To renew your work permit in the USA, file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before your current Employment Authorization Document (EAD) expires. Renewal fees run roughly $275 to $560 depending on your category as of 2026, and processing can take anywhere from under two months to well over a year.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization One change matters more than any other this year: for renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, USCIS no longer automatically extends your work authorization while your application is pending.2Federal Register. Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents File early.
When to File
USCIS accepts renewal applications up to 180 days before your EAD expires and recommends filing at least 90 days before expiration.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization File earlier than 180 days out and USCIS can return the application. File closer to your expiration date and you risk a gap in your right to work.
That gap used to be forgiven. It isn’t anymore, so treat the 180-day mark as your filing date rather than a distant option.
The End of the Automatic Extension
Before October 30, 2025, a timely renewal filing automatically extended your work authorization for up to 540 days while USCIS processed the case. Your expired EAD, paired with the Form I-797C receipt notice, kept you legally employed. On October 30, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published an interim final rule ending that automatic extension for any renewal filed on or after that date.2Federal Register. Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents
If you filed before October 30, 2025 and your case is still pending, the up-to-540-day extension can still apply to you.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization For anyone filing in 2026, there is no bridge: once your current EAD expires, you cannot legally work until the new card arrives.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Interim Final Rule Published Ending the Practice of Automatically Extending Certain EADs
Who Qualifies for a Renewal
You can renew if you already hold an EAD that is expiring or recently expired and you still qualify under the same immigration category that produced the original card. Common categories include people with a pending asylum application, people with a pending adjustment of status application, Temporary Protected Status holders, and certain parolees.
If your underlying immigration situation has changed and you now qualify under a different category, this is not a renewal. You need to file a new initial I-765. The renewal path requires the eligibility category on your new filing to match the category on your expiring card.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization
What to Gather Before Filing
- A copy of your current EAD, front and back.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
- Two identical passport-style color photographs, 2 by 2 inches, taken recently, with your name and A-Number lightly written on the back.
- Supporting evidence tied to your eligibility category. Applicants in the (c)(9) category, for example, should include a copy of the I-485 receipt notice.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
If you were never previously issued an EAD (for example, you lost the first card and are combining a replacement with a renewal), include a government-issued identity document such as a passport, a birth certificate paired with a photo ID, or a national ID with your photo.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Filling Out Form I-765
Download Form I-765 from the USCIS website or complete it through your USCIS online account.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization The information on the form has to match your existing government records exactly.
In Part 1 (Reason for Applying), select box 1.b. for renewal.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization In Part 2, enter your full legal name, current mailing address, and date of birth in month/day/year format. If you print and fill by hand, use black ink.
Item 27 asks for your eligibility category code. This must match the category on your expiring EAD. Common codes are (c)(8) for pending asylum applicants and (c)(9) for people with a pending green card application. The wrong code can lead to denial.
Part 2 also gives you a shortcut for a Social Security Number card. Check box 4.a. and USCIS will share the necessary data with the Social Security Administration after approval, sparing you a separate SSA appointment.7Social Security Administration. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Sign the form. An unsigned I-765 will be rejected. Double-check the mailing address on the form; if it isn’t where you actually receive mail, your new card can end up somewhere else.
Filing Fees
There is no single flat fee. What you owe depends on your eligibility category and, for some categories, on whether you file online or by mail. USCIS adjusted many I-765 fees effective January 1, 2026. Representative renewal fees:8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Announces FY 2026 Inflation Increase for Certain Immigration Related Fees
- Asylum applicant EAD renewal: $275
- Temporary Protected Status EAD renewal: $280
- Parole-based EAD renewal: $280
Use the USCIS Fee Calculator or the current fee schedule (Form G-1055) to confirm the exact amount for your category before you file.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees Filing and biometrics fees are nonrefundable, whatever the outcome.
A fee waiver may be available if you can show financial hardship. File Form I-912 with your application. Waivers are limited to certain categories, including (c)(8), (c)(11), (c)(19), and (c)(34), and you’ll need documentation such as proof of income or receipt of means-tested benefits.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver
How to Submit the Application
Many categories can file online through a free USCIS account at my.uscis.gov, which gives you instant submission, electronic payment, and an immediate receipt.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Forms Available to File Online
If you file by mail, send the complete package to the USCIS Lockbox address listed in the I-765 instructions for your category. Pay by check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or authorize a credit card charge with Form G-1450. Use a trackable delivery service so you have proof of arrival.
What Happens After You File
USCIS issues Form I-797C, Notice of Action, with a receipt number you can use to check status online.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action Keep it. For anyone who filed before October 30, 2025, the receipt paired with the expired EAD is your proof of continued work authorization.
USCIS may schedule you for a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center for fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment Missing the appointment without rescheduling can lead to denial.
Once approved, USCIS mails your new EAD via USPS. Wait up to 30 days after approval before contacting USCIS about a missing card.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Total processing times swing widely by category and service center. Check the current estimate for yours on the USCIS website.
Faster Processing for F-1 OPT Applicants
Premium processing exists for only a narrow slice of EAD renewals: F-1 students in Optional Practical Training and STEM OPT categories. If you fall under (c)(3)(A), (c)(3)(B), or (c)(3)(C), you can file Form I-907 alongside your I-765 and USCIS commits to acting on the application within 30 business days.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Request Premium Processing The premium processing fee is $1,780 effective March 1, 2026, on top of the standard I-765 fee.15Federal Register. Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees Other EAD categories cannot use premium processing.
Traveling While Your Renewal Is Pending
Leaving the country during a pending renewal can undo the case. If your renewal is based on a pending adjustment of status (I-485) or a pending asylum application (I-589), departing without first obtaining advance parole will generally cause USCIS to deny or terminate the pending I-765.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Even with the right travel document, reentry is at the discretion of the officer at the port of entry.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Travel Documents Talk to an immigration attorney before booking any international travel while your renewal is pending.
If Your Application Is Denied
USCIS sends a written explanation with any denial. Common reasons include an incomplete application, a missed biometrics appointment, incorrect information, or no longer qualifying under your category.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization False or misleading information will produce a denial and can damage future applications.
If USCIS made an error, you can file a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider on Form I-290B. A motion to reopen needs new facts backed by documentary evidence. You generally have 33 days from the date of the decision to file (30 days plus 3 for mailing).17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Questions and Answers: Appeals and Motions The I-290B filing fee is $800.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule For something simple like a missing signature, refiling a fresh I-765 is often faster and cheaper than a motion.
If You Move While the Renewal Is Pending
Notify USCIS of any address change within 10 days.19Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1305 – Notices of Change of Address Update your USCIS online account or file Form AR-11, and set up USPS mail forwarding. If you are in immigration court proceedings, you must also notify the immigration court separately; updating USCIS alone is not enough.
Failure to report can carry a fine of up to $200, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and can be grounds for removal proceedings.20Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1306 – Penalties Practically, an old address on file means your new EAD could be mailed to the wrong place.
Working After Your EAD Expires
If your renewal isn’t approved before your card expires and you file on or after October 30, 2025, stop working when the card expires. Continuing without authorization can create long-term immigration problems. Under federal regulations, if you worked without authorization after January 1, 1977, you are generally barred from adjusting to permanent resident status through the standard process, and leaving and reentering the country does not fix it.21eCFR. Part 245 – Adjustment of Status to That of Person Admitted for Permanent Residence Certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are exempt, but for most applicants, even a short stretch of unauthorized work can block a future green card.
With no automatic extension for new filings, the odds of an unintentional gap are higher in 2026 than they have been in years. The most reliable protection is filing at the 180-day mark rather than waiting.