Can you imagine that your immigration case is already approved and you are impatiently waiting for your documents to arrive in the mail, but they get lost along the way? Unfortunately, this is one of the problems that most affect immigrants. However, you who are reading this article don’t have to worry about it anymore. Today we are going to teach you some tricks that you can do with USPS (United States Postal Service), the mail service with which USCIS sends all important documents. Start!

Set up informed delivery so you know when a document arrives

Informed delivery is a free service from USPS that shows you photos of the mail you’ll receive for the day, as well as status updates on incoming and outgoing packages. Every morning you will receive an email with that information. This service is completely free.

How can you sign up? Well, very easy. Now we explain each step.

1. You must first verify that your address is eligible for the service. For that you are going to enter this page and fill in the fields that ask you there.
2. Once you confirm that your address is eligible, you must create a USPS account here.
3. When creating the account, you will probably be asked for proof that you live at that address such as a receipt for water, electricity, etc. It doesn’t have to say your name, it just has to show the address.
4. When everything is ready you can start receiving the informed delivery.

Divert mail to your new address

(This segment is for those people who have moved, haven’t changed their address, and of course, don’t want to lose their documents.)

If this is your case you do not have to worry. USPS also offers a mail forwarding service.

Although mail forwarding can begin 3 business days after your request is submitted, USPS recommends that you do so 2 weeks in advance. The process can be done at your local post office or you can also do it online at this address.

How to change your online address

1. Go to the USPS® Official Address Change website.
2. Select a moving option “Individual”, “Family” or “Business”, and complete the form.
3. Verify your identity: Sign up online to receive a verification code or link on your mobile phone or go to a Post Office with an acceptable photo ID to complete the identity verification process in person.
4. Pay the $1.10 identity verification fee.
5. USPS will email you a confirmation code. Use that code if you need to modify or cancel your request.
6. You will receive a welcome kit to your new address, with coupons from USPS partners.
7. The mail will be redirected to its new address piece by piece.

Extended mail forwarding

Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months. However, you can pay to extend mail forwarding for 6, 12, or 18 more months (18 months is the maximum).

To purchase this service, you can add it when you first submit  your change of address request  or later by editing your request. (USPS will also send you an email reminder when you have 1 month left on your mail forward.)

It is important to note that the change of address request only changes your mailing address with the post office. You must still report it to government agencies (for your benefits, driver’s license, and voter registration) and businesses (banks, insurance, online stores, etc.).

Note: When your mail forwarding period ends, USPS will return your mail to the sender for 6 months with a label that has your new address on it.