Revised Filing Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced revised filing addresses for petitioners who live in Canada, and who are filing a stand-alone Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The new form is dated 6/14/10.  This form is now processed through the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility. 

The instructions were revised to broaden the group of petitioners who may file their Form I-130 at the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility to include those petitioners who live in Canada.  These petitions were previously filed at the USCIS Vermont Service Center (VSC).  This change also simplified the instructions by providing only one filing address for all petitioners who are filing a stand-alone Form I-130.  There is no filing address change if Form I-130 is filed with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

The USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for filing stand-alone Form I-130 is:

For U.S. Postal Service:

USCIS
P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL 60680-4107

For Express mail and courier deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

Petitioners who reside in a country outside of the United States and Canada must file their Form I-130 at the USCIS office overseas or the U.S. Embassy or consulate having jurisdiction over the area where they live. Detailed guidance can be found in updated form instructions at www.uscis.gov/forms. 

The VSC will forward incorrectly filed petitions to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox by mail for 45 days until Sept. 17, 2010.  After Sept. 17, 2010 petitions incorrectly filed at the VSC will be returned, with a note to send the petition to the correct location.

Petitioners filing a Form I-130 at a USCIS Lockbox facility may elect to receive an e-mail and/or text message notifying them that their application has been accepted.  They must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of their petition.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.