How to file Form I-765 for employment authorization

Form I-765 is category-specific

Do not file Form I-765 only because you want permission to work. Your immigration category controls whether you may use this form, whether work is already authorized incident to status, when you may file, the fee, evidence, filing method, and whether a renewal has any automatic extension.

1. Confirm that Form I-765 is the correct form

USCIS uses Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for eligible noncitizens who need to request employment authorization or an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and for some people who are already authorized to work but need an EAD as evidence. The current instructions list the eligible category codes and require you to enter the correct code in Part 2, Item 27.

Lawful permanent residents, conditional permanent residents, and nonimmigrants whose status authorizes employment only for a specific employer under 8 CFR 274a.12(b) generally do not use Form I-765. If you are unsure which category applies, do not guess: the category can change eligibility, timing, fees, and evidence. Complex immigration situations can require advice from an authorized immigration attorney or a Department of Justice–accredited representative.

2. Choose initial, renewal, or replacement correctly

Initial permission: use the initial option when you are requesting employment authorization for the first time under the specific eligibility category.
Renewal: use the renewal option when you previously received an EAD under the category and remain eligible to renew.
Replacement: use the replacement option for a lost, stolen, damaged, or incorrectly issued card when the error was not caused by USCIS. USCIS provides a separate correction route when the card contains a USCIS error.

3. Check the filing date for your exact category

There is no single I-765 filing deadline or waiting period that applies to every category. Some categories depend on an underlying application, petition, parole period, TPS designation, deferred action, or other event. A pending application and an already granted status can also use different category codes. Use the current I-765 page and instructions for your category before choosing a filing date.

4. Use the current edition

As reviewed August 24, 2026, USCIS lists Form I-765 edition 04/01/24. Do not decide whether a form is accepted from the OMB expiration date alone. If you are filing on paper, confirm the accepted edition on the live USCIS I-765 page immediately before you print and sign the form.

5. Choose online or paper filing only when your category allows it

USCIS allows online filing for specified I-765 eligibility categories, not for every I-765 applicant. If your category is not eligible for online filing, use the paper route. Paper filing addresses also vary by eligibility category and, in some cases, by the underlying filing or delivery service. Use the live USCIS direct-filing-address page rather than copying an address from an older form or article.

6. Prepare evidence for the category you selected

The evidence package varies by category. Depending on the filing basis, USCIS may require identity evidence, passport or travel-document pages, an I-94 record, proof of the underlying immigration status or pending request, a prior EAD, photographs, or category-specific notices and records. Follow the evidence list for your exact eligibility code rather than sending a generic packet.

If you submit a document in a language other than English, USCIS generally requires a complete English translation with the translator's certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate.

7. Verify the fee immediately before filing

Form I-765 does not have one fee for every applicant. The current Form G-1055 fee schedule lists the general fee as $520 for paper filing and $470 for online filing when the general category and online filing option apply, but it also lists reduced fees, $0 categories, and category-specific additional fees. Certain I-765 categories are subject to separate additional fees enacted by Public Law 119-21; those additional fees can have their own waiver rules and must be paid as USCIS directs.

Use Form G-1055 and the current I-765 page for the exact eligibility category and filing method. Do not reuse a fee from another I-765 category.

8. Do not assume a renewal automatically extends your EAD

DHS ended the general automatic-extension rule for most Form I-765 renewal applications filed on or after October 30, 2025. Limited automatic extensions can still exist when a statute or Federal Register notice specifically provides one. Certain eligible, timely filed renewals submitted before October 30, 2025 may still qualify for an extension of up to 540 days under the earlier rules.

Check the current USCIS automatic-extension guidance for your category and filing date. A receipt notice by itself does not prove that every EAD is extended.

9. Sign and submit the filing correctly

For a paper filing, review every page, use the required signature, and include the correct fee or fee-waiver material when permitted. If the current fee schedule requires more than one fee for your category, follow USCIS instructions for paying them separately. For an eligible online filing, submit through the official USCIS online account and keep the electronic confirmation.

10. Track the case and respond to USCIS

Keep a complete copy of the application, evidence, payment record, and delivery or online confirmation.
Read the Form I-797 receipt notice and verify the category and mailing information.
Attend a biometrics appointment if USCIS schedules one.
Respond to any Request for Evidence by the deadline on the notice.
Use the official case-status and processing-time tools for the exact I-765 category and office. Processing estimates are not guarantees.
Report an address change through the correct USCIS process if required while the case is pending.

11. Social Security number option

Form I-765 includes questions that can be used to request a Social Security number and card in eligible cases. If you request that service, USCIS transmits the required information to the Social Security Administration after approval. A Social Security number does not itself grant employment authorization.

File Form I-765 for employment authorization