Form I-765 category (c)(14) is the eligibility code for people who have been granted deferred action by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and want a work permit based on that grant.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employment Authorization If you already hold a grant of deferred action from a program or discretionary decision other than DACA, you file Form I-765 alone under (c)(14). DACA recipients use a different code, (c)(33), and file a three-form package; everything specific to DACA in this article is flagged as such so you don’t mistake one process for the other.
What (c)(14) Covers, and What It Doesn’t
Category (c)(14) is for general deferred action. Deferred action is a discretionary decision by the government not to pursue removal against you for a set period; a work permit does not come automatically with it, which is why you file Form I-765 separately.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Employment Authorization
If your deferred action grant is DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), (c)(14) is the wrong code. DACA applicants use (c)(33) and file Form I-821D and the I-765 Worksheet along with Form I-765.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Choosing the wrong category on the form will delay or derail your case.
How to File Under (c)(14)
For a non-DACA deferred action work permit, the filing itself is straightforward: one form, Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. On the form, enter eligibility category (c)(14).3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Include evidence that you have been granted deferred action — typically the notice or letter from USCIS or the agency that issued the grant. Submit legible copies rather than originals, and provide a certified English translation for any document not in English. The translator must sign a statement affirming they are competent to translate and that the translation is accurate.
Fees change periodically as USCIS adjusts them for inflation. Confirm the current Form I-765 filing fee on the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) before you send anything; the fee differs between online and paper filing. Pay a paper filing by check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The I-765 Worksheet: Economic Necessity
Deferred action work permit applicants must show an economic need to work. The I-765 Worksheet asks for three figures: your current annual income, your current annual expenses, and the total value of your assets.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-765 Worksheet You don’t need to include other household members’ financial information. Supporting documentation is optional; USCIS will consider anything you attach, but doesn’t require it. Most applicants show expenses that exceed income, which establishes the need on its face.
After You File
Once USCIS accepts your package, it issues a receipt notice on Form I-797C confirming the case is in process.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action Keep it. You’ll use it to check case status online and to bring to your biometrics appointment. Clipping Form G-1145 to the front of the package before mailing gets you an email or text as soon as USCIS accepts it.
USCIS then schedules you for a biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center. Bring the appointment notice and a valid photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment Staff collect your fingerprints, photograph, and digital signature, which are used for background checks and to produce your Employment Authorization Document if approved. Missing the appointment without rescheduling can cause USCIS to treat your case as abandoned, so treat the date as fixed.
If approved, USCIS mails the EAD card to the address on your application. Keep your address current with USCIS while your case is pending; if you move, update it immediately.
Renewing a (c)(14) Work Permit
Your EAD is valid only as long as your underlying deferred action lasts, and the card will show its own expiration date. A renewal is filed the same way as the initial request: Form I-765 under category (c)(14), the worksheet, the fee, and evidence that your deferred action remains in effect.
No Automatic Extension for (c)(14)
Some EAD categories qualify for an automatic extension of work authorization when a timely renewal is on file. Category (c)(14) is not on that list.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization – Section: 5.1 If your card expires before the renewal is approved, you cannot legally work in the gap. File early enough that USCIS has time to decide before your current EAD runs out.
Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Card
If your existing (c)(14) EAD is still valid and you just need a replacement because the card was lost, stolen, or damaged, file Form I-765 by itself with the filing fee and evidence of your current status.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization A replacement request is not a new grant; it produces a card that carries the original expiration date.
After Approval: Social Security Number and Driver’s License
An approved EAD opens the door to two practical follow-ups.
Social Security Number
If you checked the box on Form I-765 requesting a Social Security number, the Social Security Administration mails your SSN card separately. It should arrive within 14 days of your EAD. If it doesn’t, contact your local Social Security office with your EAD in hand.8Social Security Administration. Apply For Your Social Security Card While Applying For Your Work Permit and/or Lawful Permanent Residency
If you didn’t request the SSN on the I-765, you can apply in person after the EAD arrives. Bring original documents; SSA does not accept photocopies. You’ll need your EAD and your birth certificate. If you can’t get a birth certificate within 14 business days, a foreign passport or a religious record showing your date of birth may be accepted instead.8Social Security Administration. Apply For Your Social Security Card While Applying For Your Work Permit and/or Lawful Permanent Residency
Driver’s License
Most states will issue a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to someone holding a valid EAD, but rules vary state to state. If your EAD or underlying deferred action has expired, you generally cannot obtain or renew a REAL ID license unless you hold another lawful status. Check your state DMV’s requirements before you go.
A Warning About Leaving the Country
Holding a (c)(14) EAD is not a travel document. Deferred action and the work permit that flows from it don’t authorize reentry to the United States. If you leave the country without a separate advance parole document, you risk being unable to return, and departing can affect your immigration status. If you have a reason to travel, look into advance parole before you make any plans; don’t rely on the EAD.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial of Form I-765 filed under deferred action does not carry the same appeal path as many other benefit denials. USCIS will not reconsider a DACA-linked denial on the merits, and for (c)(14) filings your options depend on the reason for the denial and the underlying deferred action grant. Where you believe USCIS made an administrative error — for example, treating you as non-responsive to a request for evidence you actually answered, or mailing a notice to the wrong address after you had updated it — you can raise the issue through the USCIS Service Request Management Tool by calling the Contact Center at 800-375-5283.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)