USCIS Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address: Form I-865 Instructions, Fee, and Timeline
How to File USCIS Form I-865: Sponsor Change of Address
As an immigration visa sponsor, you have the legal responsibility to ensure your sponsored family member is financially supported. Helping bring a family member—and/or, in some cases, an employee—to the U.S. can be very fulfilling. But with this sense of fulfillment also comes to your own responsibilities to meet in regards to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
If you have moved addresses, you need to file Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address. On this page, we will review what USCIS Form I-865 is, who the form benefits, and how to fill out your Form I-865.
What Is USCIS Form I-865?
Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address, is a form that immigrant visa sponsors must fill out and send to USCIS whenever there is a change of address.
Why Do I Need to File Form I-865?
Form I-865 lets USCIS know that you have moved. As someone in a legal contract with USCIS, you have to make sure they are able to contact you at the correct address.
Form I-865 and Form I-864: Maintaining Legal Requirements
Filing this form is part of your family sponsorship requirements. When one of your family members would like to enter the United States, you must fill out Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. The form is a legal document that shows that the recipient of the Affidavit of Support—the immigrant coming to the United States—will not need to rely on the government for financial support.
Rather, the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) sponsor—you—will show through the Affidavit of Support that you can financially support the sponsored immigrant should there be a financial need to do so.
Who Benefits from Filing Form I-865?
As the sponsor, you will benefit from filing Form I-865 whenever you have an address change because if you forget to file the form or simply do not do so, you will face civil penalties.
If you do not change your address by filing Form I-865 and you did not know that the immigrant you are sponsoring was given financial assistance from the government, you will face fines between $250 and $2,000.
If you do not change your address and you are aware that the immigrant you are sponsoring needs financial support and they received that support through governmental benefits, then you will face fines between $2,000 and $5,000.
This is why it is always best to file the USCIS change of address sponsor form to maintain your legal contract with USCIS, protecting both you as the sponsor and following through with your responsibilities for the person you are sponsoring.
Do I Need to File Form I-865?
If you are still a sponsor—meaning your Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, is still in effect—you need to notify USCIS of your address change. You will remain a sponsor for your immigrant family member until the sponsored individual meets the following criteria:
- They become a U.S. citizen
- They have 40 quarters of work (with USCIS credit)
- They die
- They permanently leave the United States by:
- Filing Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status; or
- Facing removal proceedings to abandon their LPR status
- They lose their LPR status during their removal proceedings
If you are unsure, check with your immigration attorney to find out if you are still required to file Form I-865.
Form I-865 Instructions
USCIS Form I-865 is a five-part document with a sixth part included for any additional information you need to provide. We will walk through all six parts of the form and the instructions for meeting the sponsor change of address requirements.
You can find USCIS Form I-865 on the USCIS website.
Part 1: Sponsor Information
In the first part, you—the sponsor—must fill out the information about yourself, including:
- Your full name
- Birthday
- Your new physical address
- Your new mailing address
Be sure to include the official date on which your address changed. If your new physical address is the same as your new mailing address, you do not need to fill out the “new mailing address” section (6.a.-7).
Part 2: Sponsored Immigrant Information
This is where you will provide information about the immigrant you are sponsoring. There are four spaces included in this section. If you are sponsoring more than four individuals, you can add the information about the other immigrants you are sponsoring in Part 6 of Form I-865. For each person you are sponsoring, include:
- Their first, last, and middle names
- Their A-Number, if they have one
Part 3: Statement, Information, Certification, Signature
In this section, you want to be sure that you mark each statement, answering whether you either:
- Can read and understand English and you filed your Form I-865 by yourself or;
- Used an interpreter and that you understood the form’s instructions as translated by your interpreter—if this is the case, you will put in your interpreter’s information in Part 4
Part 3 is also where you state that you used an attorney to assist with filing Form I-865.
This is also where you include your contact information, including your:
- Telephone number
- Mobile number (if applicable)
- Email address (if applicable)
Make sure you read the “Sponsor’s Certification” thoroughly. It asks you to submit photocopies of documents. You may be asked to provide original documents, but not unless/until USCIS asks you after you file your form. Your signature also gives USCIS permission to release information to those who need access for U.S. immigration laws.
Once you have read through all of Part 3, you will sign your name and put the date of signature. Make sure you sign and complete Form I-865 in its entirety. If you do not sign your name in Part 3, your Form I-865, Sponsor’s Notice of Change of Address, will be rejected.
Part 4: Interpreter’s Information
If you use an interpreter, this is the section where you will fill out the required information about them. Make sure that your interpreter signs your Form I-865.
Part 5: Preparer’s Information
If another person filled out your Form I-865, list their information in Part 5. Similar to Parts 3 and 4, the preparer must sign the document. If you got help from an attorney, Form G-28 also needs to be submitted along with your Form I-865.
Part 6: Additional Information
If you didn’t have enough room in any of the previous sections, add the rest of the information in Part 6 of your form.
When to File Form I-865
You must file your Form I-865 within 30 days of your address change. It is best to file your address change as soon as possible.
Where to File Form I-865
There are four different USCIS addresses to which you can send your completed Form I-865. You only need to send your form to one of these addresses; where you send your form depends on your new address.
Depending on your state, you will send your Form I-865 to one of these four addresses:
- USCIS Vermont Service Center
38 River Road
Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001
- USCIS TSC
Attn: I-865
6046 N. Belt Line Rd., Ste. 865
Irving, TX 75038-0021
- USCIS California Service Center
P.O. Box 10485
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-0485
- USCIS Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87485
Lincoln, NE 68501-7485
Check the USCIS Form I-865 website or ask your immigration lawyer for help ensuring you mail your form to the correct address.
What Are the Form I-865 Filing Fees?
There are no filing fees to fill out and submit with Form I-865. Simply fill out the form completely and send it to USCIS.
Contact Your Immigration Attorney Today
When completing any USCIS legal document, it’s important to start by talking with your immigration attorney. The experienced immigration and naturalization attorneys here at Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. can review your form and make sure that you have included all of the correct documentation and information. We can walk you through the entire process of filing your USCIS Form I-865. Having a knowledgeable immigration attorney to help with immigration documents alleviates stress and ensures a smooth filing process. If you have any questions about Form I-865, being a sponsor, or any other immigration inquiries, we are here to help.
Contact us by calling 312.444.1940 or by filling out an online contact form today. We look forward to working with you!
