How the work permit (Form I-765) process works

What the I-765 is

The I-765 asks USCIS to issue an EAD card based on an eligibility category. The work permit is tied to that category. It is not a visa or a green card; it is permission to work, usually for a set period, after which it may need to be renewed.

Eligibility categories

Work authorization is organized into categories, each with its own rules. People apply under a category such as a pending green card application, certain dependent statuses, asylum or other humanitarian statuses, DACA, and others. The category you file under is one of the most important parts of the application, because it determines what evidence is required and whether a separate fee applies.

This guide does not determine which category applies to a given person, or whether someone is authorized to work. That depends on the person's underlying status. If you are unsure of your category, or your status is complicated, a licensed immigration attorney can advise you.

The steps, in order

1. Identify your eligibility category. This drives everything else on the form and the supporting evidence.
2. File the I-765, online or by mail, with any required fee and evidence, using the current edition of the form. Whether a fee applies, and how much, depends on the category. For most categories the filing fee is currently $520 by mail or $470 online. Some categories differ — for example, certain adjustment-of-status applicants (category (c)(9)) pay a reduced $260, and asylum, parole, and TPS-related categories (including (c)(8)) have their own category-specific fees. Because category fees and recent statutory changes are intricate, confirm your exact fee with the USCIS Fee Calculator.
3. Biometrics, if required for the category.
4. Decision and card production. If approved, USCIS produces and mails the EAD card.
5. Renewals. EADs expire, so many applicants file a renewal I-765 ahead of expiration. One recent change matters a great deal here: for years, a timely-filed renewal in such a category triggered an automatic extension of work authorization (most recently up to 540 days) while the renewal was pending. DHS ended that automatic extension for renewal applications filed on or after October 30, 2025. Renewals timely filed before that date may still carry an automatic extension while pending; renewals filed on or after it generally do not. Because this rule changed recently and turns on the filing date and category, confirm the current rule with USCIS before relying on continued work authorization, and file renewals well ahead of expiration.

How long it takes

Processing times vary significantly by category and service center, and they move over time. Check the official USCIS processing-time tool for the current estimate tied to your eligibility category and office. With automatic extensions no longer available for renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, filing a renewal as early as the rules allow matters more than it used to.

What it costs

Cost depends on the category. Most applicants pay $520 by mail or $470 online, while some categories are reduced (such as $260 for certain adjustment-of-status applicants) or carry category-specific fees (for asylum, parole, and TPS-related categories). Confirm the current amount for your category with the USCIS Fee Calculator. Any preparation cost is separate from the government fee.

When you may want an attorney

Because the work permit depends entirely on the underlying immigration category, anyone unsure of their status, or whose status involves asylum, removal proceedings, or other legal complexity, should consider speaking with a licensed immigration attorney. ImFiled is a document preparation service, not a law firm.