Change of Address Form AR-11 Question
Aug 12th 2002, 10:27 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 48
Change of Address Form AR-11 Question
Hi,
I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime you change address:
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fo...orms/ar-11.htm
Some back ground:
I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa, so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't what's on my visa.
I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for". I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking, I actually work for the US company?
Which is correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker.
So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)?
Again, which is correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to tell them of the change last week.
These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum, but I'd still like to get it right.
Thanks.
I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime you change address:
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fo...orms/ar-11.htm
Some back ground:
I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa, so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't what's on my visa.
I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for". I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking, I actually work for the US company?
Which is correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker.
So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)?
Again, which is correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to tell them of the change last week.
These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum, but I'd still like to get it right.
Thanks.
Aug 14th 2002, 12:30 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Change of Address Form AR-11 Question
On Mon, 12 Aug 2002 16:05:09 -0700, powburn wrote:
> Hi,
> I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime
> you change address: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
> Some back ground: I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa,
> so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US
> company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the
> Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
> Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out
> by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't
> what's on my visa.
> I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for".
> I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking,
> I actually work for the US company? Which is correct or least likely to confuse
> the INS?
Specify the actual company you work for - everything else would be asking for
trouble. As a side note: hire an immigration attorney immediately to assess the
impact of the buyout on your immigration status. It is quite likely that
everything will be OK, but this is not always the case. In particular, if the UK
company was bought by a different new owner than the US company, there could be
some sticky issues.
> Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa
> states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined
> another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork
> for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a
> Nonimmigrant Worker.
> So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current
> employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)? Again, which is
> correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
Her current employer is correct.
> How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
> We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to
> tell them of the change last week.
Well, let me put it this way: you probably heard about the INS detaining around 1000
people following 9/11 for immigration violations. For at least some of them, the only
violation they ever committed was failing to file the AR-11 in time. So I would
recommend doing it as quickly as possible.
Also, be aware that the INS drowns in change-of-address notices and has essentially
no way of actually reading them, let alone entering them into some kind of computer
system (which nobody uses; you have to change your address separately with the
service centers if you have a case pending!) So you need to send it by certified
mail, return receipt requested, and keep copies of the AR-11, too, in case you are
ever asked about it.
> These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum,
> but I'd still like to get it right.
Ingo
> Hi,
> I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime
> you change address: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
> Some back ground: I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa,
> so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US
> company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the
> Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
> Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out
> by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't
> what's on my visa.
> I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for".
> I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking,
> I actually work for the US company? Which is correct or least likely to confuse
> the INS?
Specify the actual company you work for - everything else would be asking for
trouble. As a side note: hire an immigration attorney immediately to assess the
impact of the buyout on your immigration status. It is quite likely that
everything will be OK, but this is not always the case. In particular, if the UK
company was bought by a different new owner than the US company, there could be
some sticky issues.
> Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa
> states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined
> another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork
> for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a
> Nonimmigrant Worker.
> So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current
> employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)? Again, which is
> correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
Her current employer is correct.
> How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
> We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to
> tell them of the change last week.
Well, let me put it this way: you probably heard about the INS detaining around 1000
people following 9/11 for immigration violations. For at least some of them, the only
violation they ever committed was failing to file the AR-11 in time. So I would
recommend doing it as quickly as possible.
Also, be aware that the INS drowns in change-of-address notices and has essentially
no way of actually reading them, let alone entering them into some kind of computer
system (which nobody uses; you have to change your address separately with the
service centers if you have a case pending!) So you need to send it by certified
mail, return receipt requested, and keep copies of the AR-11, too, in case you are
ever asked about it.
> These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum,
> but I'd still like to get it right.
Ingo
Aug 15th 2002, 12:25 am
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 48
Re: Change of Address Form AR-11 Question
>> Originally posted by Ingo Pakleppa:
>> On Mon, 12 Aug 2002 16:05:09 -0700, powburn wrote:
> Hi,
> I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime
> you change address: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
> Some back ground: I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa,
> so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US
> company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the
> Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
> Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out
> by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't
> what's on my visa.
> I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for".
> I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking,
> I actually work for the US company? Which is correct or least likely to confuse
> the INS?
>> Specify the actual company you work for - everything else >> would be asking for trouble. As a side note: hire an
>> immigration attorney immediately to assess the impact of
>> the buyout on your immigration status. It is quite likely
>> that everything will be OK, but this is not always the case.
>> In particular, if the UK company was bought by a different
>> new owner than the US company, there could be some
>> sticky issues.
This should be fine, my US employer is owned by the same company that took over my original UK company, even though most of the actual names are all different.
> Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa
> states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined
> another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork
> for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a
> Nonimmigrant Worker.
> So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current
> employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)? Again, which is
> correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
>> Her current employer is correct.
> How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
> We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to
> tell them of the change last week.
>> Well, let me put it this way: you probably heard about the >> INS detaining around 1000 people following 9/11 for
>> immigration violations. For at least some of them, the
>> only violation they ever committed was failing to file the
>> AR-11 in time. So I would recommend doing it as quickly
>> as possible.
>> Also, be aware that the INS drowns in change-of-address
>> notices and has essentially no way of actually reading
>> them, let alone entering them into some kind of
>> computer system (which nobody uses; you have to
>> change your address separately with the service centers if
>> you have a case pending!) So you need to send it by
>> certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep copies
>> of the AR-11, too, in case you are ever asked about it.
Wonderful! My wife is still waiting for her new I-129 to finish processing in the California Service Center, so I guess we'll have to send another copy there.
> These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum,
> but I'd still like to get it right.
>> Ingo
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate the help!
>> On Mon, 12 Aug 2002 16:05:09 -0700, powburn wrote:
> Hi,
> I've only just found out that the INS requires you to submit form AR-11 everytime
> you change address: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/ar-11.htm
> Some back ground: I've been working in the US for over a year now on an L1A visa,
> so the company printed on the visa in my passport states UKCOMPANY LTD, not the US
> company I'm actually working for. UKCOMPANY LTD were the UK based sponsors for the
> Executive Transfer to our US subsidiary.
> Since moving here, both UKCOMPANY LTD and their US subsidiary have been bought out
> by another company. Form AR-11 asks for who "I work for", which of course isn't
> what's on my visa.
> I have been advised elsewhere to just enter UKCOMPANY LTD as who "I work for".
> I'd like to confirm if that's the correct name to enter, since strictly speaking,
> I actually work for the US company? Which is correct or least likely to confuse
> the INS?
>> Specify the actual company you work for - everything else >> would be asking for trouble. As a side note: hire an
>> immigration attorney immediately to assess the impact of
>> the buyout on your immigration status. It is quite likely
>> that everything will be OK, but this is not always the case.
>> In particular, if the UK company was bought by a different
>> new owner than the US company, there could be some
>> sticky issues.
This should be fine, my US employer is owned by the same company that took over my original UK company, even though most of the actual names are all different.
> Similarly, my wife is working here in the US on her own H1B visa. Her H1B visa
> states her US employer, or rather her former US employer since she recently joined
> another company. She's still waiting for the INS to finish processing the paperwork
> for her change of employer. Think that was just a new Form I-129, Petition for a
> Nonimmigrant Worker.
> So, should she enter her original employer (printed on her H1B visa) or her current
> employer (official employer change paperwork still with the INS)? Again, which is
> correct or least likely to confuse the INS?
>> Her current employer is correct.
> How strict is the INS on the 10 day rule for informing them of a change of address?
> We moved house well over a month ago, but I only found out about the requirement to
> tell them of the change last week.
>> Well, let me put it this way: you probably heard about the >> INS detaining around 1000 people following 9/11 for
>> immigration violations. For at least some of them, the
>> only violation they ever committed was failing to file the
>> AR-11 in time. So I would recommend doing it as quickly
>> as possible.
>> Also, be aware that the INS drowns in change-of-address
>> notices and has essentially no way of actually reading
>> them, let alone entering them into some kind of
>> computer system (which nobody uses; you have to
>> change your address separately with the service centers if
>> you have a case pending!) So you need to send it by
>> certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep copies
>> of the AR-11, too, in case you are ever asked about it.
Wonderful! My wife is still waiting for her new I-129 to finish processing in the California Service Center, so I guess we'll have to send another copy there.
> These may seem small questions compared to the other topics posted on this forum,
> but I'd still like to get it right.
>> Ingo
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate the help!
