Interview scheduled forgot to notify USCIS of new address

[jg121783 3,907]

Hey everyone. I just checked my wife's I-751 status on the USCIS website. After over 2 and a half years it finally says an interview was scheduled on April 7th and a notice was mailed. The only problem is we moved a couple months ago and I totally forgot to change our address with USCIS. A few questions here. How long does it take for them to mail the notice after the interview is scheduled? I'm assuming the notice was already mailed and returned to USCIS being that it has been 10 days already. How long after the notice is the interview scheduled for? Is it possible we already missed the interview date? If I were to call USCIS on Monday would they give me the interview date over the phone? What is the best way to handle this situation? We have moved a few times over the last couple years and I always updated our address with USCIS. I just had so much going on this time it slipped my mind. Can my wife get in trouble for not updating her address?

[Crazy Cat 39,220]

Call USCIS and ask for technical assistance at each prompt.   That will connect you to a human.  Both the immigrant and the sponsor must notify USCIS of address changes.  My wife and I have been waiting for more than 2 years, too.....good luck.

[jg121783 3,907]

I was just reading that the penalty for not notifying USCIS of your change of address within 10 days is a $200 fine and 30 days in jail along with possible deportation. Now I'm a little worried. Do we need to hire an attorney here? The law does use the term "willful" and I was reading that they rarely ever prosecute people for this. Maybe we could argue since we simply forgot it wasn't willful but still I'm a little worried here now.

[Crazy Cat 39,220]

Just now, jg121783 said:

I was just reading that the penalty for not notifying USCIS of your change of address within 10 days is a $200 fine and 30 days in jail along with possible deportation. Now I'm a little worried. Do we need to hire an attorney here? The law does use the term "willful" and I was reading that they rarely ever prosecute people for this. Maybe we could argue since we simply forgot it wasn't willful but still I'm a little worried here now.

Others have forgotten to change their addresses.  I have not seen a single person receive a fine or jail.  In fact, I didn't notify USCIS for about 3 weeks after moving.......no issues at all.  

[RamonGomez 259]

Did you set up mail forwarding with USPS?

 

Fwiw my wife and I bought a house while waiting for our i485 interview. We notified USCIS of our new address. They still sent the interview notice to our old address 8 months later, but USPS forwarded it to our new address, and our lawyer got a copy as well.

 

Call USCIS ASAP. You probably won't get in trouble. Missing the interview will be a lot bigger of an issue. Good luck!

[Nitas_man 3,100]

20 hours ago, jg121783 said:

I was just reading that the penalty for not notifying USCIS of your change of address within 10 days is a $200 fine and 30 days in jail along with possible deportation. Now I'm a little worried. Do we need to hire an attorney here? The law does use the term "willful" and I was reading that they rarely ever prosecute people for this. Maybe we could argue since we simply forgot it wasn't willful but still I'm a little worried here now.

Um just update it.  Proof of “willful” is on them, not the immigrant.  
Your biggest issue is getting to the interview and getting your address updated.  The sponsor has to mail it in, beneficiary can update online.  We’ve moved like 6 times in 14 years, if being late for that was a crime I’d be under the jail.  Mainly because these are employment moves - temporary housing etc.  

 

Blow it off.  You’re good.

Edited April 18, 2021 by Nitas_man

[Nitas_man 3,100]

20 hours ago, Lucky Cat said:

Others have forgotten to change their addresses.  I have not seen a single person receive a fine or jail.  In fact, I didn't notify USCIS for about 3 weeks after moving.......no issues at all.  

I think we’ve all been late at some point or another LOL

[Crazy Cat 39,220]

54 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

I think we’ve all been late at some point or another LOL

and None of us has had to pay a fine or go to jail for it as far as I know....😃

[Nitas_man 3,100]

5 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

and None of us has had to pay a fine or go to jail for it as far as I know....😃

Not yet 😬?  LOL

 

I can see it now:  Nita at N-400 interview.  “No sir I’ve never committed a crime but my $$ of a husband was late on the address change - he’s right outside”

 

I may lawyer up

Edited April 18, 2021 by Nitas_man

[jg121783 3,907]

So basically all I should have to do is call USCIS tomorrow and give them the correct address? Will they tell me over the phone the interview date and location? Will they need to talk to my wife (this will not be possible because of our work schedules)? How far out do they schedule the interview from the date that they schedule it (how much time do we have to prepare in other words)? I have some questions about the interview its self and the steps after it for naturalization but I'll create a separate post as it is kind of a separate topic.

[Crazy Cat 39,220]

1 minute ago, jg121783 said:

So basically all I should have to do is call USCIS tomorrow and give them the correct address? Will they tell me over the phone the interview date and location? Will they need to talk to my wife (this will not be possible because of our work schedules)? How far out do they schedule the interview from the date that they schedule it (how much time do we have to prepare in other words)? I have some questions about the interview its self and the steps after it for naturalization but I'll create a separate post as it is kind of a separate topic.

The immigrant must complete an AR-11 and the sponsor must complete and mail an I-865.