What Do I Need to Renew My DACA? Forms, Fees, and Filing

To renew your Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grant, you need three completed USCIS forms — Form I-821D, Form I-765, and Form I-765WS — a photocopy of the front and back of your current Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and a filing fee of $555 if you submit online or $605 if you submit on paper.¹ USCIS recommends filing the package 120 to 150 days before your current DACA period expires.²

The Three Forms in Your Renewal Package

Every renewal starts with the same three forms, all downloadable free from the USCIS website.

Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

This is the core renewal request. It asks for your personal identification information, your immigration history, and the number and expiration date on your current Employment Authorization Document. Select the “Renewal Request” option at the top of the form. Choosing “Initial Request” by mistake will route your case into the wrong queue — and initial requests are not currently being processed.²

Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

Form I-765 is the application for the physical EAD card that lets you work legally in the United States. In Part 2, Item 27, enter eligibility category (c)(33). That code identifies you as a DACA recipient. Entering the wrong category is a common reason renewals get delayed or denied.³

Form I-765WS, Worksheet

The I-765WS is a short financial worksheet. You list your current annual income, your annual expenses, and the total value of your assets. USCIS uses it to confirm you have an economic need to work. Honest estimates are fine; you do not need to attach pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements.⁴

Documents to Include With the Forms

Along with the three forms, include a clear photocopy of both the front and back of your current EAD. This lets USCIS match your renewal to your existing file.

One trap worth flagging: if your current EAD is lost, stolen, or damaged but your DACA grant itself is still valid, you are replacing a card, not renewing your status. In that situation, file Form I-765 by itself. Do not include Form I-821D. If you send in the I-821D as well, USCIS will deny it and will not refund the $85 fee attached to it.⁵

Filing Fees and How to Pay

The total renewal fee depends on how you file:

Online filing: $555 total ($470 for Form I-765 plus $85 for Form I-821D)
Paper filing: $605 total ($520 for Form I-765 plus $85 for Form I-821D)

These are the amounts on the USCIS fee schedule in effect as of 2026.¹ Online filers can pay by credit or debit card. Paper filers pay by check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and USCIS requires a separate payment for each form. If the payment is missing, short, or over the amount, USCIS will reject the entire package and send it back.

Fee Exemptions

USCIS may waive the filing fees if you can document one of the following situations:

You have a serious chronic disability that prevents you from caring for yourself, and your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level.
You or an immediate family member have accumulated $10,000 or more in unreimbursed medical expenses in the past 12 months, and your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level.
You are under 18, your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level, and you are homeless, in foster care, or otherwise lack parental or family support.

To request an exemption, include a letter explaining your circumstances and supporting documentation (medical records, proof of income, a letter from a social worker, and so on) with your renewal package. Check the current Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines to confirm your income qualifies.⁶

When to File

USCIS strongly encourages you to file your renewal between 120 and 150 days — roughly four to five months — before the expiration date printed on your current Form I-797 approval notice.² USCIS reports adjudicating most DACA renewals within 120 days, so filing inside that window gives the agency time to decide your case before your current grant runs out.

Timing matters more with DACA than with many other immigration filings. EADs issued under category (c)(33) do not qualify for the automatic extension that keeps some other work permit categories valid while a renewal is pending.⁷ If your DACA expires before USCIS approves the renewal, you lose your work authorization the same day and cannot legally work again until a new EAD arrives. You also start accruing unlawful presence during the gap, unless you were under 18 when you filed. Unlawful presence can trigger bars to future immigration benefits.⁸

How to Submit Your Renewal

Online

You can file the entire package through a free USCIS online account. Online filing lets you save a draft, pay by card, avoid mailing delays, and track your case, appointment notices, and any USCIS messages in one place.⁹ The system also blocks some common mistakes — for example, it will not let you submit an unsigned form.

By Mail

Paper filers send the package to the USCIS Lockbox assigned to their state. USCIS runs three regional Lockbox facilities, in Phoenix, Dallas, and Chicago, and the correct address depends on where you live. Confirm the current Lockbox address on the USCIS direct filing addresses page before mailing.¹⁰

A Note on the Program’s Current Status

Because of ongoing federal court litigation, USCIS is processing renewal requests only. Initial DACA requests can be submitted but are not being adjudicated.² If you already hold DACA, your grant and EAD remain valid until the printed expiration date unless USCIS individually terminates them, and you can keep renewing in two-year cycles as long as the program allows it.¹¹

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055, Fee Schedule
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-765, Instructions for Application for Employment Authorization
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-765WS, Worksheet
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guidance for an Exemption from the Fees for a Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Related Form I-765
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Benefits of a USCIS Online Account
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)