What actually constitutes a change of address and needs to be reported to USCIS?

[MexicoExpat 18]

Hi, 

 

My wife and I are most of the way through the process to obtain her Green Card. Far enough so that we are beginning to plan the first few months in the US. 

 

We will be doing a lot of travel immediately after arriving and want to make sure we are compliant with updating our address with USCIS, when it actually constitutes as changed.

 

I feel a lot of our travel will not constitute as a change of address. Here's a general overview of our plan:

 

Beginning August: Arrive in US to our intended address in FL which we put on our DS-260

Few days after: 1-month long road trip around the US to celebrate our new life

September: 1 month in NYC in either a hotel or Airbnb - either way will definitely be temporary accommodation

October/November: 2 months abroad to visit my wife's family before we settle down (we will be coming from a third country, not my wife's country on the way into the US)

December: Return to US via NYC and spend a few days and then visit family in New England for the holidays

January: Return to NYC for another month and again stay in Airbnb while looking for longer term accommodation

February: Move into long term apartment in NYC

 

Am I correct to assume that we would not need to update our address with USCIS until February when we actually rent an apartment? I'm assuming they aren't concerned with our Airbnb address for a month. 

 

We used a relative's address as our intended address on the DS260, and will stay there the first few nights in the US and can receive mail there. I am also on the lease agreement there, however my wife is not. 

 

We plan to use this as a landing pad and to receive mail, and can head back there if our plans in NYC don't work out. Having no address in NYC though, we did not want to use it as our intended address. 

 

Is there anything wrong with our plan?

[arken 4,197]

20 minutes ago, MexicoExpat said:

We used a relative's address as our intended address on the DS260, and will stay there the first few nights in the US and can receive mail there. I am also on the lease agreement there, however my wife is not. 

 

We plan to use this as a landing pad and to receive mail, and can head back there if our plans in NYC don't work out. Having no address in NYC though, we did not want to use it as our intended address. 

 

Is there anything wrong with our plan?

Nothing wrong. Using your relatives address as primary residence and not changing address while temporarily vacationing at diff locations is fine. 

[MexicoExpat 18]

Thanks, I figured that would be the case, just wanted to be 100% sure since things are apparently getting stricter - don't want to risk being non-compliant.

 

A follow-up question - would there be any issue if we did not make a driver's license or state ID for her until after we had settled in NYC ~6 months after originally entering the US?

 

Not sure if it's a requirement to have one or if she can just use her passport and green card for most things in the mean time.  

[arken 4,197]

Getting a DL or state ID is a choice not a requirement. I bet there are tons of people who never had a DL or state ID.