The I-131 filing address depends on three things: which travel document you’re requesting, whether you have a Form I-485 pending, and in most cases the state you live in. USCIS routes these applications through four regional lockboxes in Phoenix, Elgin, Chicago, and Dallas, plus a fixed Washington, D.C. address for refugees and asylees filing from abroad. Sending the package to the wrong address means it comes back unopened, so the specific rules below matter.
Start With the Type of Travel Document
Form I-131 covers several different requests, and the address branches from there.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records2USCIS. Instructions for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. International Travel as a Permanent Resident4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Travel Documents
The form is also used for TPS travel authorization, humanitarian parole, and several other parole programs. Each has its own filing address on the USCIS Direct Filing Addresses page. What follows covers the three main categories.
Advance Parole: Address Depends on I-485 Timing
Filing Concurrently With Form I-485
When Form I-131 goes in the same envelope as your I-485, the whole package is sent to whichever lockbox address applies to that I-485 filing. USCIS treats them as concurrently filed when they arrive together with all fees and supporting documents.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Concurrent Filing of Form I-485 The I-485 address varies by eligibility category and state of residence, so check the Direct Filing Addresses page for Form I-485 to find the exact one that applies to you.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
Filing After Your I-485 Is Already Pending
If the I-485 is already on file and you’re sending Form I-131 separately, USCIS routes your application by the three-letter prefix on your I-485 receipt number. You’ll find that prefix on the Form I-797C, Notice of Action, USCIS sent when it accepted the I-485. Include a copy of that I-797C with your I-131.
The routing splits into two groups:6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
- Receipt numbers starting with MSC, IOE, or no letter prefix go to a designated USCIS lockbox listed on the Direct Filing Addresses page for Form I-131.
- Receipt numbers starting with EAC, SRC, LIN, or WAC go to the USCIS lockbox assigned to your state of residence, per the USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Non-Family-Based Forms.
If your receipt number begins with IOE, you may also be eligible to file the advance parole request online rather than by mail.
Reentry Permit: Lockbox by State of Residence
Reentry permit applications are always standalone filings and always go to the lockbox assigned to the state you live in. Match your state to the correct lockbox on the USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Non-Family-Based Forms.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Non-Family-Based Forms The four regional lockboxes and their assigned states are:6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
- Phoenix Lockbox: Arizona, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania
- Elgin Lockbox: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia
- Chicago Lockbox: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
- Dallas Lockbox: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and all U.S. territories
One important rule for reentry permits: you must be physically present in the United States when you file, and you must complete your biometrics appointment before leaving the country.2USCIS. Instructions for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records You can’t be abroad and have someone mail it on your behalf.
Refugee Travel Document: Inside vs. Outside the U.S.
Filing From Inside the United States
If you’re still in the country when you file and can attend biometrics before departing, your application goes to the lockbox assigned to your state of residence, using the same Lockbox Filing Locations Chart as reentry permits.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
Filing From Outside the United States
Refugees, asylees, and permanent residents who obtained status through refugee or asylee grounds who are already abroad, and have been outside the U.S. for less than one year, send the application to a single fixed address in Washington, D.C., regardless of where they live:6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
USCIS Refugee and International Operations
Attn: RTD
999 North Capitol St. NE
Mail Stop 2292
Washington, DC 20529-2295
The same address is used whether you send the package by USPS, FedEx, DHL, or UPS.
Match the Address Format to Your Shipping Method
Each lockbox has two versions of its address: a P.O. Box for U.S. Postal Service deliveries and a street address for private couriers such as FedEx and UPS. Using the wrong format for how you’re shipping the package can hold it up or send it back. If it’s going by regular or certified mail, use the P.O. Box. If it’s going by courier, use the street address.
Use a shipping method with tracking and delivery confirmation. Certified mail with return receipt, FedEx, or UPS all give you a record that the package reached the lockbox on a specific date, which matters if a filing date is ever disputed.
Confirm the Current Address Before You Mail
USCIS updates lockbox addresses periodically. Confirm the address on the USCIS Direct Filing Addresses page for Form I-131 the day you’re mailing, even if you sent a different form to what you think is the same lockbox recently.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records Packages sent to an outdated address come back unprocessed, and you lose whatever time they spent in transit.
When You Can Skip the Mail Entirely
Not every I-131 has to be mailed. USCIS accepts online filing through myUSCIS for some categories.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online Advance parole tied to a pending I-485 can be filed online only if the I-485 receipt number starts with IOE; all other prefixes must be mailed.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records TPS travel authorization and certain humanitarian parole categories can also be filed online. Reentry permits and refugee travel documents cannot; those have to go by mail to the addresses above.