Employers file H-1B petitions in one of two places: online through a USCIS organizational account, or by mail to the USCIS service center that has jurisdiction over the beneficiary’s intended work location. Where to file an H-1B petition on paper depends on where the beneficiary will work, whether the petition is cap-subject or cap-exempt, and whether the package is going through the U.S. Postal Service or a private courier. Sending the petition to the wrong address usually results in rejection rather than forwarding, so the correct destination has to be confirmed on the USCIS “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129” page immediately before shipping.
Filing Online Through a USCIS Organizational Account
USCIS accepts H-1B petitions electronically for both cap-subject petitions whose registrations were selected in the lottery and non-cap H-1B petitions.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online The employer or its legal representative signs in through a USCIS organizational account, which is the same platform used for H-1B registrations and premium processing requests.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions
Online filing removes the service-center question entirely. USCIS routes the case internally, receipt is confirmed immediately, and the employer uploads the same supporting documents that would go into a paper package.
Mailing to a USCIS Service Center
USCIS processes Form I-129 through several service centers, including the California, Vermont, Nebraska, Texas, and Potomac Service Centers. Each center handles petitions from specific geographic regions or for specific classifications, and the assignment turns on where the beneficiary will work, not where the employer is headquartered.
Jurisdictional lines are enforced strictly. A petition mailed outside its assigned center is typically rejected, and the employer has to refile with attention to any filing window still running. USCIS reassigns workloads between centers periodically, so the correct address for the same employer can change from one filing to the next. Check the direct filing addresses page on the day the package goes out.
USPS vs. Private Courier
USCIS publishes two addresses for each service center: a P.O. Box for petitions sent through the U.S. Postal Service and a physical street address for packages sent through FedEx, UPS, or DHL. The suite or floor number often differs. Using the P.O. Box for a courier shipment, or the street address for USPS, can delay receipt or cause rejection. Match the address to the carrier you are actually using.
Cap-Subject vs. Cap-Exempt
The destination can also differ depending on whether the petition counts toward the annual H-1B numerical cap. Cap-subject petitions (those that came through the lottery) may go to a different service center or lockbox than cap-exempt petitions. Institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations are exempt from the cap and follow separate filing instructions.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H-1B Specialty Occupations Cap-exempt petitions can be submitted year-round, subject to the six-month advance-filing limit; cap-subject petitions have to be filed within the 90-day window stated on the Registration Selection Notice.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H-1B Cap Season
Packaging a Paper Filing
For mailed petitions, use heavy-duty fasteners rather than staples so USCIS officers can scan the package cleanly. For cap-subject filings, USCIS recommends placing the Registration Selection Notice at the top.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H-1B Cap Season Send each required fee as its own check or money order. Use a delivery method that provides tracking, and confirm the correct address one more time before the package leaves your office.
The petition itself begins with Form I-129, which asks for the employer’s Federal Employer Identification Number, financial information showing ability to pay the offered wage, the job title, the NAICS code, and the intended dates of employment.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-129, Instructions for Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker The package also needs the certified Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035), evidence of the beneficiary’s qualifying degree or license, the Part 6 export-control certification on Form I-129, the beneficiary’s passport identity page, and, for anyone already in the United States, an I-94 and pay stubs showing maintained status. Cap-subject filings must include a copy of the Registration Selection Notice.
Filing Fees
H-1B petitions carry several fees, and each one is paid separately, typically as an individual check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- Base filing fee for Form I-129: the amount varies by employer size and type. USCIS publishes the current figure through its Fee Calculator at uscis.gov/feecalculator.
- Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee: $500, required for initial H-1B petitions and for petitions to employ an H-1B worker currently working for a different employer.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
- ACWIA Training Fee: $750 for employers with 25 or fewer full-time employees, or $1,500 for employers with more than 25.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
- Asylum Program Fee: $600 for employers with more than 25 full-time equivalent employees, $300 for employers with 25 or fewer, and $0 for nonprofits.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
- Premium processing (optional): $2,965 as of March 1, 2026, paid with Form I-907. This commits USCIS to take action on the petition within 15 business days.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing?
All government fees are the employer’s responsibility and cannot be passed to the beneficiary. Attorney fees, when the employer uses counsel, commonly run between $2,000 and $5,000 on top of the government charges, though legal representation is not required.
Timing and What Happens After the Package Arrives
An employer can file no more than six months before the requested employment start date.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. H-1B Cap Season For cap-subject petitions targeting fiscal year 2027, the start date must be October 1, 2026, or later. Selected registrations come with a filing window of at least 90 days shown on the Registration Selection Notice. A petition rejected for a filing error, such as the wrong service-center address, can be refiled within that same 90-day window; missing the window means the registration expires and the employer waits for the next lottery.
Once USCIS accepts a petition, it issues a Form I-797 Notice of Action carrying a 13-character receipt number (three letters followed by ten digits) that the employer uses to track case status online.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797 Types and Functions11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipt Number Where premium processing was requested, USCIS will act within 15 business days of receipt or refund the premium fee.
One boundary worth noting: dependents in H-4 status are filed separately. Because H-1B petitions now move through the online portal, the H-4 change or extension on Form I-539 generally cannot be bundled with the H-1B and is filed after the employer has the H-1B receipt number. Dependents outside the United States skip Form I-539 entirely and apply for the H-4 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.