Federal Agencies, Practice Resources

Practice Alert: USCIS Updates Filing Addresses for I-129 Petitions

3/11/19 AILA Doc. No. 19031100. Business Immigration, H-1B & H-1B1 Specialty Occupation

AILA’s California Service Center (CSC) Liaison Committee would like to make members aware that USCIS has recently updated the filing addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. The most up-to-date filing addresses are listed on the USCIS webpage entitled “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker” which appears to have last been updated on February 28, 2019. Notably, the P.O. Box addresses, and the floor and room number for H-1B regular cap subject petitions and H-1B advanced degree exempt petitions (master’s cap) listed on this USCIS webpage have recently been updated.

For example, during last year’s H-1B cap filing season, the filing address for an H-1B regular cap subject petition filed with the California Service Center using FedEx, UPS, and DHS delivery services was to be mailed to: USCIS California Service Center, Attn: I-129 H-1B Regular Cap, 24000 Avila Road, 2nd Floor, Room 2312, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.

This year, as of March 8, 2019, the USCIS website indicates that H-1B regular cap subject petitions filed with the California Service Center using FedEx, UPS, and DHS delivery service should be mailed to: USCIS California Service Center, Attn: I-129 H-1B Regular Cap, 24000 Avila Road, 1st Floor, Room 1600, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.

The CSC Liaison Committee reminds members to carefully check the USCIS “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker” webpage before mailing an I-129 petition to USCIS to ensure that the petition is shipped to the proper mailing address. Similarly, the Committee reminds members to always check the filing addresses for each USCIS application or petition type before submitting it to USCIS as the USCIS webpage is subject to change and the public is not always informed of these changes.