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.
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.
thanks for answer MR Jason
i applied for asylum last year in Arizona and my case still pending and i am waiting for interview but i got SSN and i have a job, i wanna to move to California,LA so i wanna to know what will be happen if i move, will be delay in my case if i move?
It does not affect the case if you move, but if your new address is with a new asylum office, your case will move there (and LA is currently the slowest asylum office). When you move, change your address by submitting the form AR-11 (available at http://www.uscis.gov) directly to the local asylum office. You can find the asylum office’s contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I previously file my asylum case in Arlington,VA in July, 2016 but now I plan to transfer my case to San Francisco, CA because it seems fastest for interview. My question is, Where will be my line in the new office?Did they put my file on the line which I file previously (mean on July 2016) OR they put my file on the last line of the new office (mean February 2017)
If you move, you should keep your place in the queue. Once you move, contact the old and new asylum offices to make sure that your case was moved and that you kept your place in line. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Also, to move your case, you need to move to the jurisdiction of the SF asylum office. You cannot move your case unless you move your address. Take care, Jason
Hi jason my asylum case is filed in california and permanent address is still the same as my brother stays there but i have moved to houston recently and i got my ead like 3 days back at my permanent address in CA so can i apply for ssn and drivers license from texas as i am residing there for sometime as my move is going to be temporary like for 6 to 7 mnths …
If USCIS thinks you are lying about your address, they may think you are lying about your case. So if you plan to keep the CA address and return there in 6 months, it seems to me to make more sense to get the license in CA. Where you get the SSN probably does not matter. Take care, Jason
Thank u very much sir for your advice.. really appreciated
Hi Jason, thank you so much for your patience for answering all the question from everyone and I can imagine how you make people’s life easy. Thank you so much!!!
I file asylum in Alexandria,VA and moved to another state and I’m here for more than a year. my driving license, bank account address and school are here.
today I decided to file change of address after I read all your advices. I’m wondering am I still going to have a problem on my interview that I didn’t do change of address with in 10 days?
Thank you so much.
I have never seen anyone have a problem for filing the change of address late. In any case, if they ask about this, maybe you have a reason for filing late – for example, maybe you were not sure whether your move was permanent and you thought you would be returning to the old address. My guess is that this will not affect you at all. Take care, Jason
Thank you for the prompt reply. One more question. My work permit currently expired and file for renewal and waiting. After I got my work permit once is there anyway the clock stops and lose the right to get another work permit in the future?
Once you have a work permit once, the clock is no longer relevant, you can renew even if the clock stops. Take care, Jason
Hello Sir, thank you for the great work you do.i just applied for a political assylum but my spouse and kids are still back in my country.is this a good ground to expedite my case and how long fo expedited cases take?
This can be a basis to expedite, especially if your family members are not safe or have health problems. Contact the asylum office for the procedure. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. And get some evidence of your family’s problems (letters from them, doctor’s note, etc.). The time frame to expedite is not predictable, but in my local office (Virginia), they generally say whether they accept they expedite request or not within a month. Expedited interviews usually are scheduled after 3 or 4 months. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, Can I live in a place and my case is NOT in that place area ? meaning my case is in LA, I wanna keep it in LA, but I wanna move to work and live in NY, and my case stays in LA, Can I ?
Unless you keep your residence in LA, you need to inform the asylum office about your new address, and if the new address is in NY, your case will be moved. I suppose you can not tell them that you are in NY, but it is likely they will know (since you will have to explain where you are working, living, going to school, etc., and if they see that is in NY, they will think you are lying about your address. If they think you are lying about your address, they may think you are lying about your case. So unless you have a legitimate reason to claim that you are living in LA, you should probably inform the asylum office of your new address. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I applied for assylum and my Work permit in california after I received my work permit I moved to Georgia and work here and have a Georgia driving licesne, but I still have access to california address since its my sister house and I didn’t change my address to Geogia because, first I still want to receive mails in my sister house in California where my assylum ia filed and secondly I am going to move back to CA after some time. Now I have applied for work permit renewal and USCIS has transferd my case to Arlington Virginia for furthur process. Is there a problem for not changing my address to Georgia and do they move cases for review and decision making between states or it happens when there is an issue? Thanks.
Many EAD cases are transferred to Virginia for processing – probably this is just a standard procedure. Given what you say, you can probably keep the permanent address is CA, but you should try to keep as much evidence of your permanent status in CA as possible – for example, it would be better if you had a CA driver’s license and pay taxes in CA. I suppose if you move back to CA before the interview, you can change your license back, but you should be careful about this. If USCIS thinks you are lying about your address, they may think you are lying about your asylum case. Take care, Jason
Hi my court is in New York for asylum and my mailing adress same in New York but I live in Texas Houston . Is that possible to appear for all court in Newyork and change physical adress to Houston ? Give me answer I M very confuse . Thanks
If you are in court, you should hire a lawyer to help you. Your lawyer can change the case from NY to TX; there should be no need for you to travel to NY for the first hearing. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you so much for writing all these useful articles for asylum seekers. I have one question:
Can I move (still in the original asylum office jurisdiction) right after I mail the application for my first work permit (when 150 days just passes)? Or I should wait till 180 days? Or I’d better wait till I receive the EAD card.
It’s just I’m having problems with my roommate and the situation is not good. Therefore I just want to know what is the earliest day I can move without affecting the clock and EAD (I will still move in the same asylum office jurisdiction).
Thank you so much, you’ve been wonderful and I believe we all appreciated. Have a good day!
If you move within the jurisdiction of the same asylum office, it does not affect the EAD. I suggest you move before you file for the EAD, as changing your address while the EAD is pending might cause the EAD to get lost in the mail. It is better to keep the same address for the EAD the entire time – from filing until you get the card, even if you have to use a PO box to do that. Take care, Jason
Hello, I applied for EAD renewal using my old address and moved before receiving it. When my new EAD arrived the apartment Office sent it back. Then I applied for address change online and requested replacement EAD. on their website site my status says my case has been moved to another Office and they will send me the reason and instructions by mail. I haven’t received any. I’m I in big trouble?
I recommend you call them, or better yet, go in person, to ask about the card and get their advice about whether you need to re-file. You can find their phone number or make an appointment at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
I currently live in between two cities: New York and Philadelphia due to job.I filed initially in Philadelphia,and later I moved to New York where I had my interview held.I spend half a week in Philly and the rest in New York.Where should I filed my EAD from?From New York as I haven’t heard my results from Asylum Office or Philly?
Probably since you use both addresses, it makes sense to file using the same address as when you filed your asylum application. Take care, Jason
I have a permanent address in Florida, but from time to time I live in New York. I’ve recently changed my name in a civil court in New York. I put my New York address on the paper. Now I have to notify USCIS about the name change, should I mail the papers back to Florida or should I do that in New York. Can I mail papers to Florida if my name change took place in New York? Thank you
I do not know about this, sorry. Toke care, Jason
Hi, I applied for asylum using a DC address and waiting for EAD (it will come in 15 days ), I like to get a driving license from VIRGINIA after my EAD arrives. I will change it to DC immediately after getting it. Shall I fill AR-11 only for 2 months or is it enough to change the Virginia driving license to DC before the interview date. Is it a fraud getting a driving license from the address not registered in USCIS.
(both addresses are in the same interview center)
You should only get a DL from the state where you live. So if you live in DC but get a VA license, that sounds like a fraud to me. If you move to VA, you can change your address using the AR-11. Since DC and VA are the same asylum office, it should not affect anything except where you receive mail when you eventually get scheduled for an interview. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I got my EAD in CA, got work offer from IL and moved there 2 months ago. But did not notify USCIS as I am planning to move back to CA by the end of this year. Per their bulletin schedule, interview will be held in next year, February. Should I file address change? Because if I do, then I will have to re-file address change back to CA from IL. Do you see any potential issues here?
Thank you in advance!
If you still have an address in CA, and try to keep your driver’s license, taxes, etc., in CA, I think you have a good argument that the IL address was temporary and so you did not inform USCIS. But if your driver’s license, etc. is in IL, USCIS may wonder why you did not file a change of address, which could affect your credibility (if you lied about your address, what else did you lie about?). I agree with you that it makes no sense to change addresses two times, and if you can keep your driver’s license, etc. in CA, and not change addresses with USCIS, that would be better. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I moved to another state for school before 150 days passed after my application. My scholarship is for 1 year and I am not sure whether I will stay here after 1 year or go back to the city where I used to live. After having read your blog, I contacted my asylum office and asked their advice for not getting a delay for my EAD. They recommended me to keep an address in the same asylum office. I asked about a PO Box. They said it would work. Then, I talked to one of my friends who lives there and he told me that I could give his address to the asylum office and he can let me know if\when something comes from the asylum office. Do you think this will be a problem?
Thanks in advance.
If the friend’s address is your “permanent” address (as opposed to school address), it should be fine. As long as you trust the friend to tell you if mail arrives. The problem with a PO box is that you have to check it, which may be difficult if you live far away (though maybe the post office has a way to inform you by email if a letter comes for you; I do not know about that – you have to ask the post office). Take care, Jason
Hi I filed asylum in October 2015 in Newark If I want to move to NY office from Newark office. I saw right now in Newark just started interview people who filed on January 2014 but in NY they do on December 2014
So
Will my case be delayed ? Will the NY office put my case in the last or I will be interviewed in NY Office time?
thank you so much
You can only move offices if you change your address. If you do that and the case moves to NY, you should keep your place in the queue. However, you should follow up with the old and new asylum offices to make sure that the case is moved and that you keep your place in line. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
HI Jason
I have applied my asylum case in 2012 in New York when I have G-5 visa. they sent me a letter for my fingerprints but I had already move to Nebraska so my asylum is closed. My G-5 visa expired and I applied for F-1 student so I can continue my education. Can I reopen my case and have it transfer to where I live Nebraska?
Based on what you have written, I do not know. It may be possible to file for asylum again, but the procedure for a second filing is different than for a first filing. You should talk to a lawyer about your specific situation to see what is best for you. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I found your advices very useful and first of all thank you:
I’ve changed my address moving from NY to CA. Later, I sent a letter to my new your Asulym office where I confirmed that I really changed my address but didn’t attach the ar-11 form. May they insist to send the one anyway?
Normally, to change your address, you send the AR-11 form to the old asylum office (the office that has your case; not the office that will get your case after the case is moved). You can email or go in person to the asylum office to make sure the case has been moved. You can find contact info for the asylum office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I applied for Asylum through Los Angeles office, as I live in Arizona.
I study in Arizona, and the college where I study rents me apartment and pays for it.
When the rental agreement will end I have to leave the apartment, but unfortunately the rental agreement will end before I get my work permit by 2 weeks almost, and I wanna move to New York, but I fear if I move to New York I will wait for another 6 months to get a new work permit again because of only 2 weeks. I don’t know what should I do ?!!
It is best not to change your address between the time you file for a work permit and the time you receive it. Moving to NY is not the problem and should not affect the Asylum Clock. Maybe you can file your work permit application using a permanent mailing address so all mail goes there, including the work permit receipt, fingerprint appointment, and the card. Once you have the work permit, and if you move to NY, you can submit your change of address form at that time. Take care, Jason
Thank you so very much
i filled my Asylum from NY and for sometime i have been living in PA. i got my EAD in my old address in NY and then i got state ID and driving license from PA. For work purpose ,I moved to Fl and my bank address, Tax as well as drivers license now in Florida’s address. I need to renewal my EAD; which mailing address should i used for?
Where i apply for renewal my EAD?
Should i apply for changing with USCIS?
I look foreword for your advice.
regards
If you have a permanent address, you should give that to the asylum office (using form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov). You should use the same address for your EAD application. That is probably safest. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
How are you? I have couple of questions want to ask you and I would really appreciate your response.
1. My husband and I finally did our interview on June 1st, 2016 in Boston after waited for more than three years , but did not get any answer from asylum office. They told us to reach out to them if didn’t hear back from them in 2-3 months which we did couple times and their response is just wait. Do you think it’s normal to wait this long after interview? does it mean we are going to get denied?
2. We were planning to move to different state, but since we didn’t hear back from asylum office we didn’t move yet. Is that ok to move to different state while interview decision is pending? Is that gonna cause even more delay?
3. My husband was still in lawful status with F1 visa, but he just got terminated from school because of lack of adjustment between work and school. He was working full time because of tuition fees.The school told him to reinstate his F1 status or just go back to home country. Our questions are: is that necessary to reinstate the F1 status or I20?; Does it effect asylum officer’s decision since it’s termination?
Thank you in advance
Have a great weekend
1 – Unfortunately, many people wait a long time after the interview for a decision (especially people from majority-Muslim countries). As far as I can tell, this has no relationship to whether or not the case will succeed. 2 – You can move to a different state. If you do, file a change of address form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov, with the local asylum office. It should not affect the decision, but if they need to re-interview you for some reason, they may do it at the new office, which could cause some delay, since they are less familiar with your case. 3 – He can try to reinstate if he wants, but he can also remain here based on the pending asylum case. If he has an EAD, he should be able to attend school with the EAD only (not an F-1), and he should be able to do that part time or full time. Ask the school about that, and if they say no, maybe he can find a different school, as many of my clients attend school using the EAD only. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason, It’s really really helpful .. I’ve appreciated all the things you have done to us.
On USCIS webside You do not need to include temporary addresses as long as you maintain your present address as your permanent residence and continue to receive mail there.
So if I move temporary to other city or state for work, shouldn’t i change my Address right?
It depends on how “temporary” the move is. If you keep your permanent address, keep your driver’s license there, and your bills and taxes, and return there after staying temporarily somewhere else, then it is probably fine to keep your permanent address as the address with USCIS. Take care, Jason
Hi,we are three members in our family my husband me and my 4 year old son and we applied for political asylum in la and we moved recently under d same aslyum office,i just want to knw that for the address change we need to send the AR -11 form for all 3 of us or just for my husband as he is the main applicant,and on which address i mean the adress mentioned on the AR-11 form or we need to send it to the local asylumoffice address,please help
We send the AR-11 to the local office for the main applicant only. If you filed for your EADs separately, you should file an AR-11 per the instructions on that form for each person with a pending EAD. You can find the address of the local asylum office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
HI I have applied for asylum and finished my finger prints. I can start applying for EAD in jan 2017, but in november 2016 I changed my address. Will this cause delay in my EAD or I wont get my EAD I am worried about this. As per in asylum can I travel to another state in USA.
If your move causes you to switch to a new asylum office, it used to cause delay in the EAD (you can put your old and new zip code into the Asylum Office Locator – a link is at right – to see whether you will change asylum offices). Even if you do change offices, it should not affect your EAD, but sometimes, USCIS makes a mistake and causes a delay. If that happens, you need to contact the asylum office to correct the error. As for travel within the US, it should not be a problem. Take care, Jason
HI there
First of all thanks for having this blog
Friend is going to have a hearing next year in august and he doesn’t want to waive time since he does not want to Lose his work authorization. Unfortunately, his judge acceptance rate was only 7%, and beaded in what we heard mostly likely he will be denied and if he also gets denied on his second hearing he also loses his work permit and it will take him possibly extra 5 years without work permit and lots of fees and battle. He currently lives in California los angles. Is there anyway that he can request a different judge or move to different state to take care of his case with different asylum office without delaying and waving time ? He has almost 8 moth for to the next hearing
If he already has a work permit based on asylum pending, he can move, and it has no effect on his ability to renew the work permit. If he does not yet have a work permit, he can apply for one 150 days after he filed his asylum application (to check how many days have passed since he filed, call 1-800-898-7180, enter his Alien number, and push 2 when you have the option). Once 180 days have passed on this clock, he can move and it will not effect the work permit eligibility. So maybe he wants to wait until he has the work permit, or at least until 180 days have passed, and then he can move. Of course, he may end up with a worse judge, but 7% is pretty low, and I would be nervous going in front of such a judge. Good luck, Jason
HI Jason.
I’m sorry for bothering you. I have a question i hope you may assist me.
I filed my case in NJ and if i will move to Las Vegas Nevada will my case join California and will be in a queue of Los Angeles’s office ?
Thank you
I do not know – you can find out if you enter your new zip code into the Asylum Office Locator – a link is at rigt. Take care, Jason
Thank you for quick reply
Dear Jason,
I’ve filed for asylum in LA back in 2014 (over 2.5 years now). Since the LA office has the worst backlog, I thought of moving to the jurisdiction of another office and move the case there. Don’t know if it’s a good idea to do so or not as I’ve head that it might cause delays and I may lose my place in line. I wanted to know in case I move it is there a chance of this happening and then I’ll need to wait for a few more years or what.. Thanks in advance
We do not know how things will change under Trump, but now, if you move, you should keep your place in the queue. If you do that, you should contact the old and new Asylum Offices to make sure that your case is transferred and that you keep your place in the queue. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thanks a lot Jason for your reply and sorry for taking long to post this. I have couple of other questions; should I wait to see how things will be under Trump (since this might happen in a few weeks anyway)? And do I have to provide a proof of residence in the new state before moving (cause I haven’t signed a lease or anything since I moved)? Thanks again..
To file a change of address, you do not need any evidence, but if the Asylum Office is suspicious of your address, they may want evidence about where you live and work. As for changes under Trump, no one yet knows what he will do or when. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason! Could you please answer what to do? my clock stopped after my lawyer made motion of venue to move my case from CA to TN where i live now. I received letter from asylum office in Memphis that my case moved. What can i do to make my clock go again? it stuck on 117 d. Thanks!
If your case was at the asylum office, it probably should not have stopped, and this might be a mistake. I suggest you contact your new local asylum office and tell them the problem. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. If that does not work, try contacting the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is also at right. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I applied for asylum on December 2014 in DC. I then moved to OH and changed the address on time in April 2016. I again moved to another address (a couple of miles from the old one) and filed AR-11 for change of address. At my current address, I have already changed the address while pending for EAD which I specifically stated in the AR-11 form. I did got my EAD, but do I need to submit another AR-11 form for asylum pending or will the first change of address do it.
Thanks
You should submit the AR-11 to USCIS and directly to the local asylum office. Take care, Jason
Thank you for the response.
I will submit an AR-11 to USCIS. But,
(1) how can I submit to the asylum office?
(2) When I try to submit AR-11 online to USCIS, it asks if I have a pending document with the office, and when I click YES, and type in the case no. (ZAR….) it keeps stating that I should enter a correct one. It seems like that it is not letting me through with the asylum case no. What is your best suggestion?
Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it
1 – Submit it directly to them by mail, in person, or by email. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. 2 – If you have an EAD receipt number, you can use that. Otherwise, you can always submit it by mail. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason, hope you are well. and i have been following you blog/website and you have been kind enough to reply to everyone without any exception. Please if you could also clarify that if asylum case is moved to another office i.e. from LA to Houston,TX with faster processing time. Does this transfer take a lot time? Secondly, does the case get processed in the order it was submitted at USCIS for example, in June, 2016 or it will be considered for processing from the time it was submitted to new office(location), in order words, would it be put back in the line (delayed further)? and thirdly, do cases also get misplaced/lost in transfer process? I would appreciate your kind response on this. thank you
I do not know how long it takes for a case to move – I suspect a few months. I recommend that you contact the old asylum office and the new office to make sure the case is moved and that you keep your place in the queue (and to ensure that the case does not disappear in transit). You can find contact info for the Asylum Office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Once the case is moved, it will be as if you filed it in the TX office – you will be interviewed in accordance with your original filing date. Take care, Jason
Hello, Jason!
Could you please give advice on my case.
I filed for an asylum in 2013. Never got an interview there. Then while I waited for the interview, I got my EAD 2 times.
And then I moved to Chicago in 2015. My pending case was moved here too. And I got my interview on June 1, 2016. My questions are – When do I apply for a new EAD? Do I have to pay a fee to get a new EAD here in Chicago?
Thank you for your time, Jason!
You can apply for the EAD normally (I suggest 120 days before your current EAD expires). You do pay the fee. If your case was granted, you should get a new EAD at no cost. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I would like to ask if changing address after 150 days or 180 days of pending asylum affects EAD clock (if we filed the form for EAD at 150 day)? And if yes, how many days USCIS usually needs to file a case to another office?
Supposedly, if you change your address, it does not affect the clock. I do not trust this, and I recommend that you do not file a change of address before 180 days (however, if you are changing addresses, but staying in the same Asylum Office, then there is no affect). That is the most cautious way, and will avoid any problems in obtaining the EAD. As for how long it takes to move a case, I do not know. I recommend you follow up with the old and new asylum offices to make sure they move they case. You can find contact information for the Asylum Office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Jason, if a person already has political asylum status and is petitioning for derivative asylum for their spouse, who resides abroad, does the change of the physical address of the petitioner (not the derivative beneficiary) matter? For instance, at the time the petition is filed, the petitioner resides in NY. He then gets a job in Nevada and moves. His wife is still in their country of origin, the same address. Does the petitioner’s move slow down the process?
Thanks
Olga
It should not matter, but you need to tell USCIS that you moved in order to receive the decision on the I-730 (use form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov). Take care, Jason
hi, I applied an asylum in Houston on Feb. 2015, and after one years, I moved to north Carolina without changing my address, now , they send my case to Arlington in west Virginia, so my question is , do I need to go back to Houston and send my case back, or stay in north Carolina ?is that will affect my case or not? Do you know what cases are interviewing now in north Carolina?
I think your interview will be in Arlington, Virginia, not in NC. If you move back to TX, your case will be moved to TX. You should check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right – to get an idea for who is being interviewed in both offices. Take care, Jason
Hello Mr. Jason,
I have applied my asylum case early January 2016 in Michigan (which is following Chicago USCIS office), I recently received my Work Permit, applied for social security number and driving license and got both of them from Michigan; now am planning to move to San Fransico and worried about my interview. From your experience, is my case going to the end of the waiting queue or I will be interviewed when everyone applied in January 2016 get interviewed?
I already waited 9 months and don’t want to lose that waiting time!
Thanks
According to USCIS, you will keep your place in the queue. I do think you need to follow up with the old office and the new office to make sure your case was transferred and you keep your place in line. You can find contact info for the asylum offices if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
hi,
i have applied for asylum in new york and currently I changed my address to a new apartment in new york. do you know how can I change my address? I did not get any interview yet. I try to file AR 11 while my receipt number is not valid
You have to file the AR-11 with the local asylum office. You can find their contact information and mailing address if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Keep a copy of the AR-11 and the mailing receipt to show that you filed it. You can also take it in-person to the asylum office, and bring an extra copy, which they will stamp for you. That is the safest approach. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason. I moved from Dennis Port (MA), to Weehawken (NJ). On office locator I found it is Newark asylum office, but a different location. Does this count as a change of the office?
I do not think so, but I do suspect that your case will not be interviewed in Lyndhurst, NJ. Before, when you were in MA, you probably would have been interviewed in Boston, which is a sub-office of Lyndhurst. Probably, this means that your interview will come sooner, as sub-offices tend to be slower than main offices. Take care, Jason
I filed asylum from Michigan. I got EAD there. I fled back and forth to get the job in New York. I get new job a couple days ago. I don’t intend to stay in NY permanently. Is it a problem if I keep Michigan address as my permanent address? Could you give me your advice?
There is no mathematical answer to this. If you still have significant ties to Michigan (spend time there, driver’s license, home, family, etc), it is probably legitimate to keep your address there, but if everything is in NY, you probably need to change your address. Take care, Jason
Hello mr. Jason,
I filed for asylum in Los Angeles in November of 2012(!) and I’m still waiting for my interview. I’m thinking to move to San Francisco(I filled without a lawyer). Unfortunately, there’s no anybody to take calls in the office. I’ll very appreciate if you help me with my questions:
1. The scheduling bulletin shows that SF office schedules interviews for people who filled in July of 2014. I filled in November of 2012. Does it mean that after transferring process my interview will be scheduled in a few weeks/months till the end of this year? Or will my case go in the end of the line since interviews for 2012 were scheduled already?
2. I updated my fingerprints in April of 2016. Do I have to update them again for your office?
3. How long will transfer of a case usually take?
Thank you very much in advance for your response.
*filed
*2. SF office
According to what USCIS has told me at several meetings, you will keep your place in the queue. So if you move to SF, you should get an interview relatively soon. However, it takes time to move a case, and you may need to follow up with the different office (you can find contact info for the offices if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator) to make sure the case is transferred and that you keep your place in line. If you did FP in April 2016, they should not be needed again for a while. Transferring a case probably takes a few months. I think it would be faster if they put it on a donkey’s back and the donkey walked from LA to SF. I suppose they need more donkeys. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much for your reply 🙂 very helpful.
Once you have received a work permit and a social security card in the state you filed asylum is it okay to move to another state and work ? What are the requirements ? Thankyou
It is fine. You need to file a change of address form (AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov) if your move is permanent. But otherwise, you should be fine. Take care, Jason
i applied for asylum from kentucky and submited fingerprint too from ky . But i am bound to move to wisconsin in this case can i change only address letting the case as it is in ky? does it affect my work authorization process?
If you move to a new asylum office before you get the work permit, the move could affect whether you get the permit (according to USCIS, it should not, but sometimes, it does anyway). For this reason, I recommend that people not move until they have the permit in their hand. If you move and change your address, it may cause your case to move to a different asylum office. You can check by typing the old and new zip code into the Asylum Office Locator – a link for that is at the right. Take care, Jason
Hello lawyers，I want to consult political asylum today.I applied the asylum in LA over one years. Waiting for a interview now. But unfortunately I was diagnosed with HIV in few days ago. HIV will affect my immigration applications now? Or can I use this reason to apply for expedited interview? Thank you!
HIV status was a bar to immigration to the US, but that is no longer true, so it should not affect your case. You can tell them about your status and request that they expedite. Maybe that would work. Take care, Jason
hello sir,
I filed i-589 case just 2 months ago, i have been living with a family and i put the permanent address where i live now, but the thing is that our apartment owner has given us 2 months notice to leave the apartment because they want to renovate it. so is it ok to change the address and if i put another address also then it wont be permanent and after some time i have to move to another place.
so what i need to do please help me
You can change your address as often as needed using form AR-11 (available at http://www.uscis.gov). You can file it on-line and with the local asylum office. If the move causes your case to go to a different asylum office, it potentially can disrupt the process to get a work permit (you can check whether moving will change your case to a new office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator). Take care, Jason
Hello
I only submitted the AR-11 to the change address office.and I did not submit from EOIR33 to the asylum office.is that work?
If I submit EOIR33(change of address) to the asylum office and submit the EAD application to the USCIS at the same time. Will they send EAD card to my new address?or i need submit the EOIR33 frist,and wait for a few days.then submit the EAD application?
thank u so much.
and i m in the I589 peding
Aad my new address and old address are in the same city and same asylum office.
The asylum office gets a form AR-11 and you can also do that on-line. The EOIR-33 is only for people with a case in court. If your EAD application (form I-765) has the new address, USCIS will send your card there. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I’m moving within a state, not changing asylum office, and 180 days passed since I’ve filed asylum case.
Will it also cause a delay?
Thank you.
It should not, as long as you do not change asylum offices (sometimes a move within the state causes you to change asylum offices – you can double check using the Asylum Office Locator, a link is at the right). Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, I moved to an apartment close by to my old address (the primary address for the application) 1 1/2 years ago. I never did the address change procedure because I didn’t wanna delay anything related to my procces. I received my Work Permit and my SSN last January in my old address. But I’m thinking about to change it because my sister is gonna sell the house. What is your recommendation in this case? , also my bank statements and apartment utilities are link to my new address, that will be a problem? Thanks.
Do the change of address – you are required to do it, and since you already should have your EAD, there should not be a problem. Plus, moving does not delay the case at all if your case is still at the same asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hi!
I would really appreciate your response.
We have a pending case in LA from November 2014. We had a baby since that time and waiting for a second one now.
I want to try to expedite case but I don’t believe it’s possible.
We’re thinking to move to San Francisco so we’ll have interview faster.
In LA they schedule appointments for August 2011 last 6 months, in SF they schedule for August 2014 already (we applied in November 2014).
The question is: if we transfer our case will it be submitted to SF office with our initial date November 2014 or with a new date of Fall 2016? Will we win time or lose it? Thank you in advance!
If you move to the SF office, you should keep your place in the queue, meaning you should get an interview pretty soon. However, you probably will need to follow up first with LA (to make sure they transferred the case) and second with SF (to make sure you are in the queue). You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. These offices are not very responsive, so you may even need to go in person, but you can try email or mail first and hopefully they will respond. Take care, Jason
hello MR Jason
im in america in pending case and i want visit canada is it possible and if yes what i should do
You need Advance Parole, which you get using form I-131 (available at http://www.uscis.gov). You also need a valid visa to Canada. Take care, Jason
Hi
I have some questions for you.
I have an asylum case in San Francisco office and I live in san jose(in my friend’s home)that is the addres that I informed to USCIS. I got my ID and my SSN from san jose office. Now I found a job (maybe temporary) in Dallas and I want to move there for a few months but I want to keep my address in san jose. How can I do that?
Thank you
Keep your CA address on all your papers – driver’s license, taxes, mobile phone, bank statements, etc. If you go to TX for a few months, this should be fine, but if you go there for years and have a job there, it will be difficult to convince USCIS that you did not move to TX. If they think you are lying about your address, they may suspect you are lying about your asylum case. There is no formula for this; it is just a judgment call, but if you are not sure, maybe you should go over the specifics of your situation with a lawyer. Take care, Jason
How are u today Jason
thank you very much for your answer.
as u said,If i want change my address,I can change it online also file a paper Form AR-11 to the local office.but Immigration official website said “If you use our Online Change of Address to complete Form AR-11, you do NOT need to file a paper Form AR-11.”
so,what should i do now?thank you very much!
We always submit a paper form to the Asylum Office. Asylum Offices are somewhat separate from USCIS, and I do not know if the on-line form alone is sufficient in the case of an asylum application. Take care, 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 but i decide to install here to
Virginia and i know i should change my address and fill up application for move my asylum case here to Virginia
my question is it possible to move my asylum case to Virginia for few month (04 month ) like that i can apply for work then i move it back to Californie again ?
Is this possible and whether a negative impact on my asylum case and Will cause the stop clock and my return to the last row
it can reduce my chance to get asylum approval ?
my respect
If you already have your work permit based on asylum, it does not matter whether the clock stops. I suppose you can move your case to VA and move again in a few months to CA. Supposedly, you will keep your place in the queue when you move. But my guess is that if you keep moving around, it will take longer for you to get to the interview. I do not see how this would affect your chances for success. Take crew, Jason
thanks for answer Mr Jason
let me give you more detail
my issue is if i apply for driver license before changing the address immigration will think i lie means i can lie in my
declaration case too and that is the only reason Which makes me think of changing the address or moving all immigration files before applying to driver license
then Do i need to change just my address with form (AR-11) from California to Virginia before applying to driver license
or i need to transfer all my immigration file ? for applying to driver license
if it is possible i prefer to keep my immigration file in California better And do I just changed my address
like that i can apply for driver license in Virginia after i change address only then i back to California with DL means more safe for me
my respect
I am not sure how to provide any more guidance on this. If you can legitimately say that the move to VA was temporary, even if it involved you getting a license, that might be alright (though it also might create issues, depending on the asylum officer). Since this seems to be a major concern, you might want to talk with a lawyer about the specifics of your case and make a plan to keep your case in CA, but get your license in VA. I imagine this would involve gathering evidence that your permanent address is in CA. Take care, Jason
thanks for answer MR Jason
let me give you more detail maybe it help
it is sam for someone apply for asylum in CA and got his ssn and work permit ther then he move to other stat (means he should move his asylum cas and changing address ) after he go to new stat he exerce his normal life like find job and apply for DL then after few time he want back to CA then he should move his fils again to CA but with new data like DL from second stat wher he move and exerce his life then he just need change DL to CA this is what i want to do ..thanks
I am not sure I can tell you anything more – you should seek advice from an attorney who can learn more about your situation and help you. Take care, Jason