Im moving - what to do?

[flsusi 3]

hey guys!

need help once again.

I am about 3 weeks away from my citizenship interview - wooohhooooo

however, now I am moving very last minute (did not know about this when I filed, otherwise I would have waited)

Since I am right now a GC Holder I know I need to fill in the AR-11

but I seem to remember that there is something else I need to do? I thought I read this somewhere, but can't remember where and what?

can you help please? I don't want to miss any important mail (of course I have the post office forward my mail, but would prefer that USCIS has the right address at all times)

Thanks!!!

[antda 13]

Hi Flsusi,

Congrats about getting your interview date and good luck with that interview coming up.

In answer to your question:

I was "in between cases" when I moved...I had received my 10yrs green card (in June), then had a baby (in July), then moved (in August), and filed for Citizenship (in September)...(yeah, it was crazy..lol..)....

But in the midst of all that while unpacking and recovering, I somehow managed to do the following (as also mentioned on my detailed VJ timeline):

Chapter 6: "Moved":

2009-08-07: Sent the AR-11 (Alien's Change of Address Card/Form for Ant) (note: form sent to Kentucky)

and I-865 (Sponsor's Notice of Change of Address for D, my husband) (note: form sent to Vermont)

2009-08-17: Received NOA/reciept for D's I-865 form, but no NOA/reciept for Ant's AR-11 form.

Total USCIS AR-11 and I-865 Costs: Free (plus mailing costs of $11 via USPS w/delivery confirmation)

(Note: You can download both forms from the www.uscis.gov website. The AR-11 form you can file online or send by mail. The I-865 form your sponsor has to be sent by mail....)

So yes, you (within 10 days) and your sponsor (within 30 days) have to inform the USCIS about the move too, regardless, as by law, as a permanent residents and their sponsors have to do such, or face conseqences. As well, I also enclosed a copy of the AR-11 forms and I-865 reciept for my US Citizenship application, just in case they missed it when I sent it to them before..

Do not count on the USPS to forward your mail in time, as that can delay things, especially since you are so close to the end of your citizenship journey.

As well, be aware that if you move, you have to be a resident of that district/area for at least 90 days before you can apply for naturalization in that area. For example, if you are moving to a new area, you have to have lived there for 90 days or more to apply there.

In your case, in my opinion (not fact here), I think you should just apply for citizenship at your current address. Hopefully your case will be finished by before you move. If not, you can still move anyways, inform the USCIS about your move, and do the interview and oath at the district where you lived in during the time that you sent in the application (since you lived there for more than 90 days before), but be prepared to travel back to that area (which might or might not be a long distance for you) and to explain about your move if you have moved by then.

Alternatively, you may choose (or the USCIS may choose for you) to do an oath at your new address/location if you have lived there long enough (more than 90 days), but there might be some delay in that, as they have to transfer your case to the new office/area where you moved to.

Not sure how this moving to a new USCIS district/area thing works really ( I moved recently, but it was within the same district/area). I've only read about moving to different districts/areas through other vj posts, so......Any other Vjers can give more insight into this situation?

Personally, I think that you should wait until you are done with citizenship/naturalization before you move....Makes life a lot easier that way...

Hope this helps too. Good luck with the rest of your journey.

Ant

hey guys!

need help once again.

I am about 3 weeks away from my citizenship interview - wooohhooooo

however, now I am moving very last minute (did not know about this when I filed, otherwise I would have waited)

Since I am right now a GC Holder I know I need to fill in the AR-11

but I seem to remember that there is something else I need to do? I thought I read this somewhere, but can't remember where and what?

can you help please? I don't want to miss any important mail (of course I have the post office forward my mail, but would prefer that USCIS has the right address at all times)

Thanks!!!

Edited December 29, 2009 by Ant+D+BabyA

[antda 13]

Oops...realized that you have already applied for citizenship...

So just replace the word "apply" in my previous post...with the words...."continue with".....

Sorry for the mix-up...

Ant

Edited December 29, 2009 by Ant+D+BabyA

[flsusi 3]

Oops...realized that you have already applied for citizenship...

So just replace the word "apply" in my previous post...with the words...."continue with".....

Sorry for the mix-up...

Ant

no problem, thanks a lot for your help.

I now filled in the AR11 online (printed it out to take to the interview) and will call the folks at USCIS tomorrow to find out how to update the information on my pending case.

thankfully the interview letter is here already, and it's three weeks to go until then PLUS whatever time it takes after the interview until the oath - hopefully that's enough for everything to settle