If you lost your DACA card, file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with USCIS and check box 1.b for a replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged card. Your deferred action and work authorization are still valid through the expiration date on your most recent approval notice; the card is the proof, not the status itself. The lost DACA card replacement filing fee is $470 online or $520 by mail, and USCIS will send a receipt notice you can use while you wait for the new card to arrive.
How to File Form I-765 for a Replacement
Complete Form I-765 and select box 1.b (replacement of lost, stolen, or damaged card). Include evidence that you are a current DACA recipient, such as your most recent Form I-797 DACA approval notice.
Do not file Form I-821D with a replacement request. The I-821D is only for initial DACA requests and renewals. If you submit it alongside a replacement I-765, USCIS will deny the I-821D and keep the $85 filing fee.
The filing fee for a replacement I-765 under the DACA category is $470 online or $520 by mail. Fee waivers are not available for DACA-related I-765 filings.
If you file by mail, use the USCIS direct filing address that corresponds to where you live; USCIS lists the DACA-specific addresses on its website. If you file online through a USCIS account, you pay the lower fee and upload your supporting documents there. Either way, USCIS will send a Form I-797C receipt notice confirming the application was accepted. Keep that receipt somewhere safe. It does real work for you while the replacement is in production.
Keeping Your Job While You Wait
Every U.S. employer verifies work eligibility on Form I-9, and an EAD is one of the documents that satisfies that requirement. Losing the card feels like a job problem, but USCIS provides a bridge.
Under the Form I-9 receipt rule, an employer can accept a receipt showing you applied to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged document. The receipt is good for 90 days. Within that window, you need to present the replacement EAD or another acceptable document from the I-9 lists. If you present a different acceptable document, the employer records that document’s information on a new Section 2 and attaches it to the original I-9.
If you already have a job and your employer completed an I-9 for you at hire, simply losing the physical card does not trigger a new verification. The receipt rule matters most when you are starting a new job or when your EAD is expiring and your employer needs to reverify. Even so, keep a copy of your I-765 receipt notice with your records in case questions come up.
If You Think the Card Was Stolen
A police report is not required by USCIS, but filing one creates an official record that supports your replacement application and helps you if the card is misused. If theft is a real possibility rather than simple loss, that record matters.
A stolen EAD carries your photo, name, and USCIS number, which is enough for someone to attempt employment fraud or identity theft. Three steps are worth taking:
- File an identity theft report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338. The FTC does not handle immigration documents, but the report creates a federal record and helps you dispute fraudulent accounts.
- Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to place fraud alerts and, if you want stronger protection, a credit freeze.
- Use myE-Verify Self Lock to lock your Social Security number so no employer can run an E-Verify case against it. You can set this up through a free USCIS online account at E-Verify.gov.
Self Lock is the piece most people miss. A credit freeze protects your finances; Self Lock protects against someone working under your identity, which can cause tax problems and immigration complications for you later.
Asking USCIS to Expedite the Replacement
Standard processing can take months, and USCIS does not guarantee a timeline for replacement cards. You can ask for expedited processing, but approval is not automatic.
USCIS evaluates expedite requests against specific criteria. The two most relevant here are severe financial loss and urgent humanitarian reasons. Job loss can qualify as severe financial loss depending on the facts, and losing critical public benefits or services can qualify as well. Humanitarian reasons cover pressing circumstances such as illness, disability, or extreme living conditions. Needing work authorization by itself, without additional compelling factors, is not enough.
To make the request, contact the USCIS Contact Center, use the Emma chatbot on the USCIS website, or submit a message through your USCIS online account and select “expedite” as the reason. Have your receipt number ready and be prepared to upload documentation that backs up the hardship or humanitarian claim.
Travel Without Your EAD
Flying Domestically
TSA accepts the Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766) as valid ID for airport screening. Without it, you will need another accepted ID: a valid U.S. passport, passport card, state-issued REAL ID driver’s license, or permanent resident card. If you have no acceptable photo ID at all, TSA may be able to verify your identity through other means at the checkpoint, but expect delays. A temporary driver’s license is not accepted.
If You Are Abroad
There is no process to replace an EAD, including a combo card, while you are outside the United States. If your card is lost or stolen while you are abroad, contact the nearest USCIS international office or a U.S. embassy or consulate for guidance on re-entry. If you travel on advance parole, keep copies of your DACA approval notice and other documentation separate from your physical EAD, and consider leaving the original card secured at home if a passport can serve as your identification.
What Losing the Card Does Not Change
Losing the physical card does not revoke your DACA status. Your deferred action and work authorization remain valid through the expiration date on your most recent approval notice. Your Social Security number is tied to your identity and work authorization, not to the EAD, so it remains valid too.
The practical consequences still matter. Without the card or another acceptable document, a new employer cannot complete I-9 verification. In an encounter with law enforcement, being unable to produce documentation of your deferred action status could lead to confusion or detention, particularly in jurisdictions where local officers participate in federal immigration enforcement through programs like 287(g).
When a Renewal Makes More Sense Than a Replacement
If your current DACA period is within 150 days of expiring, consider filing a full renewal (Form I-821D plus Form I-765) rather than a replacement. USCIS recommends filing renewals between 120 and 150 days before the expiration date on your current approval notice. A replacement card only reissues your existing authorization through its original expiration date; it does not extend it. Filing a renewal within that window reduces the risk of a gap in your DACA period.
Does the DACA Litigation Affect a Replacement?
No. As of early 2025, USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests and related employment authorization applications. Federal court orders, including a 2021 Texas district court injunction upheld by the Fifth Circuit, bar USCIS from granting initial DACA requests, but current DACA grants and their EADs remain valid until they expire unless individually terminated. If you already have DACA and need a replacement card, the litigation does not change how USCIS handles your I-765. Keep your approval notices, prior EADs, and filing receipts organized; the program’s uncertain legal future is a good reason to hold onto every piece of paper USCIS has ever sent you.