Assembling, Indexing & Mailing Your Petition Package

Introduction

You have written your petition letter, gathered recommendation letters, and collected your evidence. Now comes the part nobody talks about: turning a pile of paper into a clean, scannable, well-organized package that a USCIS officer can read from top to bottom without getting lost. A well-assembled package does not win your case on its own, but a messy one can slow it down, trigger avoidable questions, or in the worst case get returned to you.

This guide walks through the practical mechanics of assembling, indexing, and mailing a paper I-140 petition. If you would rather skip most of this entirely, you can file a standalone I-140 online instead — see How to File I-140 and I-907 Online. For everyone mailing a paper package, read on.

Before you start: Filing rules, addresses, and formatting tips below are accurate as of June 2026. Always follow the current Form I-140 instructions and the official Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page, which control if anything here is out of date.

Online Filing Avoids Most of This

USCIS now accepts standalone Form I-140 filings online through your myUSCIS account for EB1A and EB2 NIW self-petitioners. Online filing means no printing, no fasteners, no lockbox addresses, no trips to the post office — you upload your forms and evidence as files and pay on pay.gov. The only catch: online filing is for a standalone I-140 (plus Form G-28 if a representative is involved). If you need to bundle other forms on paper, or you simply prefer paper, this guide is for you. For the online route, see How to File I-140 and I-907 Online.

The Recommended Order of a Paper Package

Think of your package as a top-to-bottom story. The officer should be able to start at page one and never wonder "what am I looking at?" Here is a reliable order, top to bottom:

1. Form G-1145 (E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance), if you want a text/email when USCIS accepts the filing. It clips to the very front.
2. Payment authorization form(s) — a separate Form G-1450 (credit/debit card) or Form G-1650 (ACH) for each fee. Place these on top per USCIS instructions. See How to Pay I-140 and I-907 Fees.
3. Form I-140, completed and signed, with Form G-28 behind it only if a representative is filing for you (most self-petitioners have no G-28).
4. Cover / petition letter — your main argument explaining why you qualify. This is the document the officer reads first to understand the case.
5. Table of contents / exhibit index — a single page listing every exhibit by number and description.
6. Tabbed exhibits, in numbered order (Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3 …).

A note on order: USCIS does not publish one mandatory sequence for the supporting evidence, so practitioners vary slightly on whether the petition letter or the index comes first. What matters is that the forms and payment are on top (so intake can process them) and that the evidence is clearly indexed and labeled. Pick a clean order and be consistent.

Building Your Exhibit Index

The exhibit index (also called a table of contents) is the single most useful page in your package. It lets the officer find any piece of evidence in seconds and confirms that everything you reference in your petition letter is actually present.

Make it a plain, one-page list. For each exhibit, give the number and a one-line description:

• Exhibit 1 — Petitioner's CV / résumé
• Exhibit 2 — Copy of advanced degree diploma and transcripts
• Exhibit 3 — Recommendation letter from Dr. Jane Smith, [Title], [Institution]
• Exhibit 4 — Recommendation letter from Prof. John Lee, [Title], [Institution]
• Exhibit 5 — Published journal articles authored by petitioner
• Exhibit 6 — Citation report showing total citations
• Exhibit 7 — Evidence of peer review / judging activity
• Exhibit 8 — Media coverage about petitioner's work
• Exhibit 9 — Membership documentation

A few rules that keep the index clean:

1. Number exhibits sequentially and never reuse a number. If you add evidence late, append it as the next number rather than renumbering everything.
2. Match your petition letter to your index. Every time your letter says "(see Exhibit 5)," Exhibit 5 must exist and contain exactly what you described.
3. One concept per exhibit. Do not stuff your degree, your CV, and three letters into "Exhibit 1." Separate them so each is easy to cite.
4. Label each exhibit physically. Use a numbered tab divider, or at minimum a cover sheet that reads "EXHIBIT 5" so the officer knows where one exhibit ends and the next begins.

Copies vs. Originals

This is simple but critical: send legible copies, keep your originals safe.

• Submit legible photocopies of your documents. USCIS scans everything into its systems, and clean copies scan cleanly. Per USCIS, legible copies are not blurry, faded, streaked, upside down, or cut off.
• Do not send originals unless the Form I-140 instructions specifically require an original for that document. USCIS generally does not return originals, so anything you mail may be gone for good.
• Keep your originals — diplomas, signed letters, award certificates — in a safe place at home. If USCIS ever needs to see an original, it will ask in a Request for Evidence.
• If you are submitting a document that is itself a copy of a prior application or petition, mark "COPY" at the top of each page so USCIS processes it correctly.

Assembly Do's and Don'ts

USCIS uses high-speed scanners, and your job is to make the package easy to disassemble and feed through them. Following the official Tips for Filing Forms by Mail:

Do:

1. Print single-sided on standard 8½ x 11-inch letter-size paper.
2. Use light fasteners USCIS can easily remove — binder clips, ACCO-style two-prong fasteners, or rubber bands.
3. Keep type and handwriting clear and dark so the scan is readable.
4. Place each translation directly with the document it translates (more below).
5. Write your name at the top of the page or on the back of any photos or loose attachments.

Don't:

1. Don't use heavy-duty staples, binders, or folders that USCIS cannot easily take apart — they will be returned.
2. Don't submit evidence in photo albums, scrapbooks, or on digital media (CDs/USB drives) — USCIS cannot process them and will return them.
3. Don't use highlighters, correction fluid, or correction tape — the scanners read greyed-out or corrected text as blank.
4. Don't print double-sided.

One nuance on fasteners: USCIS lockbox intake says two-hole punching the top of your materials is appreciated, but it also asks you not to staple, hole-punch, or clip documents when you file directly with a service center, because attachments slow scanning. Since address and intake rules can change, follow the current Form I-140 instructions for your specific filing location, and when in doubt keep fasteners light and removable.

Translations Go With Their Source Document

Any document in a foreign language must be accompanied by a full English translation and the translator's signed certification of competence. Physically place the translation immediately behind (or in front of) the original-language document it corresponds to — never group all translations in a separate pile. That way the officer sees the source and its translation together, exhibit by exhibit. For exactly what a compliant translation and certification look like, see Document & Translation Requirements.

Form G-1145 for E-Notification

Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, gets you a text message and/or email as soon as USCIS accepts your filing — usually before the paper receipt notice arrives by mail. It is free and optional. Clip it to the front of the package. You will still receive your official Form I-797C receipt notice by mail; G-1145 just tells you sooner that your case is in the system.

Make a Complete Copy for Your Records

Before you seal the envelope, photocopy or scan the entire package — every form, the petition letter, and every exhibit, exactly as assembled. You want this for several reasons:

• If USCIS issues a Request for Evidence, you need to know precisely what you already sent.
• If the package is lost in the mail, you can reconstruct and re-file quickly.
• If you later file Form I-485 or respond to questions, your record is your reference.

A PDF scan of the whole package is ideal. At minimum, keep a paper copy in a labeled folder.

Where to File

There is no single I-140 mailing address — it depends on your category and the state where you live or work. The correct lockbox or service center address is published in the direct filing addresses section of the Form I-140 instructions. Do not reuse an address from an old guide or a forum post; USCIS changes these periodically.

Do not invent or assume the address. Pull up the current Form I-140 instructions, find the row that matches your situation (EB1A or EB2 NIW, by state), and use exactly that address. Sending the package to the wrong location can delay or reject your filing.

If filing the I-140 online is an option for you, it sidesteps the address question entirely — see How to File I-140 and I-907 Online.

How to Mail It

Once assembled, mail your package with a trackable, signature-required service so you have proof of delivery:

1. Use USPS Priority Mail / Priority Mail Express, FedEx, or UPS — any service that gives you a tracking number and delivery confirmation.
2. Add signature on delivery if available, so you have a record that USCIS received it.
3. Use a sturdy envelope or box that protects the package without using a binder or folder inside.
4. Save your tracking number and check it until you see a delivery scan at the USCIS location.

Avoid plain first-class mail with no tracking — if anything goes wrong, you will have no proof you ever sent it.

What to Expect After You Mail

1. Delivery scan — your courier shows the package delivered to the USCIS address. Keep this confirmation.
2. E-notification (if you filed G-1145) — a text/email within a few days confirming acceptance.
3. Receipt notice (Form I-797C) — USCIS mails this once your filing is accepted and your fee clears. It contains your receipt number, which you use to track your case online.

From there, your case enters normal processing. For the full picture of what happens next, see What to Expect After Filing Form I-140.

Packing Checklist

• Form G-1145 clipped to the front (optional, for e-notification).
• A separate signed G-1450 or G-1650 on top for each fee — see How to Pay I-140 and I-907 Fees.
• Form I-140 completed and signed (and G-28 only if a representative is filing).
• Petition / cover letter explaining the case.
• Exhibit index listing every exhibit by number and description.
• Tabbed exhibits in numbered order, each labeled (Exhibit 1, 2, 3 …).
• Translations placed with their source documents, each with a signed certification.
• Legible copies throughout — originals kept safe at home.
• Single-sided, letter-size, no highlighters/correction fluid, light removable fasteners only.
• A complete copy of the whole package saved for your records.
• Correct filing address confirmed from the current Form I-140 instructions.
• Mailed via trackable courier with tracking number saved.

Related Guides

• Form I-140 Complete Guide — how to fill out and prepare the petition itself.
• How to File I-140 and I-907 Online — the myUSCIS route that avoids most of this assembly.
• How to Pay I-140 and I-907 Fees — G-1450, G-1650, and pay.gov.
• Document & Translation Requirements — what counts as a compliant copy and translation.

Ready to mail? A clean, well-indexed package makes your case easier to read and harder to misjudge. If you'd like a second set of eyes on your I-140 and exhibit list before you seal the envelope, request a free evaluation.

As of June 2026. For the most current formatting, address, and filing rules, always refer to the official Form I-140 instructions and the Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page.