The USCIS I-130 filing address depends on two things: whether you’re filing the petition on its own or together with Form I-485, and the state where the petitioner lives. USCIS routes paper I-130 petitions through four Lockbox facilities — Phoenix, Elgin, Dallas, and Chicago — and the agency publishes separate address charts for standalone petitions and for concurrent I-130/I-485 packages.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative You can also file Form I-130 online through a USCIS account, which skips the address question entirely and cuts $50 off the filing fee.
Standalone I-130 for Consular Processing
When your relative lives abroad and will get their immigrant visa through a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you file the I-130 by itself. Standalone I-130s go to either the Phoenix Lockbox or the Elgin Lockbox, and USCIS assigns each state to one of the two.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative The chart to check is titled “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative” on the USCIS website; it lists every state and territory alongside the correct P.O. Box and street address.
If you’re petitioning for a spouse, the spouse fills out Form I-130A and you include it in the package. A spouse who is overseas still completes the form but doesn’t need to sign it.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and Form I-130A A missing I-130A is a common reason petitions come back.
Concurrent I-130 and I-485 Packages
When your relative is already in the United States and eligible to adjust status, you can file the I-130 at the same time as Form I-485. This concurrent filing option is available to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens: a spouse, an unmarried child under 21, or a parent (if the petitioner is at least 21).4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Concurrent Filing of Form I-485 Both forms, all fees, and any accompanying applications such as Form I-765 or Form I-131 go in one package to one address.
Concurrent packages use a different address chart than standalone petitions. USCIS routes them across four Lockboxes — Dallas, Elgin, Phoenix, and Chicago — based on the petitioner’s state.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Forms The chart you want is “USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Forms.” One detail catches people who reuse an old envelope template: concurrent packages are addressed to “Attn: AOS,” while standalone I-130 petitions are addressed to “Attn: I-130.” Even at the same Lockbox, the attention line differs.
Mail everything together. USCIS treats the two forms as concurrently filed only when they arrive at the same location with all required fees and documents.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Concurrent Filing of Form I-485 Splitting the filing across envelopes or Lockboxes risks having the package returned.
Filing From Outside the United States
U.S. citizens living abroad have three ways to file. The default is a paper standalone I-130 sent to the Elgin Lockbox, which handles petitions mailed from outside the country.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative The second is online filing through a USCIS account. The third, Direct Consular Filing, is narrow.
Direct Consular Filing lets you submit the I-130 at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but only when exceptional circumstances justify it. Examples include a sudden job relocation back to the United States on short notice, or humanitarian situations such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, and the petition must be for an immediate relative.6U.S. Embassy & Consulates in France. Exceptional Circumstances If the consulate decides your situation doesn’t meet the exception, it will send you back to the Elgin Lockbox or online filing.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
Filing the I-130 Online Instead
USCIS accepts Form I-130 electronically, and this option removes the Lockbox address question altogether. You create a USCIS online account, complete the form, upload documents, and pay through Pay.gov.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative The online filing fee is $625, compared to $675 for a paper filing.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form G-1055 Fee Schedule
One limitation matters if your relative is adjusting status: Form I-485 cannot be filed online. You can still file the I-130 online and have your relative mail the I-485 separately by paper, including a copy of the online I-130 receipt notice in the I-485 package.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative That splits the filing across two channels but avoids the Lockbox chart for the I-130 half.
USPS Address vs. Courier Address
Each Lockbox has two addresses: a P.O. Box for U.S. Postal Service mail, and a street address for FedEx, UPS, and DHL.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Forms You must use the address that matches your carrier. FedEx and UPS won’t deliver to a P.O. Box, and a USPS package sent to a courier intake address goes through a different receiving process.
For a standalone I-130 handled by the Elgin Lockbox, the USPS address is USCIS, Attn: I-130, P.O. Box 4053, Carol Stream, IL 60197-4053. The courier address for the same Lockbox is USCIS, Attn: I-130 (Box 4053), 2500 Westfield Drive, Elgin, IL 60124-7836.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative The attention line, box reference, city, and ZIP code all change. Mixing them up causes delays.
USCIS accepts deliveries only from USPS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS. Other couriers are not accepted at Lockbox facilities.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Five Steps to File at the USCIS Lockbox
Verify the Address Before You Mail
USCIS reassigns Lockbox facilities from time to time, and an address that was correct a few months ago may not be current. Before mailing, check the two pages that hold the definitive information:
- For a standalone I-130, use the “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130” page, which lists the correct Lockbox by state along with USPS and courier addresses.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
- For a concurrent I-130 and I-485, use the “USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Forms,” which shows the correct Lockbox for adjustment packages, also broken down by state.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Family-Based Forms
A package sent to the wrong Lockbox may be forwarded, but there’s no guarantee. When USCIS can’t process it, the package is returned to the address on your form.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Lockbox Filing Information The round trip costs weeks of processing time, and in preference categories tied to the visa bulletin, those weeks matter.