The EAD renewal fee is $470 if you file Form I-765 online or $520 if you file by mail, plus an $85 biometrics fee when your category requires it. That brings the top-line cost to $555 online or $605 by mail. If you’re renewing at the same time as a Form I-485 adjustment of status application, the fee drops to $260 with no separate biometrics charge. Some applicants owe nothing at all.
Standard Fees for Form I-765
USCIS charges different amounts depending on how you file and whether the renewal is bundled with another application:
- Online filing: $470 base, plus $85 biometrics if required. Up to $555 total.
- Paper filing: $520 base, plus $85 biometrics if required. Up to $605 total.
- Filed concurrently with Form I-485: $260, no separate biometrics fee.
Whether biometrics apply depends on your eligibility category, not on your choice. USCIS adjusts its fees from time to time, so confirm the current amount with the USCIS Fee Calculator at uscis.gov/feecalculator before you send anything.
DACA Renewal Costs
DACA renewals run on a separate track. You file both Form I-821D and Form I-765, and the combined cost is $555 online or $605 by mail. Mailed filings require two separate payments: $85 for the I-821D and $520 for the I-765. Fee waivers aren’t available for DACA renewals, so every applicant pays the full amount.
Who Pays Nothing
Several categories are fee-exempt by regulation, with no separate request required. These include asylum applicants with a pending Form I-589, refugees, and victims of severe trafficking holding T nonimmigrant status. Certain parolees and dependents of foreign government or international organization employees may also qualify.
Requesting a Fee Waiver
If you don’t fall into an exempt category and can’t afford the fee, you can request a waiver with Form I-912. USCIS grants a waiver if you meet any one of three criteria:1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver
- You, your spouse, your child, or your parent (if you’re under 21 or disabled) currently receives a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or SSI.
- Your household income sits at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines when you file.
- You face financial hardship from extraordinary expenses, unexpected unemployment, serious medical costs, or the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Submit Form I-912 either by mail with a paper I-765 or as a PDF upload through your USCIS online account. Include supporting documents: benefit award letters, tax returns, or pay stubs that show your financial situation.
How to Pay
USCIS restructured its payment system in late 2025. As of October 28, 2025, USCIS accepts only electronic payments for paper-filed forms.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Mandate Electronic Payments for Applications Personal checks and money orders are no longer accepted by default.
Online Filing
When you file through your USCIS online account, the system routes you to pay.gov. You can pay with a credit, debit, or prepaid card, or authorize a direct withdrawal from a U.S. bank account.
Paper Filing
For paper applications sent to a USCIS Lockbox, there are two electronic options:
- Card payment. Complete Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, and include it in the package.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions
- ACH bank transfer. Complete Form G-1650, which authorizes USCIS to withdraw the fee from your U.S. checking or savings account. A third party can pay for you by filling out and signing the form.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With ACH Debit Transaction by Mail
Only one payment method per application. Splitting the fee between a card and a bank transfer, or including both G-1450 and G-1650, gets the whole package rejected.
Limited Exception for Paper Checks
Checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are still allowed in narrow circumstances. You must qualify for a paper payment exemption by showing, for example, that you lack access to banking services or electronic payment systems. If approved, you file Form G-1651 with your payment. The payment must be drawn on a U.S. financial institution, in U.S. funds, and made payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
Paying Extra for Faster Processing
If you need a decision faster than standard processing allows, you can file Form I-907 for premium processing alongside your I-765. As of March 1, 2026, the premium processing fee for Form I-765 is $1,780, paid on top of the standard filing fee.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Fees USCIS guarantees an adjudicative action within 30 business days. That action could be an approval, a denial, a request for evidence, or a notice of intent to deny, not necessarily a final approval.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing?
Not every EAD category is eligible. Confirm your category before paying. Filing Form I-907 with the wrong amount, especially a pre-March 2026 figure, will result in rejection.
What Happens If Your Payment Fails
A failed payment can do more than delay your case. It can erase it. If you pay by ACH and your bank returns the payment for insufficient funds, USCIS will resubmit the charge one time. If the bank returns it again, USCIS may reject or deny your filing.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With ACH Debit Transaction by Mail
It gets worse if the failure surfaces after USCIS already issued a receipt. An unfunded payment voids the receipt, and you lose your original filing date. If USCIS discovers the payment problem after approving your EAD, the agency can revoke the approval through a Notice of Intent to Revoke.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual – Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 3 – Fees Check your account balance and routing numbers before you submit.
Why the Timing of Your Fee Matters More Now
Under a prior rule, applicants who filed a renewal before their EAD expired could keep working for up to 540 days while USCIS decided the case. That automatic extension ended for anyone filing on or after October 30, 2025.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Extension The only remaining exceptions are extensions provided by law or through a Federal Register notice tied to Temporary Protected Status.
If you filed before October 30, 2025, you may still benefit from the old rules. Your Form I-797C receipt had to show a “Received Date” before your EAD’s expiration, your eligibility category had to be on the approved list, and the category on your existing EAD had to match the category on your receipt notice.
For anyone filing now, a gap in work authorization is a real risk if USCIS doesn’t decide your case before your current card expires. File as early as USCIS allows, generally up to 180 days before the expiration date, and pay in a way that won’t bounce. A rejected fee on a renewal, with no automatic extension to fall back on, can leave you without work authorization for months while you refile.