Changing your address
Moving means telling several agencies, separately. USCIS needs Form AR-11 or an online account update within 10 days. The immigration court needs Form EOIR-33/IC and the Board needs EOIR-33/BIA, each within five working days. An affidavit of support sponsor needs Form I-865. None of these updates the others.
Who it is for. Every noncitizen in the United States who moves, plus affidavit of support sponsors.
The forms, in order
- 1
Update USCIS
Filing through a USCIS online account updates pending cases at the same time. A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver Program visitors are exempt.
- 2
Update the immigration court or the Board if you have a case there
Use the dropdown on page two to populate the correct court address, and confirm it against EOIR's Find an Immigration Court page.
- 3
Update the affidavit of support sponsor's address
The penalty for not doing so runs from $250 to $5,000.
- 4
Update the USPS forwarding and any pending case addresses separately
USCIS mail is not always forwarded, and a returned notice can be treated as delivered.
Where it goes wrong
- A USCIS address change does not reach the immigration court, and vice versa. This costs people their cases.
- Missed hearing notices from a stale court address produce in absentia removal orders.
- The sponsor's own obligation on Form I-865 is routinely forgotten and carries a civil penalty.
- USPS forwarding does not reliably cover immigration mail.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- USCIS has tied address reporting more closely to the alien registration requirement since 2025 and has warned that non-reporting can bear on removability.