The federal lockbox in Des Moines, Iowa does not publish a direct phone number. The lockbox at that address is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for inmate trust fund deposits, and questions go to BOP staff at 202-307-2712, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using the United States Postal Service If you were told your mail was going to a “federal lockbox” and your filing is an immigration application, the lockbox is not in Des Moines at all, and the right number is USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Contact Center
Who Runs the Des Moines Lockbox
The confirmed federal lockbox in Des Moines is a Bureau of Prisons facility that processes inmate trust fund deposits sent through the United States Postal Service. Mail goes to:
Federal Bureau of Prisons
[Inmate Name]
[Eight-Digit Register Number]
P.O. Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
The ZIP code 50947-0001 belongs to that P.O. Box and is not the general downtown Des Moines ZIP code (50309). The inmate’s committed name and eight-digit register number must appear exactly as they are in BOP records, or the deposit can be rejected.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using the United States Postal Service
The lockbox itself is a high-volume processing operation, not a customer office, which is why there is no public line that rings there. Calls about rejected deposits, missing credits, or processing timing route through the BOP’s main number at 202-307-2712.
If You Think You Mailed an Immigration Form to Des Moines
This is the most common mix-up worth flagging before you dial. USCIS operates four lockbox facilities, and none of them are in Iowa. The current locations are Phoenix, Arizona; Elgin, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; and Lewisville, Texas (often called the Dallas lockbox).3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Lockbox Filing Locations Chart for Certain Non-Family-Based Forms Each form’s instructions name the correct lockbox based on the form type and where the applicant lives.
If a USCIS application went to the wrong address, the agency may forward it to the correct lockbox, but there is no guarantee. USCIS has stated that a misdirected package the receiving lockbox cannot process will be returned to the address on the form.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Lockbox Filing Information For USCIS questions, call 1-800-375-5283. The automated system runs 24 hours a day in English and Spanish, and live agents handle issues the automated system cannot resolve.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Contact Center
One more Des Moines address worth distinguishing: 210 Walnut Street is the Neal Smith Federal Building, a multi-agency office building downtown with ZIP code 50309. Agencies have offices there, but it is not a lockbox mailing address. Lockbox operations use designated P.O. Boxes with their own ZIP codes.
Other Federal Numbers People Confuse With a Lockbox Line
Because “federal lockbox” is used across several agencies, callers often end up at the wrong switchboard. The numbers most likely to be relevant:
- Bureau of Prisons, inmate fund deposits: 202-307-2712, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using the United States Postal Service
- USCIS, immigration filings: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Contact Center
- IRS, individual tax questions: 1-800-829-1040. Business accounts: 1-800-829-4933.5Internal Revenue Service. Simple Payment Plans for Individuals and Businesses
What to Have in Front of You Before You Call
Calling any of these numbers without your paperwork usually ends in a second call later. Pull these together first:
- Your USPS, FedEx, or UPS tracking number showing when and where the package was delivered. This is the first thing an agent will ask about if the agency says it has no record of your filing.
- The form number you submitted (for example, I-130, I-485, or the relevant tax form).
- Any receipt number already issued. USCIS receipt numbers are 13 characters, three letters followed by ten digits; the three-letter prefix tells the agent which service center or lockbox has the case.
- A full copy of what you mailed, including the payment authorization form. If anything went wrong in processing, your copy is the only way to reconstruct the package.
For a BOP inmate deposit, have the inmate’s committed name, eight-digit register number, the date you mailed the money order, and the tracking information ready.
When Email Is Faster Than the Phone (USCIS Only)
If your question is about a USCIS lockbox filing and you are waiting on a receipt notice, the agency expects that notice within 30 days after the lockbox accepts the application.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Lockbox Filing Information Once 30 business days pass with no notice, you can email lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov instead of waiting on the Contact Center line. Include the form number, the receipt number if you have one, the petitioner or applicant name, and your mailing address. Do not put a Social Security number in the email.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Contact Us
A missing receipt notice does not always mean something went wrong in the lockbox. It can mean the notice was mailed to an old address or lost in transit. It can also mean the filing was rejected and returned. In fiscal year 2025, USCIS lockboxes processed more than 10 million applications and rejected 11% of them, with rejection notices sent back explaining the problem.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Lockbox Filing Information If nothing has reached you by mail either way, the email address above is the direct route into the lockbox support queue.
For a BOP deposit question, there is no equivalent email channel; the phone line at 202-307-2712 is the point of contact.