Certain foreign nationals, who are eligible to work in the United States, use Form I-765 to request an employment authorization document (EAD).

Form 1; Instructions 12.

03/11/16. Previous editions dated 11/04/15, 02/13/15, 05/27/08 or later, also accepted. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the Form and Instructions.

The filing address depends on the eligibility category you entered in Question 16. Please check the filing locations for Form I-765 for a list of mailing addresses.

Additional Information for Completing Your Form:

If you submit Form I-765 on paper: Be sure to sign the form at Applicant’s Signature. The fillable version of Form I-765 now includes “Don’t forget to sign!” messages and an arrow pointing to the signature box as reminders for when you print the completed form for mailing. USCIS rejects any unsigned Form I-765. Having to return it to you for a signature will delay processing of your application.

The filing fee for Form I-765 is $380. If you are requesting consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), you must also pay an $85 biometric services fee for a total of $465. There is no biometric services fee for any other eligibility category. Some individuals may be exempt from paying fees. See the form instructions for more information.

If you are filing your application at a USCIS Lockbox facility:

• We recommend reading our Lockbox filing tips.
• To receive a text message and/or email when USCIS accepts your Form I-765, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, and attach it to the front of the first application in the package.

Note: To be considered for DACA, you must file:

• Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals;
• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization;
• Form I-765 Worksheet; and
• The correct fee.

If you do not submit all of the above, we will reject your request and return it to you. The 90-day period for reviewing Form I-765 filed together with Form I-821D begins if and when USCIS decides whether to defer action in your case.

Note to U Petitioners: Principal U nonimmigrant petitioners are employment authorized incident to status, after the underlying petition for U nonimmigrant status is approved an employment authorization document is automatically issued without filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

Derivative family members residing inside the United States are also employment authorized incident to status; however, an employment authorization document is not automatically issued. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, may be filed for a derivative to obtain an employment authorization document.

Employment authorization for principals and derivatives can only be issued after the underlying U nonimmigrant status petition is approved, regardless of when the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, is filed.

If the statutory cap is reached in a fiscal year and USCIS uses the waiting list process described at 8 CFR 214.14(d)(2), petitioners for U nonimmigrant status and derivatives in the United States can apply for employment authorization using Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, based on deferred action.  An application for employment authorization based on deferred action can only be approved after DHS has deferred action in your case, regardless of when the Form I-765 is filed.

Note to Asylum Applicants: If you are an asylum applicant, please refer to the asylum Web pages for criteria for eligibility, including information about the calculation of the 180-day Asylum EAD Clock.

Note to Students whose EAD Cards were Issued by the Potomac Service Center (PSC): If your EAD card was approved by the PSC and contains incorrect information that you believe is due to USCIS error, please follow the instructions below:

• Submit a letter including the EAD card containing the incorrect information, and documents showing that USCIS made an error (a copy of the application you sent to USCIS with your correct information, a copy of your birth certificate, with your correct name, etc.) to the Nebraska Service Center at

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center
ATTN CCS Unit
PO Box 82521
Lincoln, NE 68501-2521

• Please do not send the letter, the EAD card, and the supporting documents to the PSC. If USCIS made an error, you do not need to submit a new Form I-765 or pay a new filing fee.

This page can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/i-765