Form I-765Application for Employment Authorization

We generally recommend you file a Form I-765 to request a renewal Employment Authorization Document (EAD) up to 180 days before your current EAD expires. We generally do not backdate or postdate a renewal EAD to the end of your current EAD’s validity period.

Please refer to the Form I-765 instructions for information on other specific categories.

To renew your Employment Authorization Document, file Form I-765 at least 90 days before the expiration.

Filing Category When to File

(a)(20) You may file Form I-765 at the same time as Form 918, Supplement A, Petition for Qualifying Family Member of U-1 Recipient, or you may file Form I-765 later.

(c)(3)(A) File Form I-765 up to 90 days before being enrolled for one full academic year, provided that the period of employment will not start before you have completed one full academic year.

(c)(3)(B) File Form I-765 up to 90 days before, but no later than 60 days after, your program end date. You must file your Form I-765 within 30 days of the date that your DSO enters the recommendation for OPT into your SEVIS record.

(c)(3)(C) File Form I-765 up to 90 days before the expiration of your current OPT, if you are requesting a 24-month STEM extension.

(c)(6) File Form I-765 with a copy of the Form I-20 endorsed by the DSO certifying eligibility for employment together with Form I-539, Application to Change/Extend Nonimmigrant Status, if applicable, completed according to the Form I-539 Instructions. We must receive the completed forms before, but not more than 90 days before, your program end date.

(c)(8)

You must wait 150 days before you can apply for an EAD, and an additional 30 days before we can issue you an EAD, for a total of 180 days starting from when you filed your I-589 asylum application. The number of days a completed asylum application is considered pending does not include any delays requested or caused by you while your application is pending with the USCIS asylum office or with an EOIR Immigration Judge.  (See 8 CFR 208.7) This period during which your asylum application is pending before we may grant you an EAD is called the “180-day Asylum EAD Clock.”  We may reject your Form I-765 if you file it before the 150-day waiting period has elapsed. Further details can be found in the Form I-765 Instructions.

If you have received a Recommended Approval notice from the USCIS asylum office recommending a grant of asylum, you do not need to wait 150 days and may apply for an EAD immediately upon receipt of t

The filing address depends on your reason for applying and the eligibility category you entered in Question

27. Please check the filing locations for Form I-765  for a list of addresses.

If you are a replacing a card that has incorrect information, please see the Special Instructions provided below.

Filing Tips: Review our Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page for information on how to ensure we will accept your form.

Don’t forget to sign your form. We will reject any unsigned form.

You can find the filing fee for Form I-765 by visiting our Fee Schedule page.

View the checklist of required initial evidence.