Report/Update Your U.S. Address
Please review the different address reporting and update procedures below.
Department of Homeland Security Requirement
Under long-standing law, non-U.S. citizens are required to report their U.S. residential address to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within 10 days of arrival in the U.S. and within 10 days of a change of address. (Regulatory citation: 8 CFR § 265.1)
Failure to comply with this requirement can lead to fines and other legal penalties.
The rules for reporting and updating your address with DHS varies by visa classification.
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Visa Classification |
How to Report or Update Your Address |
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F-1 student and dependents age 14 and over (I-20s issued by VCU) |
Notify GEO Immigration Services by completing the Change of Address Form on the iStart platform. We will use the data entered in iStart to update your SEVIS record, which is reporting or updating your address to DHS. |
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F-1 student on OPT or STEM OPT and dependents age 14 and over (I-20 issued by VCU). If your I-20 was issued by another school: You must contact that school for guidance about reporting your address to DHS. Do not report your address to DHS by emailing GEOIS@vcu.edu. VCU does not have access to your SEVIS record and cannot make any updates to it. |
If your I-20 was issued by VCU: Notify GEO Immigration Services by email only (GEOIS@vcu.edu). We will update your SEVIS record, which is reporting or updating your address to DHS. |
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J-1 student or scholar and dependents age 14 and over (DS-2019 issued by VCU) If your DS-2019 was issued by another organization: You need to contact that organization for guidance about reporting your address to DHS. Do not report your address to DHS by emailing GEOIS@vcu.edu VCU does not have access to your SEVIS record and cannot make any updates to it. |
If your DS-2019 was issued by VCU: Notify GEO Immigration Services by email only (GEOIS@vcu.edu). We will update your SEVIS record, which is reporting or updating your address to DHS. |
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All others, including H-1B, O-1, TN, and Permanent Resident (green card) and dependents age 14 and over |
If you are in one of these statuses, you and your dependents must report your address or change of address to DHS by following the USCIS change address guidance for filing an AR-11. Note that the guidance at that link strongly encourages you to file an AR-11 online through a USCIS account. This is GEO’s guidance, as well (file your AR-11 online through a USCIS account). Individuals in H-1B, O-1, TN and Permanent Resident status do NOT need to update GEO Immigration Services about your address. You must follow the USCIS guidance about filing an AR-11.
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NOTE: To comply with the DHS requirement, individuals in F-1 and J-1 status and their dependents must inform GEO Immigration Services of their address or change of address as directed above. You may also file an AR-11 with DHS (as above), if you wish to do so.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
Reporting your U.S. address or change of address to DHS (whether via SEVIS update through GEO Immigration Services or AR-11) is not the same thing as informing USPS of a change of address. Likewise, notifying USPS of your change of address is not the same thing as reporting your address change to DHS. If you change your U.S. residential address, you will need to update USPS about that separately.
VCU Banner
Reporting your address or change to GEO Immigration Services, DHS, or USPS is not the same thing as reporting or updating your address in the VCU system (called Banner). Likewise, updating your address in Banner is not the same thing as reporting your address or change to GEO Immigration Services, DHS, or USPS. If you need to update your address in Banner, you can do so by logging into eServices.
For information about applying for a Virginia driver’s license, please contact the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Please note the DMV documentary requirements are complex—even for Americans. Be sure you understand from the DMV website what documents you, as an international, need to show for a driver’s license application.