Moving in the United States: Forward Your Mail and Update the Right Agencies
How USPS mail forwarding works, what the online request costs, and why a postal address change does not update your USCIS address.
Mail forwarding is only one step
If you move, notify the people and organizations that send you mail and file a change-of-address request with the U.S. Postal Service, USPS. Give senders your complete new address, including an apartment or unit number where needed. A forwarding request does not replace updating your records with banks, insurers, schools or government agencies.
Use USPS, not a costly look-alike service
USPS offers online requests through its official forwarding page and in-person requests at a Post Office. The online request has a $1.25 identity-verification fee, according to USPS. Follow its identity checks; the payment card’s billing address must match your old or new address. At a Post Office, ask for a free Mover’s Guide packet and the change-of-address form.
USPS warns that third-party sites may charge $40 or more and says it no longer accepts requests submitted by third-party businesses. Start from USPS.com, not a sponsored result that only resembles the postal service. Do not treat a higher fee as a faster official service.
Choose the correct household request
If everyone in a family has the same last name and is moving to the same address, USPS allows a family request. If only some household members move, or people have different last names, use separate individual requests as USPS directs. Special cases, including moving from another country to the United States, require different steps. USPS says an incoming international move must be handled through the postal administration of the country you are leaving.
Know what will and will not follow you
Standard forwarding generally lasts 12 months, but the period depends on the mail class. USPS lists 60 days for periodicals. Some mail is not forwarded because the sender requires it to be returned, and some classes can require additional postage. Update senders directly rather than relying on forwarding for sensitive documents.
Keep the confirmation you receive and the confirmation code for changing or cancelling the request. If a change-of-address validation letter arrives but you are not moving, use the dispute instructions in that official letter and on the USPS information page.
USCIS needs a separate update
USCIS says changing your address with USPS does not change the address in your USCIS records, and USPS will not forward USCIS mail. Update both separately. USCIS states that noncitizens generally must report a move within 10 days, with exceptions for A and G visa holders and visa-waiver visitors.
Use USCIS’s current address-change instructions. The agency says to include receipt numbers for each pending benefit request when updating through an online account. Certain cases, including VAWA, T and U cases and some abuse waivers, have special procedures. Check the section that applies to you; this article is not individual legal advice.
