UGH... Change of address issues

[LoriT 16]

Ok.... We filed for the AOS in October. We moved at the end of January. At that time we changed our address by phone, online and by mail in form. Apparently they didn't get the change of address because they sent our RFE to our old address. We had to get a new medical filled out. Of course, it has our new address on it. Before sending it in, we wanted to check to make sure it had been changed with USCIS. When we called they said they can't give personal information over the phone and we have to make an appointment with our local office to do it in person.

Can all of this be really that difficult??? Why can't they just verify a change of address over the phone? Does anyone have any advice? Anyone been through this? I really don't want to take another day off of work just to go down there and make sure our address was changed. But then again, I don't want to risk a denial or another RFE because the address on the medical doesn't match the address they have on file.

Seriously..... can this all be done now?????

[Visitor 90]

I don't know why they have problems changing addresses. When I got my 10 year unconditional green card we sold our house and moved. We sent the proper form informing INS of our address change (they were INS at the time and later changed to USCIS).

Here's the irony - They replied by sending me a letter to the NEW address saying they would not acknowledge our new address and that I would have to resubmit address change.

I went back to our lawyer and she did it for us. UNBELIEVABLE!!

Sorry not much help to you I know but to answer your question yes a change of address CAN be this difficult sometimes. You aren't alone! It happens!

I've been in my home now for 6 years and have submitted address change online more than once and to this day I STILL do not know what address they have on me as they never acknowledged me.

I'm currently applying for citizenship so when I send in my N-400 forms I will put my current address on those forms and hope for the best.

Good luck!

[LoriT 16]

Wow!!! I don't know what their deal is....

I called again and spoke to them. This time they told me they would put another change of address in the system. I now I have 2 receipt numbers showing our change of address. They told me it would be fine to send the RFE for the medical back in with the correct address. I sure hope so....

[Lainie B 465]

Wow!!! I don't know what their deal is....

I called again and spoke to them. This time they told me they would put another change of address in the system. I now I have 2 receipt numbers showing our change of address. They told me it would be fine to send the RFE for the medical back in with the correct address. I sure hope so....

Maybe put another change of address form in with your RFE response?

PS sorry to hear you have been having so much trouble. I'm glad to hear that the RFE was relatively simple to address though.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Lainie B

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I was going to say the same thing. Tell them your change of address saga in the RFE response, and to please check the address in the system that mails out the greencard. My concern is that the greencard will go to the wrong address and be returned to USCIS. I don't think the medical address will be the issue.

[K&E2009 71]

We have used my Fianceés HOME address for everything since we began the whole K-1 process, even though we don't live there. It's easier to have all our USCIS mail go there and then collect it, rather than bothering to change the address. We'll wait until I have the Greencard until changing, i'd say.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

We have used my Fianceés HOME address for everything since we began the whole K-1 process, even though we don't live there. It's easier to have all our USCIS mail go there and then collect it, rather than bothering to change the address. We'll wait until I have the Greencard until changing, i'd say.

You will have a problem with this, if the officers need to do a random home visit, and it turns out you don't live there, your case will be denied. Furthermore, Aliens and LPRs are required to have a correct address on file with USCIS. If you don't live at the address you say you do, you can get in trouble.

[K&E2009 71]

You will have a problem with this, if the officers need to do a random home visit, and it turns out you don't live there, your case will be denied. Furthermore, Aliens and LPRs are required to have a correct address on file with USCIS. If you don't live at the address you say you do, you can get in trouble.

Part of the reason in using the home address is that her HOME address is on her taxes, pay stubs, bank statements etc.

She is renting in a different city 25 mins away.

When I go to fill out my AOS form, are you suggesting I put the rented address along with an I-864 with the supporting documents addressed to the HOME address??

Wouldn't this cause even more problems!?!

The I-864 comes with a 'Mailing address' and a 'Place of residence'.

Can we put 2 different addresses in here, without doing a formal Change of Address??

Edited March 28, 2012 by Widsy97

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You should put everything in the address where you sleep at night. Like I said, they are allowed to do unannounced home visits and if they show up and it turns out you never lived there, you can guess what will happen. You be violating the requirements of aliens and LPRs by saying you reside at an address that you never have. Home is where you sleep, not your parent's house.

[K&E2009 71]

You should put everything in the address where you sleep at night. Like I said, they are allowed to do unannounced home visits and if they show up and it turns out you never lived there, you can guess what will happen. You be violating the requirements of aliens and LPRs by saying you reside at an address that you never have. Home is where you sleep, not your parent's house.

1. I am not a USC. My home is in Ireland, no matter where in the World I sleep, my home will ALWAYS be Ireland.

2. HER parents house is a secure postal address for us to use. There is no guarantee that letters sent to our apt. will make it there.

3. Is it possible to continue to use her parents house as our postal address, while letting them know our new 'sleeping at night' address?

4. Our apt. is TEMPORARY. We are moving out in September. We have ZERO intention of using that address for anything other than junk mail. NO POINT changing the postal address for bank, credit union, etc. if it's only temporary...IN MY OPINION.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I know you are not a USC - that is why you must comply with the law that aliens and LPR's must properly indicate their home address and notify USCIS within 10 days of every move. I have already told you the requirements and I don't think a philosophical discussion of what "home" means is in order here. Try giving that excuse to USCIS when they discover you have been claiming you live at another address.

You cannot decide not to tell them because you find it convenient.

Here is a guide for new LPRs. You are not a LPR yet, but you can see that you will be required to notify USCIS of any address change within 10 days of your move (see page 8). http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-618.pdf

[K&E2009 71]

I know you are not a USC - that is why you must comply with the law that aliens and LPR's must properly indicate their home address and notify USCIS within 10 days of every move. I have already told you the requirements and I don't think a philosophical discussion of what "home" means is in order here. Try giving that excuse to USCIS when they discover you have been claiming you live at another address.

You cannot decide not to tell them because you find it convenient.

Here is a guide for new LPRs. You are not a LPR yet, but you can see that you will be required to notify USCIS of any address change within 10 days of your move (see page 8). http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-618.pdf

Thanks for the link!

2 questions:

1. I won't be a LPR until I get the Green Card, right??

2. This is from the USCIS website: You do not need to include temporary addresses as long as you maintain your present address as your permanent residence and continue to receive mail there.

Since we're leaving the rented apt. in August/Sept., do you think I would fall into that category??

[VanessaTony 3,567]

1. I won't be a LPR until I get the Green Card, right??

2. This is from the USCIS website: You do not need to include temporary addresses as long as you maintain your present address as your permanent residence and continue to receive mail there.

Since we're leaving the rented apt. in August/Sept., do you think I would fall into that category??

1. Correct, but you ARE an immigrant.

2. I'm going to disagree a little (not entirely) with Harpa on this one. When I was at University my parents address was ALWAYS my "permanent" address and my Uni address was my "term" address. HOWEVER I was living on campus... so that's how I disagree with Harpa. If it truly was a term/temp address leaving the parents is fine.. but your wife is renting an apartment, by sounds of it with at least a year lease, that's not temporary. It's a temporary move perhaps in that you intend to move back eventually but that doesn't make it a temporary address.

My husband moved to Houston and lived there for 2 years, that's not a temp address. When I moved to the US I moved into his address in Houston and I was only there for around 6 months and we had every intention of moving to where we are now around 6 months later, that didn't make my address in Houston "temporary". It just meant I planned on moving. We're considering moving back to Aus, that doesn't mean THIS address is temporary.

The problem you face Widsy is as Harpa said, as an immigrant you are required to keep your address up to date. They can, and have often, visited people at their address. What do you think will happen when they arrive at her parents address and ask to see your room? Your stuff? It's not there because you don't LIVE there. It's your mailing address, not your residential address. If USCIS rocked up at your door, saw you didn't live there you would be denied, it's that simple. Why risk it with semantics?

[K&E2009 71]

1. Correct, but you ARE an immigrant.

2. I'm going to disagree a little (not entirely) with Harpa on this one. When I was at University my parents address was ALWAYS my "permanent" address and my Uni address was my "term" address. HOWEVER I was living on campus... so that's how I disagree with Harpa. If it truly was a term/temp address leaving the parents is fine.. but your wife is renting an apartment, by sounds of it with at least a year lease, that's not temporary. It's a temporary move perhaps in that you intend to move back eventually but that doesn't make it a temporary address.

My husband moved to Houston and lived there for 2 years, that's not a temp address. When I moved to the US I moved into his address in Houston and I was only there for around 6 months and we had every intention of moving to where we are now around 6 months later, that didn't make my address in Houston "temporary". It just meant I planned on moving. We're considering moving back to Aus, that doesn't mean THIS address is temporary.

The problem you face Widsy is as Harpa said, as an immigrant you are required to keep your address up to date. They can, and have often, visited people at their address. What do you think will happen when they arrive at her parents address and ask to see your room? Your stuff? It's not there because you don't LIVE there. It's your mailing address, not your residential address. If USCIS rocked up at your door, saw you didn't live there you would be denied, it's that simple. Why risk it with semantics?

Thanks for the info!

So, I would change my address from A to B with USCIS, but let them know that A is still my mailing address. How about things like my new SS card, drivers licence, bank account?? Which address? I would prefer to use HER PARENTS HOME address for these.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

1. I am not a USC. My home is in Ireland, no matter where in the World I sleep, my home will ALWAYS be Ireland.

2. HER parents house is a secure postal address for us to use. There is no guarantee that letters sent to our apt. will make it there.

3. Is it possible to continue to use her parents house as our postal address, while letting them know our new 'sleeping at night' address?

4. Our apt. is TEMPORARY. We are moving out in September. We have ZERO intention of using that address for anything other than junk mail. NO POINT changing the postal address for bank, credit union, etc. if it's only temporary...IN MY OPINION.

1. I feel a little bad for your wife for you feeling this way. Your HOME should be with your loved ones.

2. As you say, MAILING address, not residential.

3. Yes. With AOS it's a bit of a pain though (nowhere to put mailing vs residential) so put the "mailing" address on the forms and note on your G-325A your residential info.

4. See my other post about this. But yes, you can maintain a POSTAL address but your RESIDENTIAL address will be where you're living now.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony