Change of address within VSC

J

jzlthssw

Registered Users (C)
Dear friends,

I live in Columbia, MD and have just filed my N-400 yesterday with VSC (I believe mine will be processed by the Baltimore DO). I may move to NYC in a couple months and heard the processing time will be much slower there than Baltimore DO, so am really hesitant to change my address with INS. I know USPS will forward mail for 6 months, which will likely to cover me until final approval in Baltimore DO. But is this a wise decision? Will they find out that I moved but do not report change of address and what would be the consequences?

I know they may ask for my drivers license at interview. But it's common that people move yet keep old DL, so there is no way to tell from DL, right?

People who had similar experience, would you please share some insights with us?
 
jzlthssw said:
Dear friends,

I live in Columbia, MD and have just filed my N-400 yesterday with VSC (I believe mine will be processed by the Baltimore DO). I may move to NYC in a couple months and heard the processing time will be much slower there than Baltimore DO, so am really hesitant to change my address with INS. I know USPS will forward mail for 6 months, which will likely to cover me until final approval in Baltimore DO. But is this a wise decision? Will they find out that I moved but do not report change of address and what would be the consequences?

I know they may ask for my drivers license at interview. But it's common that people move yet keep old DL, so there is no way to tell from DL, right?

People who had similar experience, would you please share some insights with us?
Click to expand...


If your interview is after April 15th (assuming you don't file for extension) and you are asked for your tax filing (generally they don't ) you might have some explanation to do.
 
what if INS not notified of change of address?

I was reading some information about green card holders on the USCIS web site and they say that permanent residents have to notify them of any change of address, within 10 days of that change.

Well, I've moved several times since I got my green card 04 years ago and I never notified them. However, before my first moving, I called INS and asked them if it was necessary to notify them every time I moved. The lady told that it was not necessary unless I had something pending.

Now, I am nervous and eating my nails because I don't know which information is correct.

Is it going to be a problem for me when I apply for my citizenship? Will they give me a hard time for it?
 
I never notified them and I have moved all over the US. My case for N-400 is in process. I have been scheduled for interview on 5th Jan, 2005.
I think it doesn't matter.
 
Hi everyone:
You don't have to change your address with INS unless you are filing for something. I moved tons of times within 7 years and never changed the address. After I applied for citizenship and moved from one place to another, however, i did notify INS of the address change immediately. You are required to do so by law.
 
JoeF said:
Theat is not true. By law you have to file an AR-11 each time you move, within 10 days of the move
Before 9/11, that has not been enforced. However, after 9/11 several people were deported for failing to file an AR-11.
If you have some application pending with CIS, you have to inform them separately in addition to filing an AR-11.
See http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/address.htm
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JoeF and Phillydude (and everybody else interested):
Thanks for letting me know. I did not know of that law and i never even went to INS website to see if i had to notify them of the address change during all these years prior to my filing N-400. I am sure i am not the only one ;) Let's not scare other GC holders who think they now must change their address prior to filing N-400 :) It's up to them, of course, but i just don't want to make people paranoid.
Deportation cases? Come on! I will never believe that they deport a person for ONLY not notifying the INS of the address change! There definitely is something else involved in those cases: felony or crime...
However, after i filed for N-400, i did notify the INS by filling out AR-11 on time and by calling them in September 04. The same month I did receive the notification at my new address that my new address is now in their central system, so i calmed down.
Well, it turns out the system is so bureaucratic and not always updated, that even after filling out all the required by law forms, the ins still manages messing up...even after we, law-obeying GC holders, did everything required.
In my case, just this week (2 months after i notified the ins of my address change), i found out my oath letter had been sitting at my old address for 2 weeks.Thank God my former landlord did not toss it and let me know i have something from INS. I would have missed my oath!
Good luck to everyone waiting and don't freak out that you did not notify INS of the address change prior to filing for N-400 (there is nothing you can do at this point, right?). MAKE SURE you notify them after filing for N-400!
 
JoeF:
I understand it's a law, i did not argue that. Thanks for sharing this law.
I just really don't want applicants to start panicking and not sleep all night because of this formality they did not know about before filing N-400.
I am sure you are an intelligent person and don't just go by what media says to you :)
Do you really think FBI will tell public at large the REAl reason why those people were deported? NEVER!!! Think about it: if that's the case and the only reason those people were deported was due to failure to report an address change (unwillfully) , then millions of others should have been deported as well, and they weren't. Let's not blow it out of proportion - that's all!
 
questions about changing address

Can someone please help with the following questions?
1. Besides filing the AR-11 form, do I have to call some number to change my address with INS?
2. The time of my change of address will take place between my Fingerprinting and Interview. I'm moving within the same DO (just 5 miles away). Will the change cause any delay? and how much of a delay?
Thank you all!
 
yes, you need to call 1-800 ins number and change it with them over the phone
it should not cause any delays....good luck!
 
USPS don't forward USCIS letters

jzlthssw said:
Dear friends,

I live in Columbia, MD and have just filed my N-400 yesterday with VSC (I believe mine will be processed by the Baltimore DO). I may move to NYC in a couple months and heard the processing time will be much slower there than Baltimore DO, so am really hesitant to change my address with INS. I know USPS will forward mail for 6 months, which will likely to cover me until final approval in Baltimore DO. But is this a wise decision? Will they find out that I moved but do not report change of address and what would be the consequences?

I know they may ask for my drivers license at interview. But it's common that people move yet keep old DL, so there is no way to tell from DL, right?

People who had similar experience, would you please share some insights with us?
Click to expand...


I talked to one of the USCIS rep @ 800 number yesterday and I also asked him about the change of address. he told me that USPS don't forward USCIS letters. I am not sure if he is right or not ??!!!!!
 
Drarmageddon said:
I talked to one of the USCIS rep @ 800 number yesterday and I also asked him about the change of address. he told me that USPS don't forward USCIS letters. I am not sure if he is right or not ??!!!!!
Click to expand...
From my personal experience, they don't. My oath letter was stuck at my old address for 2 weeks and never forwarded by USPS. All the other letters were!!!
Now looking back, i can give one piece of advice to to the applicants who move (even if withink 5 miles distance): make sure the district office updates your address in their computers Even if the national INS updated their records!
 
mfar said:
From my personal experience, they don't. My oath letter was stuck at my old address for 2 weeks and never forwarded by USPS. All the other letters were!!!
Now looking back, i can give one piece of advice to to the applicants who move (even if withink 5 miles distance): make sure the district office updates your address in their computers Even if the national INS updated their records!
Click to expand...
You are correct - Post Office doesn't forward any letter that has "Return Service Requested" stamped on it, which is the case for all INS letters.
Also, make sure you call the 800 number AND file AR-11. The former is to change your address on the N-400 case, the latter is filed in Kentucky INS Data Center (required for all non-citizens, but has nothing to do with the N400).
 
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