DACA Extension Letter: Forms, Fees, and When to File

To renew your DACA, file Forms I-821D, I-765, and I-765WS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services between 150 and 120 days before your current two-year grant expires, and pay $555 online or $605 by mail. Include a copy of your current Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and two passport-style photos. Filing inside that window is the single most reliable way to avoid a gap in your work permit.

When to File

USCIS recommends submitting your renewal 150 to 120 days before your current DACA period ends.¹ The expiration date sits on your most recent Form I-797 approval notice and on your EAD. Count backward from that date. Filing earlier than 150 days can result in USCIS holding your case; filing later than 120 days risks your EAD expiring before the new one arrives.

Most renewals are decided within 120 days, and the median in recent fiscal years has been roughly one to two months.² That is the whole reason the recommended window exists: it gives USCIS enough runway to issue your new EAD before the old one lapses.

One boundary to know up front. A federal court injunction currently blocks USCIS from approving new initial DACA requests, but renewals for people who already have DACA are still being accepted and processed normally.¹ If you let your DACA lapse for more than a year, you would have to refile as an initial applicant, and USCIS cannot approve those right now. Filing on time matters more than it used to.

Who Can Renew

You can request a renewal only if USCIS previously granted you DACA. Three additional conditions have to be true when you file:³

You have lived continuously in the United States since your most recent approved DACA request.
You have not left the country without advance parole since that approval. A single unauthorized departure ends your eligibility.
You have not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors since your last approval.⁴

A single misdemeanor counts as “significant” if it involves domestic violence, sexual abuse or exploitation, burglary, unlawful firearm possession, drug distribution, or driving under the influence. Any other misdemeanor with a sentence of more than 90 days in custody also qualifies; suspended sentences don’t count toward that 90-day threshold.⁵ For the three-misdemeanor bar, minor traffic offenses like driving without a license are excluded, and the three convictions cannot all stem from the same date or incident.

The Three Forms

Every renewal package includes the same three forms, whether you file online or on paper. Download the current edition of each from the USCIS website before you start. An outdated form will bounce the whole package.

Form I-821D

This is the request itself. Select the renewal option, not the initial request option. Enter the expiration date shown on your most recent I-797 approval notice, and use the Alien Registration Number (A-Number) from your current EAD.⁶

Form I-765

This is the application for a new EAD. It asks for current and prior addresses and your employment history since your last renewal. The category code must be entered as (c)(33), the DACA-specific designation.⁷

Form I-765WS

The Worksheet is a one-page form that asks USCIS to evaluate your economic need for work authorization. It accompanies the I-765 and is required for every DACA applicant.⁸ Forgetting it is one of the more common oversights that slows a case down.

Keep your answers consistent across all three forms. Discrepancies in addresses, dates, or personal details can trigger delays. Confirm your current mailing address, because that is where USCIS will send both the receipt notice and your new EAD.

Online Filing vs. Paper Filing

USCIS accepts DACA renewals through the myUSCIS online portal or by mail. Online filing saves $50 and is generally faster to submit: you upload documents digitally and pay through the portal.⁷

To file online, create a USCIS account at the USCIS website using an email address, a password, and two-step verification. Choose “I am an applicant, petitioner, or requestor” as the account type, then open Form I-821D.⁹ Don’t share the account with anyone, including relatives or preparers.

Paper filing still works, but the payment rules changed in late 2025. If you plan to mail your renewal, read the fee section below closely.

Fees and How to Pay

The total fee is $555 online or $605 by paper. No fee waiver is available for DACA renewals: Form I-821D is not on the list of forms eligible for a waiver under Form I-912.¹⁰

Online, you pay the full amount through the portal using a credit card, debit card, prepaid card, or direct bank withdrawal. That’s built into the submission.

For paper filings, USCIS stopped accepting personal checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders as of October 28, 2025. The only accepted methods now are credit or debit card via Form G-1450, or ACH bank transfer via Form G-1650.² Mail a check and USCIS will reject the whole package. When filing by paper, combine the I-821D fee ($85) and the I-765 fee ($520) into a single $605 payment on one authorization form.

What Else Goes in the Package

A clear photocopy of both sides of your current EAD.²
Two identical color passport-style photos (2×2 inch), taken within 30 days of filing. Any pharmacy or shipping store can produce these for roughly $8 to $15.
Optionally, Form G-1145, which asks USCIS to send a text or email when the package is received. It’s free and takes a minute.¹¹

Filing online, you upload digital versions of the EAD copy and photo instead of mailing physical ones. The G-1145 isn’t needed for online filings because the portal sends notifications on its own.

Mailing a Paper Package

Assemble a paper package in this order: G-1145 on top (if using it), then I-821D, I-765, the I-765 Worksheet, the two photos, the EAD photocopy, and finally the G-1450 or G-1650 payment form. Use a paper clip. No staples.

Mail goes to a USCIS lockbox facility, and the correct address depends on your state of residence. Look up your state’s address on the USCIS direct filing addresses page before sending, because the wrong lockbox delays the case.¹² There are separate addresses for USPS versus private couriers. Use a mailing method with tracking so you have proof of the delivery date, especially if you’re filing near the edge of the window.

After You File

USCIS mails a Form I-797C receipt notice confirming acceptance of your renewal.¹³ Keep it. If your current EAD expires before the new one is issued, this notice is your evidence that a renewal is pending.

You may or may not get a biometrics appointment. USCIS can reuse fingerprints and photos from a previous appointment if they are less than 36 months old, measured from your new filing date. If your last appointment was more than three years ago, expect to be scheduled at a local Application Support Center.⁶ USCIS can still require new biometrics even inside the 36-month window.

Filing Late or After DACA Expires

If you missed the 150-to-120-day window, file anyway. USCIS accepts renewal requests up to the expiration date and after it. The risk is a gap: if your EAD expires before the new one arrives, you cannot legally work during the wait.

If your DACA has already expired, you can still file a renewal within one year of the expiration date.³ You will not have work authorization during the gap, and your employer is generally obligated to stop employing you once your EAD lapses. Continuing to work without a valid EAD creates legal problems for both sides.

More than a year past expiration, renewal is no longer available. The only path is a new initial DACA request, which USCIS cannot currently approve under the federal court injunction.¹ In practice, letting DACA lapse for more than a year means losing it for the foreseeable future.

Mistakes That Get Packages Rejected

USCIS lockboxes reject packages for mechanical problems before anyone looks at the merits. The most common ones:

Paying by personal check or money order. Paper filings must use Form G-1450 or G-1650.²
An unsigned form. USCIS treats it as incomplete.
Using an old edition of a form. USCIS updates them periodically.⁶
Sending to the wrong lockbox for your state.
Forgetting the I-765 Worksheet.

A rejection is not a denial. USCIS returns the package with a notice explaining why, and you can fix the problem and refile. But the expiration clock keeps running, so getting it right the first time matters more than getting it in fast.

A Note on Travel

Leaving the country without advance parole ends your DACA eligibility, full stop. If you need to travel, apply for advance parole on Form I-131 first; you can file it alongside a renewal, but the two forms go to different addresses.⁴ Vacation travel does not qualify.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Renew Your DACA
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions – Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
5
eCFR. 8 CFR 236.22 – Discretionary Determination
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Tips for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-765WS, Worksheet
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Create a USCIS Online Account
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action