to USCIS.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently reaffirmed its intent to enforce this rule strictly—noncompliance can lead to fines, jail time, or even removal from the U.S.
Key Reminders:
- USPS address updates do not count.
- Use your USCIS online account or mail in Form AR-11 to report your new address.
- Each person in the household must file separately.
- Keep proof of any submission made online or by mail.
- Do not report previous moves retroactively, only the current address should be reported.
Special note for students and exchange visitors:
F-1 and J-1 visa holders must update their address with their Designated School Official (DSO) within 10 days. The DSO will update the SEVIS system, which satisfies the USCIS requirement.
The above information has been provided by Clark Lau LLC for educational purposes only. Please check in with your attorney to see how this applies to your specific situation.