... in response to Change of Address..., posted by DR on Apr 28, 2002We moved last November, about 2 months after my wife's AOS application was submitted to the INS Chicago office.
Since INS Chicago provides no contact information for "customer service," I tried to use the information on the INS web site. The have a form on that site - AR-11 "Alien's Change of Address Card" - that its supposedly used for reporting a change of address. I sent copies of AR-11 to the Washington address listed on the form and to the Chicago office.
I got a form letter back from Chicago acknowledging receipt of the form. I didn't get any acknowledgement back from Washington. But when INS Chicago finially scheduled my wife's appointment for her Employment Authorization card in March, the notice was sent to our old address. When we went to Chicago for the appointment, I pointed out the address problem to them and was told that the Chicago office doesn't use form AR-11. They have their own form - a cheesy-looking mimeographed thing that calls for the same information as AR-11 in slightly different order. So, we filled out one of their forms for them. We will see if it matters.
Anyway, it seems that every INS office does things differently.
Based on my experience, I suggest:
1) if you can, contact the INS office you are dealing with and ask them how they want you to report the change of address.
2) If you can't get any information out of your local office, try downloading form AR-11 off of the INS web site and submitting it.
3) Be sure to leave a forwarding address with your local post office. They have a form for that.
It seems that the INS doesn't deal with address changes very well. Leave it to them to make what should be a routine matter into a MAJOR PROBLEM! You wonder how these guys can track terrorists when they can't even deal with information that is submitted to them on their own forms.
I hope that you have better luck with your change of address than I did!
