Stand-Alone I-130s Filed at Chicago Lockbox
Posted Dec 14, 2007
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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised its procedures for filing certain I-130 relative petitions. Effective December 3, 2007, the USCIS is encouraging I-130 petitioners to file their petitions with the Chicago Lockbox. This change applies to stand-alone I-130s only. A stand-alone I-130 is one that is filed WITHOUT an I-485, Application for Adjustment of Status. After filing, the petition will be forwarded from the Chicago Lockbox to the appropriate USCIS service center for adjudication.
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If an I-130 is filed with the service center directly, it will be forwarded to the Chicago Lockbox, rather than be rejected. This, however, adds an unnecessary step that can delay the processing of the I-130. Thus, it is better to file the I-130 at the proper post office (P.O.) box at the Chicago Lockbox address.
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Two Separate P.O. Box Addresses, Based on State of Residence
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The I-130 petitions should be filed as follows:
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Petitioners who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming should file their stand-alone I-130s at:

USCIS
P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL  60680-1029

Petitioners who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, or the District of Columbia should file their stand-alone I-130s at:

USCIS
P.O. Box 804616
Chicago, IL  60680-1029

Receipt Notices Will Show Service Center
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Even though the I-130 petitions are filed at the Chicago Lockbox, the receipt notices issued in these cases reflect either the Vermont or California Service Center - not the Chicago Lockbox. This is because the cases are forwarded to the service centers for adjudication. Any follow-up on the case will need to be directed to the service center that issued the receipt.