USCIS has updated the filing address for Form I-881, the form used to apply for suspension of deportation or special rule cancellation under NACARA, to Montclair, California, as of June 2, 2025. Qualified filers are citizens of Guatemala, El Salvador, and certain Eastern European countries, subject to specific entry and registration criteria.
New Mailing Address Effective June 2, 2025
Effective June 2, 2025, applicants are required to mail Form I-881, Application for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule Cancellation of Removal (under Section 203 of Public Law 105-100, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act or NACARA), to the USCIS office in Montclair, California. This replaces the previous address at the Texas Service Center. A 30-day grace period is given to mailings sent to Texas, but those postmarked on or after July 2, 2025, will be rejected.
Who Should File Form I-881?
Form I-881 is filed by certain immigrants who are eligible to apply for suspension of deportation or special rule cancellation of removal under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA). It is predominantly filled in by Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and other nationals of certain Eastern European countries who are highly specific regarding their entry and registration requirements.
Applicants may submit to USCIS if they:
- Are Guatemalan nationals who entered the United States on or earlier than October 1, 1990, and signed up for American Baptist Churches (ABC) benefits on or earlier than December 31, 1991, or submitted asylum applications between December 19, 1990, and December 31, 1991, without being apprehended after December 19, 1990.
- Are citizens of El Salvador who entered on or before September 19, 1990, and applied for ABC benefits or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by October 31, 1991, or used for asylum between December 19, 1990, and October 31, 1991, without being apprehended after December 19, 1990.
- Entered the U.S. on or before December 31, 1990, and applied for asylum on or before December 31, 1991, as nationals of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Soviet Union (or its republics), Romania, Russia, Yugoslavia (or its states).
Additionally, spouses, children, or unmarried sons or daughters of eligible persons who have been granted suspension of deportation or special rule cancellation of removal may also be eligible, subject to certain conditions regarding family ties and dates of entry.
Filing During Removal Proceedings
Applicants in removal or deportation proceedings may submit their first application before the Immigration Court. Those who do not qualify under NACARA should use alternative forms, such as EOIR-40 or EOIR-42B, for the suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal.
Application Process and Requirements
When the Form I-881 is filed, USCIS will issue a receipt notice and arrange for an appointment at an Application Support Center (ASC) for fingerprints. The fingerprints are then sent to the FBI for a criminal background check. Next, USCIS will notify the applicant of a date for an interview with an asylum officer about the NACARA application.
Applicants will need to establish extended residence in the U.S. for at least seven years, as well as meet other requirements outlined in the form instructions.
What’s Next? -Address Changes and Notifications
The applicant must inform USCIS of any address change within 10 days by either using the online change of address process or mailing Form AR-11. Furthermore, if the applicant is an asylum case holder, the asylum office must be notified separately. Failure to update the address may result in a delay or compromise in processing the application.
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