Change of Address-Reaffirmation of requirement that aliens report address changes.

According to the Immigration Act, any "alien" in the United States (this includes immigrants and nonimmigrants, documented and undocumented, etc.) to notify the Immigration Service within 10 days of any change in their address (8 USC 1305). Failure to do so is considered to be a misdemeanor (8 USC 1306) but more importantly, failure to do so is a ground for deportation [8 USC 1227(a)(3)(A)]. This provision has been in the present law since its inception in 1952. However, until recently, it has hardly ever been enforced. Due to the events of September 11, 2001 and the need for the government to have the ability to contact certain non-citizens in the United States, the Immigration Service has notified the American public of this continuing requirement. With this notification comes the anticipation that the U.S. Government will become more aggressive in enforcing this provision, in the future.Therefore, it would be prudent to file the change of address form with the Immigration Service within 10 days of any future move. This is done by filing a Form AR-11 with the Immigration Service. This form can be downloaded from the Immigration website at www.usdoj.ins.gov. There is no filing fee. To have documentation that such a form is submitted to the Immigration Service, it would be good to send the form with a return receipt requested or by Fed Ex. To be on the safe side, if you have moved in the past without informing the government, you should file one of these forms as soon as possible to demonstrate compliance with the law.

Disclaimer : Nothing on this or associated pages should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information is intended to be general and should not be relied upon for any specific situation.