Almost everything that matters in an immigration case arrives by mail: receipt notices, biometrics appointments, interview notices, requests for evidence, hearing notices and decisions. If the agency has an old address, those letters go to someone else, and a missed hearing notice can end in a removal order issued without you. The catch is that USCIS and the immigration court are two different agencies with two separate address records. Updating one does nothing for the other.
USCIS: within 10 days, online
USCIS’s change of address page says that all noncitizens in the United States must report a change of address within 10 days of moving, with narrow exceptions for A and G visa holders and visitors under the Visa Waiver Program. Anyone with a pending benefit request should do it as soon as possible so notices keep arriving.
The way USCIS wants you to do it is online. In your USCIS online account, the Enterprise Change of Address tool under My Account updates your address almost immediately and, in USCIS’s words, meets the legal requirement to notify the agency that you have moved. Two details matter:
- Enter every receipt number. USCIS says the online change applies to your pending cases only if you enter the receipt number of each pending benefit request. This works even for cases you originally filed by mail.
- Paper is slower. Mailing Form AR-11 also meets the legal requirement, but USCIS says a paper AR-11 does not update its systems automatically, and it strongly encourages the online tool instead.
Do not rely on the post office. USCIS states plainly that a USPS change of address does not change your address with USCIS, and that USPS will not forward USCIS mail. A Form I-797C notice that goes to your old apartment is simply lost.
A few situations need an extra step, according to the same USCIS page: if your case is at the National Visa Center, also tell the Department of State’s NVC; if you signed an affidavit of support, Form I-864, file Form I-865 within 30 days of moving; and attorneys update their own address separately.
The immigration court: within five working days
If you have a case before an immigration judge, EOIR’s rule is stricter. Its respondent information page says you must provide the court or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) with any change to your address or contact information within five working days of the change, both to receive notifications about your case and to comply with agency requirements.
The form depends on where your case is:
- Form EOIR-33/IC for the immigration court where your case is currently being heard.
- Form EOIR-33/BIA if your case is on appeal at the BIA.
EOIR says one form must be submitted for each person, so a family with several respondents files several forms. You can submit it online through Respondent Access, in person at the court, or by mail following the instructions on the form, which you can download from EOIR’s forms page. If you have a lawyer, tell them the same day so they can file it and keep their own records current.
Why the urgency: the court mails your hearing notices to the address on file. EOIR’s Notice to Appear page explains that when the Notice to Appear does not include a hearing date, the court sends a follow-up Notice of Hearing. If that notice reaches an old address, you may never learn the date, and a hearing you do not attend can be decided without you. Our guide on what to expect at a hearing covers what that means and the deadlines to ask the court to reopen.
Do both, and keep proof
Because the records are separate, a move means two updates:
- USCIS, online, with every pending receipt number entered.
- The court or the BIA, Form EOIR-33/IC or EOIR-33/BIA, within five working days.
Save a screenshot or confirmation of each one. If a notice later goes astray, proof that you reported the move on time is what protects you. After moving, check your USCIS case status and your court hearing date once more, so you catch anything that was mailed in the days around the move. If a hearing date looks wrong or missing, contact the court through EOIR’s court contact page.
Where an app can help
The apps cannot change your address for you, and nothing replaces the official forms above. What they do is remove the dependence on mail for the information itself: Immigratus EOIR Case Status shows your next hearing date and court address from EOIR’s public case information and alerts you when they change, and Immigratus USCIS Case Status does the same for the status of each receipt number. Both are independent apps, not affiliated with USCIS, EOIR or any government agency, so always confirm with the agency or your attorney.
In short
USCIS: report within 10 days, online, with every receipt number. Immigration court or BIA: Form EOIR-33 within five working days, online through Respondent Access or by mail. One does not update the other, and the post office updates neither. Questions about the apps? Visit our support page.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
Common questions
If I change my address with USCIS, does the immigration court get it too?
No. They are different agencies with separate records. USCIS's address page does not mention the court, and EOIR's page does not mention USCIS. If you have a USCIS case and a court case, update both.
How many days do I have to report a move?
USCIS says noncitizens in the United States must report a change of address within 10 days of moving. EOIR requires Form EOIR-33 within five working days of the change.
Does changing my address with the post office update USCIS?
No. USCIS says a USPS change of address does not change your address with USCIS, and that USPS will not forward USCIS mail.
Can I update my court address online?
Yes. EOIR says Form EOIR-33/IC for the immigration court, and EOIR-33/BIA for the Board of Immigration Appeals, can be completed online through Respondent Access, or submitted in person or by mail.
I have a pending USCIS case. Is Form AR-11 enough?
USCIS says a mailed AR-11 meets the legal requirement but does not update its systems automatically. To update your pending cases, use the online change of address tool and enter the receipt number of each pending request.
Official sources
Our apps are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to USCIS, EOIR, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or any other government agency. They do not provide legal advice.