Friend is in foreign country - uses my USA address

[pb74]

Hi,

I will be proud citizen of USA soon. I have a friend who is GC holder, and went back to his home country. He is using my address for applying re-entry permit, filing tax returns, and for other mails. Now he is physically outside USA for 11 out of 12 months. He plans to return back, and apply for US citizenship. I am afraid that he may use my address to prove his continuous residence.

Although I want to help him receive his important documents, I am concerned if I am helping an illegal alien to enter USA, and obtain citizenship. Are my concerns valid? If yes, will it have any impact on me in any manner? What can I do to protect myself? TIA.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

He is using my address for applying re-entry permit, filing tax returns, and for other mails. Now he is physically outside USA for 11 out of 12 months. He plans to return back, and apply for US citizenship. I am afraid that he may use my address to prove his continuous residence.

Although I want to help him receive his important documents, I am concerned if I am helping an illegal alien to enter USA, and obtain citizenship. Are my concerns valid? If yes, will it have any impact on me in any manner? What can I do to protect myself? TIA.

I do not see a problem with someone using your address to receive mail.
If they dig more in residency, he has to explain paying rent, paying utilities, paying car and or health insurance with your address. Are you providing any of these?

Last, you said illegal alien ... but did you also not say he has GC?

What is your liability? All you are doing is letting him collect mail at your house. That does not seem to be a complex story to explain.

 

[pb74]

Thanks for responding.

If they dig more in residency, he has to explain paying rent, paying utilities, paying car and or health insurance with your address. Are you providing any of these?

No.

Last, you said illegal alien ... but did you also not say he has GC?

I am afraid that his GC status is already invalid since he did not meet residency requirement last year, and he filed REP this year.

What is your liability? All you are doing is letting him collect mail at your house. That does not seem to be a complex story to explain.

I am not sure if there is liability. That's why I am on this forum No offense to you, just explaining my thought process. Not knowing the law is never the excuse. I just want to make sure I know what's at stake here. Thanks.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

I am afraid that his GC status is already invalid since he did not meet residency requirement last year, and he filed REP this year.

... why are you worried? You need to separate your actions from your knowledge of things which are irrelevant to the situation. You think his GC is invalid because you are reading too many forums. How would you know otherwise? While GC can be at risk, it can not become invalid without someone revoking it ... and if there were proceedings to revoke it, your friend should have known by now.

Now of course, you need to protect your hind. Let's say a friend who was an illegal alien came to your house. What would you do? I myself am not sure. However, I think I would let him collect mail at my address, but not provide any other support such as transferring utilities on his name, signing for a loan as a counter-party, letting him buy a cell phone with your credit card, and so on. But besides that, as long as the only responsibility you have is to hold or forward the mail, I do not see it to be a reason for worry.

But again, separate what you know about the case from what you are doing ... of course you can not lie if you are asked under oath if you suspected your friend's GC to be expired, but I do not think it will get there. For that to happen, there has to be serious fraud inquiry, and your role has to be more than a mailman.

[Edit:] These comments are not based on any legal theory... First hand experiences of people with this experience will be welcome, and I think interesting...

 

[pb74]

sanjoseaug20, thanks for expressing your viewpoint.

My other questions -
Can he use the mail delivered to my address as the proof of his residence address?
Since he is filing returns using my address, can he use the returns as proof that he lived at my address.

I know that this would be a pretty stupid thing for him to do on N400 since any cross-checking can cost him big time.

As far as I am concerned, I won't help him in any other regard, and hope that protects my hind.

 

[McTavish]

He can do as he wishes and claim all the things you mention.
However if you are asked you can state that you were only providing a mailing addres for him.