Trying Not to Panic: Didn't Know We needed to File AR-11

[Tee and Megan 10]

Hi all, 

Not sure this question is being posted in the right forum; but I'm gonna go into a full blown panic attack if I don't ask this immediately. 

 

I'm really kicking myself right now. When we filed AOS, we filed using my mother's address as our mailing address, and my Seminary's address as our physical address (I'm currently enrolled until December 2017).  

 

Every Seminary student needs to complete a year of Internship, so we got sent to Rochester, MN in August of 2016. Since we get all of our mail forwarded to us by the Seminary, and since we'll be returning to the Seminary in two months, I didn't file a change of address form. I didn't even remember you needed one! I can't believe I forgot!

 

Now, we're preparing to file ROC (June 15th begins our 90 day window) and I'm panicking because I was going to include evidence of our temporary life together in Rochester. Should we file the AR-11 and I-865 right away, stating that we moved from Chicago to Rochester last August with a letter explaining that I simply forgot and would never wrongfully evade immigration proceedings? Or should we wait to file until we officially move back to Chicago this August? 

 

Any advice or insight would really help. Trying not to burst into tears. I've been painstakingly gathering evidence since he first arrived in the States on a K-1 and now everything could be in jeopardy I missed one simple little form. 

 

Thank you all so much.  Blessings on your journeys, and many thanks to nightingalejules for alerting me to this crucial form in the first place. <3 Don't know what we'd do without this great community. 

 

Megan

[Tee and Megan 10]

8 minutes ago, CookieCat said:

First of all, please relax. Many, many, many applicants have forgotten to update the AR-11 and so far, I have never known of a single applicant being penalized by USCIS for this. On a side note, if you were the sponsor in your spouse's AOS, you were also required to file a notice of address change (Form I-865) which again, many sponsors have forgotten and were not penalized as far as I know.

 

You say spouse's window opens on June 15. When are you planning on filing? If the address is going to be different from what you gave during AOS, then file an AR-11 now for whatever address you'll be in at the time of filing his I-751. Also, be aware that your spouse *may* any time now, receive a courtesy reminder notice to file the I-751 in the previous address you provided to USCIS during AOS. I say *may* because many applicants have never received such a notice.

 

Also keep in mind, that even if you now file the AR-11, USCIS may still send spouse's I-751 receipt notice in the old address they have in case USCIS didn't yet update new address on time. So bottomline, file the AR-11 for the address you'll be residing in at the time of filing your I-751, and please keep an eye or have someone else trustworthy keep an eye in the old AOS address for USCIS mail.

Good luck!

Thanks CookieCat! I am calming down now. Once I explained to the husband why I was panicking, saying out loud "They could deport us for not filing a change of address form," I realized how silly it sounded and took a few deep breaths. I know the AR-11 is still very important and I will never forget to file it again though.  I'd forgotten how irrational this process makes me! 

 

Thanks again. 

 

Megan