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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Is a foreign national required to submit notice of every change of address to the Department of Homeland Security?
Foreign nationals present in the United States for 30 days or more, regardless of age or gender, are required to notify the Federal government of any change in their address within 10 days. (Parents and legal guardians are held responsible for notification on behalf of minor children.) Individuals in A and G visa status, and naturalized citizens, are exempt from the requirement.
Each individual must complete either Form AR-11 or Form AR-11SR for each change in address. Form AR-11SR is for the use of Special Registrants, those individuals who have been registered during the NSEERS program at a port-of-entry or the local immigration office. Individuals registered in the new US-VISIT program should follow the instructions for address changes provided at the time of registration.
The Form AR-11 is available by calling (800)870-FORM or on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services web page (http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/index.htm). The form should be submitted to the address indicated in the instructions. Although certified or registered mail is not a legal requirement, it is strongly recommended that a photocopy of the completed form and proof of mailing be kept as evidence of compliance with this requirement.
A willful failure to give written notice to the USCIS of a change of address within 10 days of the change is a misdemeanor crime. If convicted, the foreign national (or parent or legal guardian of an alien under age 14 who is required to give notice) can be fined up to $200 or imprisoned up to 30 days, or both. The foreign national may also be subject to removal from the United States. Compliance with the requirement to notify the USCIS of any address change is also a condition of a foreign national’s stay in the United States, and can jeopardize the individual’s ability to obtain a future visa or other immigration benefit. (Source: USCIS)
Additional information on this address change reporting requirement will be found on the USCIS web site listed on the links page.
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