Filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, involves more than completing the form and gathering supporting documents. Sending the petition to the wrong location can result in delays, rejection, or loss of the original filing date — consequences that can be difficult and time-consuming to correct. Understanding how the I-140 filing address is determined, and why it varies depending on what else is being filed, is an important part of submitting a complete and correctly routed petition.
Why the filing address varies
USCIS routes Form I-140 petitions to different lockbox facilities depending on three factors: whether the petition is being filed alone, whether it is being filed concurrently with Form I-485, and whether premium processing is being requested through Form I-907. Within each of those scenarios, the beneficiary’s state of intended employment — not their state of residence — determines which specific lockbox applies.
USCIS operates multiple lockbox facilities that handle I-140 filings, including locations in Dallas, Chicago, Elgin, and Phoenix. Each lockbox also maintains separate addresses for U.S. Postal Service delivery and for courier services such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. Using the USPS address for a courier shipment — or vice versa — can cause delivery failures and processing delays.
Filing Form I-140 alone
For petitioners filing Form I-140 without Form I-485 and without premium processing, the correct lockbox depends on where the beneficiary will work.
Petitioners whose beneficiaries will work in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming — as well as the Armed Forces and the U.S. territories of Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — should direct their filing to the USCIS Dallas lockbox.
Petitioners whose beneficiaries will work in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin should direct their filing to the USCIS Chicago lockbox.
Because USCIS periodically updates lockbox addresses, the specific mailing addresses should always be confirmed on the USCIS direct filing addresses page for Form I-140 immediately before mailing. The addresses listed in this article reflect guidance current as of January 2026 per the source document, but are subject to change.
Filing Form I-140 concurrently with Form I-485
When Form I-140 is filed at the same time as Form I-485 — a process known as concurrent filing, available when the beneficiary’s priority date is current on the Visa Bulletin — the filing address changes regardless of the beneficiary’s work location. All concurrent I-140 and I-485 filings are directed to the USCIS Dallas lockbox, regardless of which state the beneficiary will work in. Concurrent filing is only permitted when the priority date is current — USCIS will reject Form I-485 if filed before the priority date becomes current.
Filing with premium processing
Requesting premium processing by including Form I-907 changes the routing of the petition. Premium processing filings are directed to separate lockboxes from standard filings, and the specific lockbox again depends on the beneficiary’s state of intended employment.
For premium processing petitions — whether filed with or without Form I-485 — beneficiaries working in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming (plus the Armed Forces and the territories of Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are routed to the USCIS Phoenix lockbox. Beneficiaries working in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are routed to the USCIS Elgin lockbox.
As with standard filings, the specific addresses for premium processing submissions should be verified on the USCIS I-140 filing addresses page before mailing, as the state-by-state routing details are subject to change.
It is also worth noting that premium processing applies only to Form I-140. It does not accelerate the adjudication of Form I-485, biometrics scheduling, or final Green Card approval.
Important filing considerations
Several practical points are frequently cited as causes of avoidable errors in I-140 filings:
- USPS and courier addresses differ. USCIS assigns separate mailing addresses for USPS delivery and for courier services such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. Using the wrong address for the delivery method chosen can cause the package to be returned or misdirected.
- Filing date is not preserved if rejected. If USCIS rejects a petition because it was sent to the wrong lockbox, the original mailing date is not preserved as the filing date. The petition must be refiled, which can affect the priority date.
- Form I-140 and Form I-907 cannot be combined incorrectly. Even when filed together, these forms must be packaged according to current USCIS instructions with the correct fees and documentation. Combining forms incorrectly can result in rejection.
- Online filing is limited. USCIS permits online filing of Form I-140 only when it is filed by itself (a standalone petition, with Form G-28 if represented by an attorney). If Form I-140 is filed together with any other form — including Form I-485 or Form I-907 — the entire package must be mailed. (When online filing first launched in late 2025, it was initially available only for EB-1A and EB-2 NIW self-petitions.)
Always verify before mailing
USCIS updates lockbox addresses periodically, and relying on information that is even slightly out of date can result in a misdirected filing. The most reliable practice is to confirm the correct filing address directly on the USCIS website immediately before mailing — not days or weeks before, but on the day of or the day before the package is sent.
Keeping proof of delivery — including tracking information and a delivery confirmation — is also advisable, as this documentation can be important if questions arise about when and where the petition was received.
The value of legal guidance
For most petitioners, selecting the correct I-140 filing address is a manageable step with careful attention to USCIS instructions. For those managing concurrent filings, premium processing requests, or multiple petitions across different categories, having experienced immigration counsel review the filing package before it is sent is a practice frequently associated with cleaner submissions and fewer avoidable complications.
