Reporting
Change of U.S. Address
All nonimmigrants (except those in A or G status), 14 years of
age or older, who will remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer,
are required by law to notify the Immigration and Naturalization
Service (USCIS) within 10 days of a change of address in the U.S.
If you are the parent or legal guardian of a nonimmigrant child
under the age of 14, you are responsible for notifying USCIS of the
child's change of address. Failure to comply with this requirement
is punishable by fine or imprisonment and/or deportation.
Notifying the USCIS
You must complete Form
AR-11 to notify the USCIS if your address has changed since the
last time you were issued a Form I-94 Departure Record (the little
white card in your passport). If you are subject
to Special Registration, you must file Form
AR-11SR, not the AR-11. Copies of both forms are also available
for pickup at the ISSO if you cannot download and print them from
the links provided.
Filing a forwarding address with the
U.S. Postal Service will not satisfy the reporting requirement.
Mail from the U.S. government will not be forwarded by the Post
Office and will be returned to the issuing government agency as
undeliverable.
The ISSO recommends that you make a copy of your
completed AR-11 or AR-11SR for your records before you mail it.
Use Certified Mail and request a Return Receipt from the U.S. Postal
Service. When you receive the Return Receipt, attach it to your
copy of the form. This will provide evidence that you sent notification
of your change of address in case there is a discrepancy with USCIS
records.
Notifying the ISSO
Students in F-1 and J-1 Status
You are additionally required by the USCIS to also inform the ISSO
within 10 days of any change in your U.S. address. If it is impossible
for you to receive mail at your physical residence, you should
report your mailing address to the USCIS, but you must provide your
physical address to the ISSO to keep on record.
After August 1, 2003
After August 1, 2003, F-1 and J-1 students can satisfy all of
the above requirements by notifying the University through the
Office of the
Registrar or the Student Link. However,
if you are subject to Special Registration, you
must still also report your change of address as instructed by
the USCIS under Special Registration requirements.
J-1 Students with a DS-2019 NOT issued by Boston University
J-1 students whose DS-2019 was issued by an institution other
than Boston University, must report their address information
and changes to the institution that issued their document in order
to comply with USCIS regulations.
If You Have an Application Currently Pending
with an USCIS Office
If you have previously filed an application and it is pending with
an USCIS Service Center or District Office (e.g. for work authorization
or petition for Permanent Residence) filing the AR-11 or AR-11SR WILL
NOT update your address with the respective USCIS office.
You must inform the appropriate Service Center or District Office
separately in order to update your address and ensure that you will
receive notifications regarding your application or petition. Contact
the ISSO for instructions on the best way to inform these offices
of your change of address. |
