The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a reminder to immigrants in the US to update their address directly with the agency, warning that changing it only with the US Postal Service (USPS) is not sufficient.
In a recent LinkedIn post, USCIS clarified that USPS does not forward mail from the immigration agency. Therefore, immigrants must inform both USPS and USCIS separately when they move. According to USCIS rules, all non-citizens—except holders of A and G visas and those visiting under the Visa Waiver Program—are required to report a change of address within 10 days of relocation.
USCIS recommends using its Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) tool available under the “My Account” section on the USCIS website. This online option allows for faster updates and ensures compliance with the legal requirement to notify the agency of a new address. Those who do not have an online account can mail Form AR-11 (Alien’s Change of Address Card), but USCIS cautions that manual submissions may lead to delays.
Applicants with pending or approved immigration benefit requests must include receipt numbers for each case while updating their address to ensure that all related records are updated properly.
USCIS emphasized that failure to update an address could result in missed mail and processing delays. It also advised users to use the USPS Look Up a ZIP Code tool to ensure correct formatting of addresses.
For certain immigration programs, additional or alternative address update procedures may apply. Details can be found in the USCIS Policy Manual.