How do I tell USCIS my new address?

This is general information, not legal advice.

Why does this matter so much?

Because USCIS sends almost everything by mail: receipt notices, fingerprint appointments, requests for more evidence, approvals and your new work permit card. If it goes to your old home, you can miss a deadline. A missed deadline can mean a denied case or a gap in your work permit.

The law also requires it. USCIS says all noncitizens in the U.S. must report a move within 10 days. It is free and takes a few minutes.

How do I change it online?

1. Go to uscis.gov/addresschange.
2. Sign in to your USCIS online account, or create one for free.
3. Enter your new address.
4. If you have any case waiting, enter the receipt number for each one. It is printed on your receipt notice: 13 characters, three letters and then ten numbers. Type it without dashes.
5. Save or print the confirmation.

USCIS strongly encourages the online way.

Can I do it by mail instead?

Yes. Fill out Form AR-11 and mail it to the address printed on the form. USCIS says a mailed AR-11 meets the legal requirement. Download the form from the USCIS AR-11 page the day you send it, so you have the current version. On October 21, 2026, USCIS listed the 11/02/22 edition and said it also accepts the 08/31/21 edition.

Do not send a change of address to the USCIS Lockbox, where you mailed your DACA renewal. The Lockbox does not process address changes.

Keep a copy of what you mailed and the date.

Does the Post Office change it for me?

No. Changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service does not change it with USCIS. And USPS will not forward mail from USCIS. You must tell USCIS yourself.

What if I have a case waiting?

Use the online tool and enter the receipt number for every pending case, like a DACA renewal or an advance parole request. That is how USCIS links your new address to each case.

If USCIS already mailed your new work permit to your old address, contact the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 right away.

What if I am in immigration court?

You have a second, separate duty. Immigration court is run by a different agency than USCIS. The federal rule, 8 CFR 1003.15(d)(2), says you must tell the court in writing within 5 days of moving, on Form EOIR-33. The court's own case portal describes it as 5 working days. Count 5 calendar days to be safe. You can send it electronically, in person or by mail. If your case is on appeal at the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Board gets its own EOIR-33 too.

Updating USCIS does not update the court. Federal law says a notice sent to the last address you gave the court counts as notice. If you miss a hearing because it went to your old address, the judge can order you deported without you there. If you have a court case, talk to your lawyer today.

What if I missed mail?

Act fast. Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 with your receipt number. USCIS lets you ask for a "service request" in some cases, for example when a request for evidence went to the wrong address after you had already changed it online or with Form AR-11. That is one reason to keep your confirmation.

There is no appeal of a DACA denial. So the best protection is to keep your address current from the start.

What does this look like in practice?

A made up example, not a real case. Maria has DACA and a renewal pending. She moves from East Palo Alto to San Jose on March 1.

1. On March 3 she signs in to her USCIS account, enters her new address, and types the receipt numbers for her I-821D and her I-765. Both came on her receipt notices.
2. She saves the confirmation page as a PDF and takes a photo of it.
3. She has no court case, so she does not need Form EOIR-33.
4. She tells her employer and her legal clinic, and asks her old landlord to hold any mail.
5. Three weeks later her new work permit arrives at the San Jose address.

If Maria had a court case, she would also file Form EOIR-33 with the court by March 6.

What else should I check?

• Your lawyer needs your new address and phone so they can reach you fast if a notice comes.
• Pending mail. If USCIS already mailed something before you changed your address, it may go to the old home. Ask whoever lives there to keep it, and call the Contact Center.
• A second move. Each move needs a new change. Do it every time, within 10 days.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Who can help?

These are free or low cost legal services. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• California Department of Social Services: map of state funded immigration legal services. Call (916) 651-8017.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (for low income San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents): (650) 326-6440
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (for San Mateo County residents): (650) 558-0915
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City office: (650) 587-1558 to book a free first consultation (appointments only, no drop ins).
• For Santa Clara County residents: Office of Immigrant Relations partners

Only a lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative may give you immigration legal advice. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Related questions

• How to tell USCIS you moved
• What can I do if my DACA renewal is delayed?
• Can I renew my DACA?

A new home is a fresh start. Five minutes today keeps your case on track.