Filing Address for all E-1 and E-2 Petitions
USCIS
California Service Center
ATTN: I-129
P.O. Box 10129
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1012
Filing Address for H-1B employers filing petitions which are cap exempt
H-1B employers filing petitions which are cap exempt are encouraged to file their petitions exclusively at the California Service Center at one of the addresses listed below.
In this instance, "cap exempt" refers only to those petitioners who are exempt from the numerical limitations identified in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(A). "Cap exempt" petitioners include:
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Institutions of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1001(a);
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Nonprofit organizations or entities related to or affiliated with institutions of higher education; and
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Nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations, as defined in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(19)(iii)(C).
Petitioners can indicate their cap exempt status on the I-129 form with a "yes" answer to questions 1, 2, or 3 in Part C of the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement (page 10).
For Direct Mail:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
ATTN: CAP EXEMPT H-1B Processing Unit
P.O. Box 30040
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-3004
For non-United States Postal Service (USPS) deliveries (e.g. private couriers):
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
ATTN: CAP EXEMPT H-1B Processing Unit
24000 Avila Road, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Filing Address for H-2A Petitions
Effective December 10, 2007, H-2A petitioners are required to file their H-2A petitions with the California Service Center, using the designated addresses listed below. Until December 10, 2007, petitioners are encouraged to submit their Form I-129 to the California Service Center address. Each H-2A petitioner is encouraged to mark the outside of his or her envelope with “H-2A” and to attach to the top of the petition package a separate sheet saying “H-2A.” This will ensure quick identification of the H-2A case throughout the petition’s processing at CSC.
For H-2A Direct Mail:
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
ATTN: H-2A Processing Unit
P.O. BOX 10140
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1040
For H-2A non-U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliveries (e.g., private couriers):
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
ATTN: H-2A Processing Unit
24000 Avila Road, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Fee Information
Petitions for H-1B, H2B and L-1 workers must also include the supplemental fees and fraud prevention fees described on the form.
Premium Processing
If you are requesting Premium Processing Services on Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, you must also file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. In that case, send the entire Form I-907/I-129 package to the appropriate address listed in Instructions for Completing Form I-129 (link is located at the bottom of this page). You may only request premium processing services if the requested classification is designated as eligible for premium processing. Note that premium processing fees are optional and additional. You can read more information on this by opening Form I-907, located in the upper right corner of this page under “Related Links.”
Electronic Filing:
You may be eligible to file this form electronically. Please review "Introduction to Electronic Filing," located in the upper right corner of this page under “Related Links.”
Note: Filing Fees
A U.S. employer filing an H-1B petition must submit the $320 petition filing fee and, unless exempt under Part B of the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement of this form, an additional fee of either $750 or $1,500. A U.S. employer with a total of 25 or less full-time equivalent employees in the United States (including any affiliate or subsidiary of the employer) is only obligated to pay the $750 fee.
Petitioners filing Form I-129 to employ an H-1B1 Free Trade Nonimmigrant from Chile or Singapore must also complete the applicable supplements to the Form I-129 petition. Specifically, the Nonimmigrant Classification Based on Free Trade Agreement Supplement to Form I-129, and the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement are required.
Unless exempt under Part B of the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement of this form, the additional filing fee of either $750 or $1,500 is also required of U.S. employers seeking to employ an H-1B1 Free Trade Nonimmigrant from Chile or Singapore in the following situations:
- Employers seeking to employ a current H-1B1 Free Trade Nonimmigrant from Chile or Singapore presently employed by another H-1B1 employer;
- Employers requesting an initial extension of H-1B1 status for an H-1B1 Free Trade Nonimmigrant from Chile or Singapore that they presently employ; and
- Employers seeking to change an alien's status and employ the alien as an H-1B1 Free Trade Nonimmigrant from Chile or Singapore in new employment.
A U.S. employer filing an H-1B petition who is required to pay the additional fee may make the payment in the form of a single check or money order for the total amount due or as two checks or money orders, one for the additional fee and one for the petition fee.
H-1B and L-1 petitioners who must pay the $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee and H-2B petitioners who must pay the $150 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee must pay with a check or money order that is separate from the additional fee and petition fee. For complete information on these additional fees, please refer to the Form I-129 filing instructions relating to the H-1B, H-2B and L-1 classifications.
Note: Initial Classification under certain Free Trade Agreements
If you are a national of Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Chile, or Australia, and you are applying for initial classification under certain free trade agreements, Form I-129 is not required. More details are available by selecting “Chart: Direct Filing Addresses...” located in the upper right corner of this page under “Related Links”.
