USCIS Update: Change of Filing Location for Forms I-800 and I-800A

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that filing location of forms relating to the adoption of a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention has changed.  Beginning today, U.S. citizens seeking to adopt a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention must submit Forms I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, and all related supplements, forms, and fees to the USCIS lockbox facility located in Lewisville, Texas for initial processing, using the following address: 

Previously, applicants were required to file these forms at the Chicago Lockbox facility.  The Chicago Lockbox facility will forward any filings of Hague Adoption Convention forms to the Lewisville Lockbox facility for the first 30 days after the effective date of the change of filing location.  USCIS will consider applications or petitions forwarded from the Chicago Lockbox facility or other USCIS offices properly filed when received at the new Lewisville, Texas Lockbox facility.

After the 30-day transition period, USCIS will return any incorrectly filed applications to the sender, with a note directing them to mail their application directly to the Lewisville, Texas Lockbox facility for processing.  The note will contain the correct mailing address.

The I-800A and I-800 form instructions have been updated to reflect the new filing locations.  The new instructions are available under the "Forms" section.  The forms are also available by calling the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.