The obligation to report new addresses to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has become a critical legal requirement for green card holders, visa applicants, and others navigating the immigration system. Attorneys warn that even routine cases can escalate if applicants fail to maintain accurate records.
A recent incident at the USCIS LA Office involved Tae-ha Hwang, 38, who was taken into custody during his marriage-based green card interview. Hwang had received a conditional green card through his first marriage but did not update his address after divorcing. As a result, he never received the notice for his conditional residency review. A judge later issued an in-absentia removal order, which Hwang did not know existed. When he appeared for a new interview this year after remarrying a U.S. citizen, the outstanding order led to his arrest at the interview.
Attorneys say the case shows how essential the AR-11 address-change requirement and immigration court record checks have become. Even family-based applicants, who often view their cases as stable, can face immediate detention if older records contain unresolved issues.
Federal rules require individuals who move to report their new address to USCIS within 10 days. Many Korean Americans remain unaware of the rule, causing interview notices, removal hearing notices, and other documents to be delivered to outdated addresses without their knowledge.
Attorney Kwanwoo Chun said, “If someone fails to update their address and does not receive the ‘notice of intent to terminate,’ the conditional green card expires and an NTA is issued, moving the case into removal proceedings. If the notice is sent to an old address, a removal order can be issued without the person knowing.”
Attorney Jonathan Park added, “Removal hearing notices are also sent only to the originally registered address, so applicants must be extremely careful.”
Cases involving applicants who did not check their immigration court records have been increasing. According to the New York Times, U.S. citizen spouses in areas including San Diego have been handcuffed and detained immediately after interviews. Although a 1986 federal law allows immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to apply for green cards even after overstaying, strengthened on-site enforcement has reduced the practical protection this provision once offered.
Attorney Wanseok Oh explained, “In the past, simple overstays by immediate relatives of U.S. citizens were not treated as major issues during interviews, and arrests almost never happened. But since the Trump administration, both adjudication and enforcement have become stricter, and even small issues in an applicant’s older records can lead to arrest at the interview.”
Experts advise applicants—especially those who recall past immigration complications—to check their immigration court records before attending interviews. Chun said, “If someone remembers problems such as a denied status change, termination of conditional residency, or a failed family petition, they must be especially careful. Using the A-number, they should confirm whether an immigration court case exists, whether a hearing is pending, or whether a removal order has already been issued.”
If a removal order is in place, the applicant must request reopening or at least administrative closure before pursuing a new green card application.
Applicants can report address changes online by creating an account at uscis.gov or by mailing the AR-11 form. Each family member must file individually, even if they moved together. Only the applicant’s current address must be listed, regardless of prior moves. Even if the 10-day deadline has passed, attorneys say filing now remains the safest option.
Oh emphasized, “As immigration policy becomes stricter, even small obligations can lead to real enforcement. Until someone becomes a U.S. citizen, they must manage address updates and record maintenance with much greater diligence.”
Marriage Interview Ended in Handcuffs as ICE Detained Korean Spouse Without Warning
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
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