I Moved. Should I File a Change of Address?

If you have a case pending with the Asylum Office and you move, you are supposed to file a change of address (form AR-11) within 10 days. It should be that easy, but of course, these days at the Asylum Office, nothing is easy.

Does this count as a permanent address?
Does this count as a permanent address?

The first problem is that if you move and you file a change of address, it could affect your eligibility for an Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”)–a work permit. Once your case is received by the Asylum Division, the “Asylum Clock” starts to count time. When the Clock reaches 180 days, you are eligible for an EAD (you can mail your EAD application after 150 days, but unless the Clock reaches 180 days, you will not receive the EAD). The problem is that if you do anything to cause a delay in your case, the Clock will stop and you won’t get your EAD, at least not for a long time. [Update 04/12/2017: Moving your case to a new Asylum Office should not stop the clock; this rule was changed by USCIS].

The Clock stops if you fail to appear for an interview or a fingerprint appointment, or if you move your case to a different Asylum Office–all these things are considered applicant-caused delay. Therefore, if you move, and the move results in your case transferring to a different Asylum Office, you may lose your opportunity to get an EAD (to see whether a particular move will cause your case to transfer to a new Asylum Office, you can check here).

In theory, the solution to this problem is easy: Don’t move until after you receive your EAD. In reality, it is not always so simple. People who file for asylum often do not have stable addresses in the United States (they’re refugees after all), and so it can be difficult to maintain a permanent address for long enough to receive the EAD. If at all possible, you should find a long-term address and use that address when you file your case. This will potentially save you a lot of trouble down the line.

For those unlucky few who must move their case to a different asylum office, you have to make a choice: Change your address–as the law requires–and likely lose the EAD (if less than 180 days have passed on the Clock), or violate the law by either keeping the old address (assuming you can still get mail there) or using another address within the jurisdiction of the original asylum office. If you choose to violate the law, you will probably get the EAD, but you could be subject to civil and criminal penalties (a fine and up to 30 days in jail), and it could affect the outcome of your asylum case (“So, Ms. Asylum-Seeker, you lied to us about your address. What else are you lying about?”).

Another problem for people who change Asylum Offices is that the transfer can cause delay (though I’ve seen examples both ways – usually a move makes the case slower, but in other cases, it seems to make the case faster). It may also put you far away from the lawyer who initially prepared your case or other people who are assisting you. There is not much you can do about these things, but they are good to think about before you file the case.

A third problem occurs when you move for a temporary period of time. I see this a lot: People move to a new city for school or work, but they do not change their “permanent” address. In this case, it is sometimes difficult to know whether to file a change of address form. If you change your address again and again, you will potentially bounce around between different asylum offices and never get an interview. On the other hand, the Asylum Officer might be suspicious if you list your home address in one city, but you are working or studying in a distant city. When my clients make a “temporary” move, I advise them to keep as much of their documents at their “permanent” address as possible: Driver’s license, tax documents, bank accounts, etc. Even so, it is unclear whether we are violating the law by not informing DHS about the temporary move. Indeed, the law itself (INA § 265) provides little guidance. At least in my experience, the Asylum Office is fairly lenient on people who make temporary moves, as long as there is evidence that they have maintained the permanent address.

As a lawyer, of course, I cannot advise anyone to violate the law by not filing a change of address form. But I would offer that if you are thinking about violating the law in order to get your EAD or keep your case from being transferred, you should talk to a lawyer first about your specific case. It may seem easy enough to not inform USCIS of an address change, but I have seen this play out at asylum interviews, and I recently almost had a big problem for one client who failed to inform USCIS about his change of address (let’s just say I was chastised by the Asylum Officer, which made me feel kind-of bad (Jewish guilt and all that), but fortunately, the client received asylum).

In the end, the best way to avoid a problem is to file the asylum application using an address where you can remain for a while. In the days before the backlog, when cases only took a few months, this was not difficult. But now, like everything else related to asylum, it ain’t easy.

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659 comments

  1. Hello,Dear Jason,
    I have a few questions.
    if I change my address in the same city and state,
    1 Can i change of address by online?
    2 does this delay my EAD application?
    3 I’m in I589 pending now,so What should I answer this question:”Is this change of address for an application or petition currently in progress?” is it a “Yes”or”No”?
    thank u so much! have a great day!

    Reply
    • You can change it on-line but also submit an AR-11 to the local office. This should not delay your EAD. As to question 3, I cannot give specific advice on how to answer questions on forms – However, if you have a I-589 pending, and there is no decision yet, then your case is still in progress. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  2. Hey sir please i have a question
    What if I change the address by moving to a different city but in the same state and under the justification of the same asylum officiie hmm will that effect bad and make my appointment get more late? Or it’s okay as long as its in the same state and under the justification of the same office?

    Reply
    • You can check the jurisdiction of the new and old address by entering your zip code in the Asylum Office Locator (a link is at right). If the asylum office is the same, then moving will have no effect on your case. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  3. Hello Mr Jason

    I applied for my Asylum and got me EAD. I had to move to New Jersey from California where my application for asylum was submitted. I applied for change of address which is also completed and i have a letter from USCIS about change of address confirmation.

    I applied for EAD renewal and its almost three months that i have not received it. I contacted the USCIS office and they sent an answer saying that they have had to perform additional reviews on the case thats why it has caused longer processing time.

    My question is there any problem caused by change of address for EAD renewal? i know that address change can cause the problem for getting the EAD first time.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • The only problem a change of address can cause is that USCIS will not process it, and they will send your card to the old address. Assuming they have the change, it should not affect the timing of the EAD. We are seeing renewals take about 4 months, so hopefully you will get the card soon. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you so much for the reply. my address has been changed as i got a confirmation from the Newark office also the receipt notice for EAD came to my current address so i guess its juts the processing delays and i have to wait. my only concern is that my licence has expired and i cant renew it until i get the card. any way of getting a renewal without the EAD?

        Reply
        • i mean what do people do in these situations when their EAD is delayed and their drivers licence expirs? is there a way to get an extension or something?

          Reply
        • Not that I know of. I did a posting on January 28, 2016 that talks about the new rule, which hopefully will go into effect soon, and make this situation better. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  4. Hi Jason,

    Thanks for all your help. I have a question, is changing my physical address for a job offer out of the district to another state will also lead to changing or transferring my asylum application to a new asylum office (specially that transferring will cause delay)?

    Reply
    • You can check by entering your old and new zip codes in the Asylum Office Locator (a link is at right). Supposedly, if you move your case to a different asylum office, you keep your place in the queue. I am not 100% confident that this is true, and if you move, you should contact the old and new offices to follow up and make sure the transfer was completed properly. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  5. Hello MR Jason
    i apply for asylum CA last yers i received my SSN and work permit and i go to Virginia as visitor .how many days i can stay here as visitor ?
    and if i stay for long time like 2 month as just visitor do i should change address ?
    What is the time allowed by law to stay out of California as visitor

    Reply
    • There is no definition about this. If you are keeping your CA address (permanent home, driver’s license, tax filings, family is in CA), than I do not see why you would need to change your address. Especially if you are only leaving your CA address for a few months and planning to return back there. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  6. Hello and Thanks for Help MR Jason
    i apply for asylum and i receive ssn and work permit in california i move to virginia as visitor and i dont change my address as im visitor and i will back soon to california i want apply for driver license in virginia …do i need change adress for apply here in virginia or i can keep address in california and i apply driver license in virginia ?
    i afraid if USCIS will see that as i move for ever and i should change address

    Reply
    • If your main address is CA, you are probably better off getting a license in CA. If you get a license from VA and your asylum case is in CA, the asylum office might think you lied to them about your address. If you lied about your address, they might think you are lying about your case. You have to be careful about this issue, and if you are not sure, talk to a lawyer for help. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  7. Hi Jason
    I changed my address almost 3 months ago by mailing the change address form to USCIS – san francisco. Its not a major change, I just moved from one apartment to another in the same area.
    I never recieved any confirmation for the change of address from USCIS. Is it usuall? and how to make sure, the address is changed?

    Reply
    • Normally, USCIS does not confirm a change of address. You should also file the form AR-11 with the local asylum office. You can contact the local asylum office to check whether your address was changed – you can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  8. Hello MR Jason
    i apply for asylum CA last yers i received my SSN and work permit and i want to move to Virginia for marriege but i want keep my asylum case
    is it possible ? or if i marry and i apply for green card through marriage i will lose my asylum case
    if i cant !! is it possible to i stop temporary asylum file and marry . in the case of marriage doesn’t work and we divorce Before I got my green card i’ll reopen my asylum case ?? because i afraid if i lost a both case USCIS will deport me at the time when my life is in danger if i back home country. my respect

    Reply
    • Even if you marry a US citizen, you can continue your asylum case until you get an answer. Generally, though, it is faster to get your green card based on marriage, but this is not required (and some asylum seekers are not eligible to get their green card this way). Anyway, you can continue your asylum case. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  9. Dear Mr. Jason,

    I have applied for my asylum case without a lawyer from California- Los Angeles on Dec 2015. I have applied for my EAD already and so far only got a notice that they received my request.Recently, I discovered i have some missing documents in my case and some other technical mistakes. I had to move to Arlington, VA 2 weeks ago for a temporar time and I kinda got a chance of getting help by a nonprofit organisation to hire a lawyer in DC, the only problem is that one of their main conditions to handle my case was transferring my file to Virginia. I really feel lost and have lots of question about that, specially LA asylum office is still working on 2011-2012 files but on the other hand, changing my address would cause a delay on my interview date according to what I was reading in this blog.
    Would changing my address to VA after I get my EAD will stop my clock?
    Would working and driving with an EAD and DL issued by California state would effect me somehow in Virginia ?
    What is the importance of the clock and how does it work ?
    what would you advice me to do about transferring the case ?

    thank you in advance

    Reply
    • If you have filed for your asylum more than 180 days ago, you can get your EAD even if you move (and indeed, even if you move before 180 days you supposedly can get an EAD, but I would not trust that). If you move your case, USCIS says you keep your place in the queue, though you may have to follow up with the asylum offices to make sure the case gets moved. I think if you want to live in Virginia, you should move the case. Probably you will get an interview sooner and it will be helpful to have a lawyer. As for the DL, if you live in Virginia, you can get a new one in Virginia. As for documents, you can submit those prior to the interview, and you can make corrections at the interview. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  10. Hello, Jason.

    First of all wanted to say thank you for the article, it’s been really helpful. December 2015 I filed my asylum application from my Brooklyn address. I got my EAD and everything was great. Couples of months ago I moved to Manhattan and notified USCIS that the address has been changed. Right after I changed the address I applied for the EAD renewal with my new Manhattan address written down in the application.

    So now I got three questions:
    1. Is it going to affect (delay) somehow getting my new EAD at all?
    2. Is Manhattan under NJ jurisdiction vs NY jurisdiction?
    3. If I’m going to be automatically sent to the end of the queue ? It’s not only going to be very bad to be sent to the end of the line as well as NJ’s interview schedule is one year behind NY’s.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • I’m sorry I meant December 2014.

      Thank you

      Reply
    • 1 – I do not think so; 2 – I believe it is under NY; you can check if you go to the link at right called Asylum Office Locator and enter your zip code; 3 – Supposedly you keep your place in the queue if you change offices. I think you should follow up with the offices to make sure the case is moved and, if your interview does not get scheduled according to the Bulletin, you should contact the new office to ask about I. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  11. Hi Jason
    I did Change the address online, the website asked me for receipt number I tried many times and didn’t work, it said (invalid receipt number).
    then I sent the request without filling the reciept number and it went through and sent me a confirmation E-mail, my question is:
    1-Do I need to Send AR11 too?
    2-Do I have to contact the Assylum office and send them another request or thats it?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • We always file a paper copy of the AR-11 with the Asylum Office. If you want them to move your case to a new Asylum Office, you should follow up, as cases do not always get moved by filing the AR-11. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  12. Dear Jason,
    First I would like to thank you for your blog. It is very helpful for a person like me. I filed my asylum case on Arlington USCIS office and on September 2015, I got my EAD from Dallas, Texas USCIS office. Currently I am living in Colorado and I inform USCIS the Colorado address. My question is 1) when is the right time to ask a renewal of EAD 2) which USCIS office (Phoenix or Dallas) is the right to request renewal of EAD?

    Reply
    • You should file to renew the EAD 120 days before the current card expires (that is the soonest you can file). You have to use your current address. The instructions on the I-765 tell you where to mail it. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  13. Hey Jason,

    Thank you for this great article, wish i’ve read it before moving my case from LA to SF asylum office.

    Well i submitted my papers may 9th 2015 then i changed my address august 1st 2015 almost 73 days after submittingf my papers.i applied for the EAD card and got refused twice and till today i didn’t receive my EAD card. i went to the asylum office today ” a year after submitting my papers” the lady there told me that the clock has stopped at 73 days. i told her it stopped when i moved last august. she replied that the clock wont restart as a punishment for me that i moved my case from one asylum office to another and that i have to wait for 2 to 3 years for my interview then i can have my EAD card.

    My question is: is what she said about punishment legal? according to law i can change my address the only thing that will affect me is restarting the clock.
    what should i do? who should i go to? is there any legal reference i can use? my lawyer said that the lady is bullshitting.

    please advise coz i have been here for a year and half and all my savings are gone.

    Reply
    • I would try again with the Asylum Office – and ask to speak to a supervisor. I believe the new policy is that the clock should not be stopped. Hopefully, the supervisor can help. Also, you can contact the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is provided at the right. They might be able to help too. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you Jason. i’ll give it a try with the Asylum Office again.

        Reply
  14. Hi Jason,

    I wish to ask if my place in the queue will be maintained if i move my asylum case from a slow office to a faster one.For example if i applied in Los Angeles in 2013 and my case is moved to Houston 2016.Will i have my file treated faster in Houston like a 2013 file?

    Reply
    • According to USCIS, if you move, you will keep your place in the queue, meaning that you will get an interview faster. I am not 100% convinced that this always works, and you may have to contact the old and/or new asylum office to make sure your case is not lost in the mix. Theoretically, at least, it should be faster. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
  15. I need to move to another city that lies under another jurisdiction than the one i initially filed with. Some people are warning me against doing this and they say my case could sink in a black hole between the two asylum offices and that might delay my case to forever. is this true ? is there some risks of my case vanishing between the two offices ?

    Reply
    • If you move, USCIS says your place in the queue and there will be no (or minimal) additional delay. I am not 100% convinced that this is true. I also think it is best not to move until you have your work permit (also called EAD). I do not think your case will disappear if you move. However, after you file the change of address, you should follow up in a month or two with your old office to make sure that the case was actually moved. If you need their contact info, follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • i already have my EAD.

        Reply
  16. is moving the case to another jurisdiction after 180 days have passed on the clock causes a problem with renewing the EAD? In other words, do you mean it is best not to change the address before 180 days have paased for the EAD?

    Reply
    • I think it is best not to move until you have the EAD card in your hand. You should be ok if you move after 180 days even if you do not have the card. And, according to USCIS, moving should not cause you to lose the EAD. I do not trust that that is the case, and so I advise my clients that it is safer not to move until 180 days have passed, or better yet, until they have the card in their hands. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  17. Hai Jason

    I have a doubt I already claimed for asylum in NY and I live in newYork but I works 3 day in NewJersey so I can make license from NJ if I made I get any trouble in my case or I can make ya not ? can u tell me clearly what have rule please I would be appreciated you . Because some friends told me .

    Reply
    • There is no rule. However, if you have a legitimate address in NY, and an address there, you should be fine. If you are not sure, you should talk to a lawyer about this, so you can explain the specifics of your case and get proper advice. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  18. good day, Mr Jason
    I’m residence NYC. I’m in a process political asylum. My case but when after interview in a court now and In already knew the court day in 2017.
    I can say it a last step, a one more year.
    But now I have to be in California, I’m here for job experience for 6-8 months. And in may my old card Work Authorization will be expired but as usual I submitted on a new one / of course like a resident NYC) but when I’ll receive it nobody know / USCIS talk about 90 days, but in reality can be more). I cannot come back in NYC and waiting when it will be in my mail. BUT I have to change my driver license in may , after Work Authorization, and THIS is my Question! how can I do that?
    My friend can send me new work card but how can I renewal my driver license if I’m in CA/ and again I cannot go in NYC and waiting).thank you !

    Reply
    • I do not know about NY driver’s licenses. However, if the government knows you are living in CA, but you are doing your case in NY, it could cause problems for you – you are supposed to update the government about your new address. Hopefully, if your case is in court, you have a lawyer who can advise you about this, and other issues. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
      • But is it make sense that I’m temporary here in CA. Just few months. All my papers in NYC and I didn’t change address even TAX 2015 I did in NYC because Im in CA since end of Nov. and I think Ill come back in Jun-July / my work in CA will be over/.

        Reply
        • I really know very little about your case, so I can’t give much advice – if you are concerned about it, you may want to consult with a lawyer who can learn about your case and advise you. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  19. Dear Jason

    I applied for asylum in 2012, in New Jersey. After a long waiting time I finally got interviewed (in June 2015), denied and sent before the judge. In December 2015 I received a hearing notice for December 2019. In the mid time I got hired by another company in Texas so I finally moved down to Texas. According to the law and trying to moved my case to Texas I filled a change of address form to notify USCIS on March 12, 2016. On April 5, 2016 I received a “notice of hearing in removal proceeding immigration court”, my master hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2016. I don’t know what to do now and I am so confused. I had a lawyer but I recently decided to take him off my case because he is careless. what can you advise me to do?
    Because I still want to move my case in Texas and I don’t know what to do…
    P.S. this lawyer lost some of my documents (original) and I was denied for Asylum because i wasn’t able to show them at my interview…
    Thank You Jason

    Didier

    Please help me

    Reply
    • You may want to file a bar complaint about the lawyer losing your documents. This will give him an incentive to find them. As for the case, if the Master Calendar Hearing is in NJ and you are in TX, you can find a lawyer in TX and have that lawyer move your case. You have to inform the court if you move, using form EOIR-33 (not form AR-11, which is used to change addresses with the asylum office or USCIS). You must either move your case or attend the June 15 hearing, so you should do one or the other. But it seems to me, if you live in TX, you will need to move your case there, which means you need a lawyer in TX, not in NJ. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  20. Hi!!! I have a question what if my asylum case was approved already but I don’t have a green card yet. I wanted to apply for it but we moved to a new address. Do I have to change address in the immigration system or it’s fine just to change it in dmv office? Thank you

    Reply
  21. Dear,

    I did my interview on Dec,2014 in Missouri , I decided to move to another state Rhode Island,my question do I am allowed to move is that make any late in my case , can you advise me please

    Thank you

    Reply
    • If you move after the interview, it should not affect your case. You have to tell the asylum office by giving them the form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you

        I did my interview but I am still waiting for the decisions

        Reply
  22. Hi Jason
    I file my I-765 with different address than I wrote in I-589. I did not file change of address form because the old address is very near to me. shall they reject my I-765 because they did not find the same address on the I-589 notice?
    What do you think?

    Reply
    • I doubt they will reject the I-765, but you should update your address with the asylum office so that you can receive mail from them. You do that by giving the asylum office a form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • You told us changing address will delay the EAD.

        Reply
        • Supposedly, now it does not (at least for asylum office cases). However, I am not convinced that all the asylum offices follow this policy and so it is better to wait until you have the EAD to move (a move only affects the EAD if the move causes you to change asylum offices). Take care, Jason

          Reply
  23. Dear Jason,

    What if I change my address in the same city and state? Does that stop my clock? Tnx

    Reply
    • You can check your old address and the new address using the Asylum Office Locator – a link is at right. If it is the same office, it should not affect the clock. If you move within the same city, it should be the same office. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  24. Hi jason
    My asylum case has been pending since 2014 in Los Angeles. It has been 2 years. I have noticed to San Francisco office and it is getting close to the date of my case so I have decided to move to a city in NorCal with Po box number and a physical address but I want to live in SoCal. Do you think it is gonna be a problem at interview.

    Reply
    • It could be a problem – if USCIS thinks you are only using the address to get a faster interview date, and not really living there, they may believe that you lied about your address. If you are “lying” about your address, they may think you are lying about other aspects of your case. If you can show that you are actually living at the new address, at least for much of the time, that would help avoid this problem. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  25. Hi Jason

    I got my EAD recently based on my pending asylum case. I moved to another Jurisdiction and want to file an address change but not sure which receipt no I should use to file my address change, the receipt no of my initially filled asylum case or receipt no of my EAD application. Please suggest.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • We file our address changes with the local asylum office where the case was – not to the new office. You can find addresses for each asylum office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  26. Hi, I am in Seattle. I applied asylum case in 2014 in Seattle & my case is still pending, but I have work permit. So my question is during pending asylum case I want to move houston so do I need to inform to asylum office about my moving. Because I want to move but I don’t want to move my asylum case to houston so is it possible if I request to asylum office please don’t move my case to houston.

    Reply
    • If you move temporarily, for a short-term job or for school, maybe you can avoid telling them you moved, but if this is a permanent move, and you give up your old address, get a TX driver’s license, and pay taxes in TX, I do not see how you avoid telling them (and if you don’t tell them, it could adversely affect your case). If you are not sure, you should consult a lawyer. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
      • Hi Jason,
        Thanks for reply
        I have a Wasington Id & license so i will not apply tx id or license. Is it possible if you work in tx & pay your taxes in wa. And my old address still my friends living, so they will inform me if usics send me any letter. Do you think the time of interview they will ask about your job. Did they check during asylum case how much you earn.
        Please reply

        Reply
        • They do ask about the jobs at the interview, and if they think you are lying about your address, it could cause problems for you (they might think you are lying about other parts of your case). If you have made a permanent move, it is required that you inform the asylum office, and it is the best approach, so that you do not have a problem at the interview. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  27. Dear Jason,
    Really appreciate what you are doing here. You’re a last hope for many of us.

    i’ve applied for asylum on July 23, 2015 in New Jersey, later on in October i moved to North Carolina and immediately notified USCIS with AR-11 that my address has been changed(i didn’t know that it could somehow affect my case) and when 153 days elapsed on the master calendar applied for EAD. Got it denied. After weeks of calling USCIS i finally sent a mail and got response from Arlingtnon,VA:

    ” Your clock stopped at 153 days and will not restart until the time of your interview. When you moved to our jurisdiction your clock was stopped. Unfortunately due to your clock stopping at 153 days, you are not eligible for an Employment Authorization Card. We are unable to provide you a time frame on when you will be scheduled for an interview. Our office is currently backlogged and is scheduling applicants who applied on or before September 2013 and unaccompanied minors”

    You’ve mentioned several times in this thread, that people in this situation can contact the local asylum office, and they should correct the problem.
    Local means – Arlington,VA where my case is pending, right?
    Is there any law, case or statute i can point them out if they refuse to restart my clock?
    Regards,
    Alex

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, I do not have any rule you can point to. At the Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting in December 2015, the Asylum Division Director told us that the clock should not be stopped when a person moves to a new jurisdiction. Typically, there is a memo about such changes, but I have not seen it. Maybe you can contact the local office (contact info can be found if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator) and tell them this. If you can go there in person (only on Wednesday mornings), you can ask about it, and ask to see a supervisor (though I am not sure if they will let you see a supervisor). Anyway, I would start by emailing them. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
  28. Hi, I applied for my first EAD at Houston office first week of Feb 16 (150days over). How long does it take to get my EAD approved? Houston office is considered to be tough on Asylum cases, is it correct? When can I expect interview? – Thanks for your help.

    Reply
    • EADs have been taking about 4 months lately, though recently I have been hearing about people getting them in about 2 months. As for your other questions, I wrote a blog post about that last week. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  29. Hello, Jason!

    I didn’t know about this problem, so I notified USCIS about change of the address, so my clock stopped at 153 day and my EAD was denied. What is my next step? Can I just file the I-765 again? When will my clock restart?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Supposedly USCIS has changed this policy and the clock should not stop. Some people who work at USCIS seem not to know about the change, however. You should contact your local asylum office (contact info can be found if you follow the link Asylum Office Locator on the right side of this page) and they should be able to fix the problem. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
  30. Hi Jason , I’m already sent and receive the form ar-11 . But today I called the customer service and they told me is necessary send a letter to NY Asylum Office ( new address ) and Miami (old address) .. Do you know how is the content or process?

    Reply
    • When we move a case or change an address, we submit the form AR-11 directly to the local asylum office (the old office, not the one you are moving to). This has always worked just fine for our clients. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  31. Hi Jason,
    Thank you for your information.
    I moved from texas to virginia because i got a job here. It has been only a month now. i have not changed my address yet because i am on probation and will know i will be permanent in a month or so also i dont have my own apartment and i am currently staying with a friend. but now i need to buy a car so i suppose i have to change my drivers license to virginia giving my friend’s address in virginia. Will the asylum office know about this? I will definetly change my address but want to have my own apartment also need to know my probation period is over.

    Thanks
    TJ

    Reply
    • I doubt you need a VA driver’s license to buy a car there, but I do not know. The asylum office will not know if you change your driver’s license. If you are on probation, it seems reasonable to wait until that is done before you file the change of address with the asylum office, and I doubt that this will cause you any problems. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you Jason for the response!
        I have another question. I applied my asylum through my attorney. May I ask the procedure how I can get the documents I have had with my lawyer so far about my case, or transfer it to another attorney (if I get one )?. Is it like she simply gives the document to me or what? Also does my lawyer need to let USCIS know that she no more is going to represent me? I know I should ask her about this but she is in her maternity leave.

        Thanks and have a pleasant weekend!

        Reply
        • I actually wants to change a lawyer because she can’t represent me outside Texas.

          Reply
        • A lawyer is required to give a client a copy of his file. The lawyer can charge you for copying, but that is all. If you want her to withdraw as the lawyer, you can ask her and she can file a paper withdrawing. Or, if you find a new lawyer, the new lawyer can enter her appearance and ask that the old lawyer be removed. It is pretty easy and happens all the time. Take care, Jason

          Reply
          • Thank you very much and God bless!

  32. Hi, if I have an EAD from Indiana State and moved to New York after, will that EDA from Indiana be valid to work in New York?

    Reply
    • If you have an EAD, it is valid throughout the entire US. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  33. hi this karthick ,i filled aslyum in california state last apr 1 2014 , now i wanna move to another state ,can i go to another state my case status to change other state. or keep in my old state . can u plz clear with is one

    Reply
    • You can check the Asylum Office Locator – a link is at the right. If you type in your new zip code, you will see whether your case is moved to a new office. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  34. Hi Jason,
    I filed for asylum in NY and i have been staying there with my brother and his family and i actually listed that as my permanent address! Would i have to file for a change of address and transfere my case If i move after i get EAD? i mean it is my brother’s address and in the States it has been my contact address for a long time!

    Thank you for your help and services

    Mo

    Reply
    • There is no yes or no answer. If the move is a permanent move, you should probably change your address, but if it is a temporary move, you might not want to. You may want to talk to a lawyer about your specific situation, as I do not know enough to advise you. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  35. Hi Jason,
    My boyfriend has a pending asylum case in NYC and obtained a work permit, then moved to CA last February for a job and never changed his address. He recently obtained a U.S. Driver’s License in CA as well. If he changes his address now, what penalties could he face?
    Thank you for you time.

    Reply
    • I do not think he will face a penalty, but he is supposed to change his address with the asylum office. If he does not, they may think that, if he is lying about his address, he is lying about his case. Unless he has a permanent address in NY, he should probably change the address. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  36. Hello Mr Jason

    If I apply for driving license in another state without Changing my address, they office will know that? I mean, they assylum office will know that I get my DL from another state rather than my address in the file.

    Reply
    • Probably not, but they could ask you for proof of residency or to see your driver’s license (though unless you give it to them, they usually do not ask for it). Take care, Jason

      Reply
  37. hi dear jason. i have a question. i applied for assylum in los angeles on fabrauray 2015, now i wanna move to dallas next week. after i let the asylum office know about my changing adress, will the dallas asylum office change the date of my case to 2016 ? or they kepp seeing my case as feb 2015 ? i feel so worry if they put my 2015 case as a 2016 case. thanks

    Reply
    • According to USCIS, if you move, you keep your place in the queue. That means that if your filing date is February 2015, it will be your date for whichever office you move to. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  38. Hi Jason,

    I want to change my address from sanfrancisco to boston, i already have my ead but i cannot work here because my permanent address is in sf, will there be a problem if i work here without changing my address? I am very confused.

    Reply
    • If you are working in Boston but your address with USCIS is SF, then USCIS may think you are lying about your address. If so, they might think you are lying about your case. Unless you have a very strong attachment to SF (pay taxes there, have family there, have a driver’s license there, etc), you may be better off filing a change of address form (AR-11) and moving your case to Boston. You might want to consult with a lawyer about this, as there are many factors and I am not familiar with your situation. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Hi Jason,

        Thankyou for a quick reply, can i change my address online or do i have to mail it? Where should I mail the form, and do they transfer my case by themselves or I have to file something else too?

        Reply
        • You can change it online or mail it – that is in the instructions to the AR-11 form (found at http://www.uscis.gov). You should also give a copy of the form to the local asylum office – you can find their address if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

          Reply
          • Hi Jason,
            There are three categories in the website, and i dont know which one i come into. Is is the 2nd or the 3rd one because in 3rd one it says ‘You may not change your address online’.

          • I am not sure – we always submit the AR-11 directly to the asylum office, and we have never had any problems when we did that. Take care, Jason

          • Hi Jason,
            There are three categories in the website, and i dont know which one i come into. Is is the 2nd or the 3rd one because in 3rd one it says ‘You may not change your address online’. I tried changing online but it says invalid receipt number. My recepit number starts from ZFS, what shoud I do?

          • I think you need to file it directly with the asylum office. Take care, Jason

  39. what if u moved for a year and didnt let them know about change of adress but decided to file ar 11 will they find out ? how to make sure my adress has been updated

    Reply
    • This has never been a problem for our clients, though technically, you are supposed to file within 5 or 10 days of moving, and there are penalties for failing to file. I have never seen those penalties enforced or even discussed, and I think you are better to file the AR-11 late than to never file it. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  40. Hi I wanna know how long time it take if i move my address from california to new york reply in my mail please msharma278@gmail.com

    Reply
    • You can check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at the right. Moving should not affect your place in the queue (at least according to USCIS). Take care, Jason

      Reply
  41. Dear Jason
    thanks for creating this great website where everyone with internal tension get relieve with ur valuable comment and suggestion.
    my employment authorization document EAD is going to expire next week,the renewal is under process, so my question is can I still work with the expired EAD as the renewal process is underway or
    It is a must I should get the renewed EAD in Hand.
    My employer doesn’t have a problem if I work with the expired one as long as it is under process but I want to be in the safe side.
    And what is the consequesnce of working with the expired EAD.
    I’m an asylum applicant in the backlog.
    Thanks
    David

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, you cannot lawfully work without the EAD in hand. If you do, there is no affect on your asylum case, but your employer could theoretically face fines. Realistically, given that the new EAD is on the way, I doubt you or your employer will have a problem, but under the law, you cannot work without a valid EAD card. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  42. Dear Jason
    thanks for all information you give it to us
    I live in Maryland and i changed my address before 4 days in the same state Maryland, I have asylum pending in Arlington office
    I filled the AR-11 but I don’t know where should I send this form
    “1344 pleasants drive
    Harrisonburg .VA 22801 ” ??? OR second question should I send it to Arlington asylum office can you give me the address??
    thanks in advance
    Mustafa

    Reply
    • We file the AR-11 directly with Arlington. You can find their address by following the link at the right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  43. Hello,

    I am currently F1 and filed for Asylum 1 month ago, two questions:
    – I am wondering the impact that dropping my F1 status will have on my chances of being granted asylum.
    – Can I pay in state tuition once I have the work permit or do I need to be granted asylum to qualify for in state tuition.

    How much delay do you anticipate if I change address from WI to NY?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • If you are out-of-status and lose your case, you will go to a judge, where you can try again (or get deported). If you are in-status when you lose the case, you will get a letter explaining why the case is denied and then you can reply and try to convince them to grant your case. If it is still denied, you will continue as an F-1 student, as if you had not filed for asylum before. Whether you are in-status or not should not matter in terms of the likelihood of winning the case. As for in-state tuition, you have to ask the school. Supposedly, moving does not cause a delay in the case, but I have seen cases delayed who moved. Also, if you move before you get the EAD, you risk losing the EAD. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  44. Dear jason i filed my asylum case in boston last august and i moved to another address in the same city. Do you think im gonna have problem recieving my EAD card if file for AR-11 ?
    Thank you for everything this blog is awsome.

    Reply
    • Thank you. If you gave them an AR-11 and your case did not move to another asylum office, I don’t see why you should have any problem. If you do, you can contact the local asylum office, and they should correct the problem – supposedly, the issue of moving and delayed EADs has been resolved. I am not sure that it actually has been resolved, but according to the leadership, that problem is fixed. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  45. Hello MR.Jason, thanks alot for your help, i want to ask you that if my wife get child and bears in boston and the baby got a birth certificate from boston, can she apply for assylum in varginia or will be any problem, appreciate your help Dear Mr. Jason

    Reply
    • The asylum office may want to know why she had the baby in Boston if she lives in VA, but if there is a reasonable explanation – and she lives in the jurisdiction of the VA office – there should not be a problem. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  46. Hi Mr Jason,
    I filed my asylum case in California in April 2015 and moved to Wisconsin temporarily few months ago.I filed for my EAD while i am still in Wisconsin.A few days ago my EAD got approved and been sent to my California address.I am planning to stay in Wisconsin for more months but i do not have a plan to live permanently there(Wisconsin).Do I need still to File the AR-11 form even if i am moving temporarily?Will it affect my pending asylum case filed in California if i start working in Wisconsin?

    Reply
    • Without knowing all the details, I don’t want to advise you on that. However, in general, when a person has a temporary move and keeps the old address, it is fine to not file the change of address form. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  47. Hi Mr. Jason,

    I applied for asylum last year and had my interview last year and my case has been pending since then. I am currently in valid F1 status (I filed affirmatively) and I will be graduating next month, December 2015. I was at the Arlington asylum office last Wednesday and I was told to expect my decision by at least the next 2 months.

    I am worried. If I graduate by December and probably fall out of F1 status, would this affect my pending asylum decision given that I filed affirmatively (while in status) and I am no longer in status? Do I need to try to maintain my F1 status such as by filing for OPT while I await my final asylum decision? I obtained my EAD card last year and filed for renewal this August and this Wednesday, Nov. 25 2015, makes it 90 days and my card has not been processed. Do I still need to go ahead and file for OPT based on my F1 academic status, even though my EAD renewal based on C(8) asylum application is still pending, just as a way to buy me more time on F1 status while I await my final decision?

    Reply
    • It’s up to you – if you maintain F-1 status (by staying in school or getting the OPT EAD and a job in your field), and you lose your case, you will receive a detailed letter explaining why your case is denied and you have 16 days to respond and convince them to change their mind. If they do not change their mind, your case will be denied and you will continue as an F-1/OPT. You can re-apply in the future or find some alternative. If you are no longer an F-1, and your case is denied, you will be sent to court where you can re-apply for asylum. If you win asylum, it does not matter whether you are in F-1 status or not. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you so much Jason.

        One more question, I have my EAD renewal application (based on asylum) currently pending with USCIS and I was wondering if it is ok to file for OPT at the same time? Would both be granted or one be denied and the other granted?

        I’m confused.

        Reply
        • I imagine you could do both, though I do not know why you would. You might want to hire a lawyer to research this for you, in case it creates a problem to file for two EADs, but I doubt it will. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  48. hello jason i have a pending asylum case in Los Angeles Asylum office
    and i am planing to transfer my case to newark asylum office next month i have a vaild work permit if i transfer my case can i work with my ead card and renew it or i have to apply for new ead after 180 days
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Once you have the EAD, you are eligible to keep renewing it, even if you move. Please note that there are delays renewing the EAD, so you should file to renew it 120 days before it expires (that is the earliest you can file). Take care, Jason

      Reply
  49. Hi Jason,

    I have a question.
    I filled my Asylum application in December 2014 while I was living in Philadelphia. On may 30, I filled a AR-11 Form because I moved to Queens, NY. My initial office was Newark, but now should be New York Asylum office, am I right?

    It would be very helpful for me if you can clarify my doubt!

    Thanks in advance.

    P:S This web site is the best! All your posts have been very helpful!

    Reply
  50. Dear friend
    I apply for asylum at Arlington office at april 2015 and i found that Houston office is the fastest one , do you think it wise to move to Houston and move my case there ?
    best regards

    Reply
    • I doubt it would help – moving causes delay, and there is no reason to think that Houston will continue to be the fastest, as it has shown no movement in the last several months. Also, supposedly, it is more difficult to win a case in Houston. I suppose if you are moving to Texas anyway, it might help to transfer the case, but remember that if you move before 180 days, it could cause you to lose the EAD. Take care, Jason

      Reply

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