EB-2 Mailing Address USCIS Lockbox — Current Filing Guide

Why the EB-2 Mailing Address Matters More Than You Think

A wrongly addressed EB-2 petition doesn't sit in limbo waiting for USCIS to redirect it. The agency rejects it outright, returning the entire package unopened. You lose weeks or months — and in cases where priority dates move during that window, you may lose your place in line. The EB-2 mailing address is determined by three factors: whether the petition is based on a National Interest Waiver (NIW), PERM labor certification, or an approved I-140 filed by a previous employer; whether the petitioner or beneficiary is located inside or outside the United States; and which USCIS service center has jurisdiction over the sponsor's location.

The direct answer: As of January 2026, most EB-2 I-140 petitions based on PERM labor certification or advanced degree qualifications file to the Dallas or Phoenix lockbox, depending on the petitioner's state. National Interest Waiver petitions file to a separate address at the Nebraska Service Center lockbox. Adjustment of status applications (Form I-485) based on an approved EB-2 petition file to the Chicago lockbox for most applicants, with exceptions for certain states. Every address is subject to change via USCIS fee rule or operational directive — confirm the current mailing address on the USCIS Form I-140 page and the Form I-485 page at uscis.gov/forms before you ship the packet.

This article maps the address structure, explains how to verify which lockbox applies to your case, and walks through the most common filing errors that lead to rejection.

How USCIS Assigns Lockbox Addresses by Petition Type

USCIS maintains separate lockbox facilities for different immigration benefit categories. The EB-2 category splits into subcategories — each with its own address. Form I-140 (the immigrant petition for an employment-based green card) is filed by the sponsoring employer or, in NIW cases, by the foreign national themselves. Form I-485 (adjustment of status to permanent residence) is filed by the beneficiary after the I-140 is approved and a visa number is available. The two forms almost never mail to the same address.

I-140 Petitions Based on PERM Labor Certification

When the EB-2 petition is based on an approved PERM labor certification, the employer files Form I-140 to the lockbox designated for its location. As of January 2026, petitions from employers in most states file to:

USCIS Dallas Lockbox
Attn: I-140
[P.O. Box number assigned by USCIS]
Dallas, TX [ZIP assigned by USCIS]

Employers in certain western states file to:

USCIS Phoenix Lockbox
Attn: I-140
[P.O. Box number assigned by USCIS]
Phoenix, AZ [ZIP assigned by USCIS]

The exact P.O. Box and ZIP code are listed in the Where to File table on the Form I-140 page at uscis.gov. That table is updated whenever USCIS changes addresses, so verify it each time you file. Mailing to an outdated address results in rejection.

National Interest Waiver I-140 Petitions

NIW petitions — where the foreign national self-petitions without employer sponsorship or labor certification — file to a different address entirely. As of January 2026, these petitions file to:

USCIS Nebraska Service Center
Attn: I-140 NIW
[P.O. Box number assigned by USCIS]
Lincoln, NE [ZIP assigned by USCIS]

This address serves NIW filers nationwide, regardless of where the petitioner lives or works. The Nebraska Service Center adjudicates NIW petitions centrally.

I-485 Adjustment of Status Applications

After the I-140 is approved and the beneficiary's priority date is current, the beneficiary files Form I-485 to adjust status to lawful permanent resident. As of January 2026, most I-485 applications based on employment categories (including EB-2) file to:

USCIS Chicago Lockbox
Attn: I-485
[P.O. Box number assigned by USCIS]
Chicago, IL [ZIP assigned by USCIS]

Certain states file to a different lockbox. The I-485 Where to File table at uscis.gov/i-485 lists the correct address by applicant location. Verify it before mailing.

The Comparison Table — Which Address Applies to Your Filing

What If My I-140 Was Approved Years Ago?

The lockbox address you used when the I-140 was originally filed no longer applies. When you file Form I-485 to adjust status, you mail to the I-485 lockbox assigned to your current location — not to the service center that adjudicated the I-140. USCIS transfers jurisdiction to the field office or service center responsible for I-485 applications.

If your priority date retrogresses after the I-140 approval, you wait for it to become current again before filing I-485. When you eventually file, use the I-485 address current at that time — not the one that was posted years earlier. Addresses change; always verify immediately before mailing.

What If I'm Filing Concurrently (I-140 and I-485 Together)?

When the EB-2 priority date is current at the time the employer files the I-140, the beneficiary may file I-485 concurrently — both forms ship in the same packet. In concurrent filings, both forms mail to the I-140 lockbox address. The I-485 does not go to its usual Chicago address in this scenario.

The I-140 Where to File table on uscis.gov specifies the concurrent filing address. It is usually the same as the standard I-140 address, but USCIS occasionally designates a separate box number for concurrent packets. Read the table carefully and follow it exactly.

What If I'm Outside the United States?

Beneficiaries abroad do not file Form I-485. Adjustment of status is available only to applicants physically present in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status. Foreign nationals outside the U.S. pursue consular processing instead — they apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate after the I-140 is approved and the priority date is current.

The I-140 petition still files to a USCIS lockbox, using the address assigned by the petitioner's (sponsor's) location. But once the petition is approved, the case transfers to the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which coordinates consular processing. NVC has its own mailing address for fee payments and supporting documents, listed at travel.state.gov. That address is unrelated to the USCIS lockbox structure.

Here's the Honest Answer: Mistakes in the Mailing Address Are the Easiest Rejections to Avoid

Let's be direct: USCIS does not fix your addressing error for you. The lockbox staff compare the destination address on your envelope to the addresses authorized for that form. If they don't match, the packet is returned unprocessed. You don't get a phone call asking for clarification. You don't get forwarded to the right office. You get your filing back with a rejection notice, and you start over.

This is one of the few procedural errors entirely within your control. The correct address is published, free, on a government website that updates in real time. At the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu, we verify the current mailing address on uscis.gov before every EB-2 filing we prepare — even if we filed an identical case the week before, because addresses can change between filings. It takes ninety seconds and prevents a rejection that costs weeks.

The Steps to Verify the Correct Lockbox Address

1. Go directly to uscis.gov/forms. Search for the form you are filing — Form I-140 or Form I-485.
2. Click the form's dedicated page. Every form has a page that includes the current PDF, instructions, filing fee, and a Where to File section.
3. Read the Where to File table. The table lists addresses by filing category and location. Find the row that matches your situation exactly — petition type, filing basis, and your state or region.
4. Copy the full address exactly as printed. Include the Attn line, P.O. Box number, city, state, and ZIP code. Do not paraphrase or abbreviate.
5. Check the date the table was last updated. USCIS posts an effective date when addresses change. If the table says "Effective [Date]," and that date is in the future, use the current address until the effective date, then switch.
6. If filing multiple forms in one packet, confirm whether USCIS requires them to go to the same address or separate addresses. Concurrent I-140 + I-485 filings go to one address; sequential filings (I-140 now, I-485 later) go to different addresses.

What the USCIS Form Instructions Say About Lockbox Addresses

The Instructions for Form I-140 and Instructions for Form I-485 — both downloadable PDFs from uscis.gov — dedicate a section to Where to File. That section includes the full lockbox address, courier delivery addresses (for FedEx, UPS, DHL shipments), and notes on special filing situations. The instructions also specify which address to use if you are requesting premium processing, though premium processing is not always available for all EB-2 filings.

Key instruction details:

• Lockbox addresses (P.O. Boxes) accept U.S. Postal Service mail only.
• Courier addresses (street addresses) accept FedEx, UPS, DHL, and other commercial carriers. Do not mail a P.O. Box address via courier — it will not be delivered.
• If your petition qualifies for premium processing and you are purchasing it, you may need to file to a different address. The premium processing page at uscis.gov/premium lists the designated address.
• Addresses change. The instructions are updated when changes occur, but if you downloaded the instructions months ago and saved them, re-download the current version before filing.

When Lockbox Addresses Change — and How to Stay Current

USCIS posts address changes via Federal Register notices, policy alerts on uscis.gov, and updates to the form pages themselves. Changes are most common when:

• USCIS consolidates or opens a new lockbox facility
• A fee rule goes into effect (new fees sometimes trigger operational changes)
• A service center reorganizes its caseload

The agency typically provides advance notice — often 30 to 60 days — before a new address takes effect. During the transition period, both the old and new addresses may be valid. The Where to File table will specify the effective date of the new address and may list both addresses with "Use [old address] for filings postmarked before [date]; use [new address] for filings postmarked on or after [date]."

If you are preparing an EB-2 petition over several weeks, check the address again the day before you mail it. Addresses can change between the day you started the petition and the day you ship it.

The Role of Service Centers vs. Lockboxes

USCIS operates five service centers (California, Nebraska, Texas, Vermont, Potomac) and several lockbox facilities (Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, and others). The lockbox receives the petition, date-stamps it, collects the fee, and performs an initial completeness check. If the petition passes that check, the lockbox forwards it to the service center assigned to adjudicate it.

The mailing address is always the lockbox, not the service center. Even though your I-140 may ultimately be adjudicated at the Texas Service Center, you do not mail it to Texas Service Center's street address. You mail it to the Dallas lockbox P.O. Box, which routes it to Texas.

Petitioners cannot choose which service center adjudicates their case. USCIS assigns jurisdiction based on the petitioner's location and internal workload distribution. The lockbox address determines where the petition is received; the service center assignment determines where it is reviewed.

Premium Processing and Address Changes

When premium processing is requested (Form I-907 filed with the I-140), the petition may file to a different address. As of January 2026, USCIS has suspended premium processing for certain EB-2 categories and maintained it for others. The premium processing page at uscis.gov/premium lists which categories are eligible and provides the designated mailing address.

If premium processing is available and you are purchasing it, verify the address on the premium processing page, not the standard I-140 Where to File table. The two addresses may differ. Premium processing petitions are routed to specialized adjudication units that guarantee a response within a specific timeframe — confirm the current timeframe and fee at uscis.gov before filing.

Common Errors That Lead to Lockbox Rejection

Using an outdated address saved from a previous filing. Addresses change. A lockbox that was correct six months ago may no longer be in use. Always verify the current address on uscis.gov before each filing.

Mailing a P.O. Box address via FedEx or UPS. Lockboxes are post office boxes. Commercial couriers cannot deliver to them. Use the courier street address listed in the form instructions if you are shipping via FedEx, UPS, or DHL.

Confusing the I-140 address with the I-485 address. These are almost never the same. I-140 petitions file to the employer's assigned lockbox; I-485 applications file to the applicant's assigned lockbox. Filing I-485 to the I-140 address results in rejection.

Omitting the Attn line. The lockbox processes hundreds of different form types. The Attn line ("Attn: I-140" or "Attn: I-485") tells staff which processing queue to route your packet to. Omitting it may delay processing or cause misfiling.

Assuming the address is the same as another EB category. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 petitions sometimes file to different addresses depending on the filing basis. EB-2 NIW petitions file to Nebraska; EB-2 PERM petitions file to Dallas or Phoenix. Do not assume the address for one category applies to another.

What Happens After the Lockbox Receives Your Petition

The lockbox date-stamps the petition on the day it arrives, assigns it a receipt number, and cashes the filing fee check or processes the payment. Within 7 to 21 days (timeframes vary), USCIS mails a receipt notice (Form I-797C) to the address you listed on the form. The receipt notice confirms the petition was accepted and provides the receipt number, which you use to track the case online at egov.uscis.gov/casestatus.

If the lockbox determines the petition is incomplete — missing a signature, missing a required form, missing the fee, or mailed to the wrong address — it rejects the petition and returns the entire package with a rejection notice explaining the deficiency. Rejected petitions do not receive a priority date and are not entered into the system. You must correct the deficiency and refile.

Once the lockbox accepts the petition and issues a receipt notice, it transfers the case file to the service center assigned to adjudicate it. The service center reviews the petition, issues Requests for Evidence (RFEs) if additional documentation is needed, and eventually approves or denies the case. That entire process happens after the lockbox phase.

When to Consult an Immigration Attorney About Filing Logistics

Verifying the mailing address is straightforward, but the decision of when to file, which forms to file concurrently, and whether your case qualifies for a particular filing basis is not. EB-2 petitions involve complex eligibility determinations, tight documentation standards, and strategic timing around priority date movement. A petition mailed to the correct address still fails if the substantive evidence does not meet USCIS standards.

The Law Offices of Peter D. Chu handles EB-2 petitions for foreign nationals and sponsoring employers throughout California and nationwide. We verify addresses, prepare petitions to regulatory specifications, and track cases through adjudication and consular processing. If you are preparing an EB-2 filing or your priority date is approaching current status, call 858-268-8823 to discuss your case. Consultations are available for $250. We are located at 4615 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111, and serve clients in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and French.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about USCIS lockbox mailing addresses for EB-2 petitions and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration filing requirements depend on individual facts, and outcomes vary by case. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before preparing or filing any petition with USCIS. Addresses listed here are current as of January 2026 and are subject to change — always verify the current address on uscis.gov/forms before mailing any petition.

Schedule a consultation with the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu — 4615 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111 · 858-268-8823 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:30 PM. Consultation fee: $250.