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- The eligibility category controls the filing
- Initial, renewal, and replacement requests are different
- Identity and immigration-history fields must remain consistent
- Evidence depends on the category and filing reason
- The current edition and every page matter
- The applicant must sign the application
- Fees are category-specific and can change
- Online filing is available only in listed situations
- Approval and the physical card answer separate questions
- Sources
Key Facts
- Federal level: Form I-765 asks USCIS for an Employment Authorization Document under a specific eligibility category; the form does not create an independent right to work.
- Federal level: The applicant must identify whether the filing requests initial authorization, renewal, or replacement and must enter the category code that matches the underlying immigration basis.
- Current filing: As reviewed on August 9, 2026, USCIS identifies the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-765.
- Current filing: Fees, exemptions, online eligibility, addresses, and required evidence differ by category and filing context.
- Federal level: A missing applicant signature, incorrect fee, unacceptable edition, or incomplete category-specific package can lead to rejection or denial.
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, is the federal form used by many noncitizens to request an Employment Authorization Document, commonly called an EAD. Completing the form correctly begins with the applicant’s immigration basis, because the same seven-page form serves many legally different categories.
Form I-765 should not be treated as a general application open to anyone who wants a U.S. work permit. Federal regulations identify which classes are authorized to work incident to status and which classes may apply for discretionary employment authorization. The form records the relevant category; it does not supply one.
The eligibility category controls the filing
Part 2 asks for an eligibility category written as a letter and number, such as a category listed in 8 C.F.R. § 274a.12. That code connects the application to an underlying status, pending application, humanitarian protection, deferred action, or other federal basis.
Category selection affects the fee, evidence, filing location, online availability, timing rules, and whether an EAD is needed at all. For example, some noncitizens are authorized to work incident to their status, while others must obtain an EAD before employment may begin.
The Form I-765 instructions contain general directions followed by category-specific instructions. Applicants should use both the current form page and the section for their exact code rather than copying a category from another person’s card or filing.
Initial, renewal, and replacement requests are different
Part 1 requires one reason for applying. “Initial permission” generally covers a first request under the stated category, but the category instructions can define whether a filing is initial in a less intuitive situation.
A renewal asks USCIS for a new authorization period and ordinarily includes a copy of the prior EAD. Filing a renewal does not by itself prove that authorization continues after the prior card expires. Any automatic extension depends on the governing regulation and current USCIS category and timing requirements.
A replacement request addresses a card that was lost, stolen, damaged, or contains an error not caused by USCIS. A correction solely for a USCIS error follows the agency’s separate return-and-correction instructions and does not require a new Form I-765 and fee.
Identity and immigration-history fields must remain consistent
The form asks for the applicant’s legal name, other names used, mailing and physical addresses, country of birth, citizenship or nationality, date of birth, sex, marital status, Social Security information, Alien Registration Number, USCIS online account number, and information about the most recent arrival.
Names and identifying numbers should be reported consistently with supporting records while still disclosing aliases, maiden names, or other names the form requests. If the applicant has an A-Number or USCIS online account number, the labels on prior notices can help distinguish them.
Arrival questions ask for passport or travel-document information, the place and date of the latest arrival, the status at arrival, and current immigration status or category. These answers describe different points in time and should not be forced to match when the applicant’s classification later changed.
Evidence depends on the category and filing reason
The general instructions call for the required filing fee when applicable, photographs, identity evidence, and evidence supporting the selected category. The category-specific section may require approval or receipt notices, immigration documents, proof of a pending application, status records, court records, or other material.
Renewal and replacement packages commonly rely on a copy of the front and back of the prior EAD. A lost-card applicant may instead use other government-issued identity evidence and the documents required for the category.
Legible photocopies are generally submitted unless the instructions request an original. USCIS may later request an original. A foreign-language document must include a complete English translation and a signed certification that the translation is accurate and that the translator is competent to translate.
The current edition and every page matter
As reviewed on August 9, 2026, USCIS identifies the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-765. The edition date appears at the bottom of each page. A mailed package should contain every page from the same acceptable edition with visible page and edition information.
On the paper form, answers should be typed or printed legibly in black ink. Part 6 can be used for additional information by identifying the relevant page, part, and item. Separate continuation sheets should include the identifying information and signature required by the instructions.
USCIS may reject a form assembled from mixed editions or missing pages. A saved PDF can become obsolete, so the current USCIS Form I-765 page should be checked immediately before filing.
The applicant must sign the application
Part 3 contains the applicant’s statement, contact information, certification, and signature. An interpreter completes and signs Part 4 when applicable, and a preparer completes and signs Part 5. Those additional signatures do not replace the applicant’s certification.
For a paper filing, an unsigned application can be rejected. For an online filing, the applicant follows the electronic signature process in the USCIS account. The applicant remains responsible for reviewing the complete filing even when another person prepared it.
Fees are category-specific and can change
Form I-765 does not have one reliable universal price. The amount may differ for paper and online filing, and federal law, fee regulations, or the current fee schedule may provide a reduced fee, exemption, or additional charge for a particular category or filing context.
The USCIS Fee Calculator and current Form G-1055 should be used with the exact category and filing method. Sending an outdated or incorrect amount can cause rejection, while eligibility for a fee waiver or exemption must come from the applicable current rule rather than assumption.
Online filing is available only in listed situations
USCIS permits online Form I-765 filing for specified categories. Availability of the online form does not mean every I-765 category can use it, and a filing that must accompany another paper form may require a paper package.
Paper filing addresses vary by eligibility category, related benefit, and delivery service. The current “Where to File” information controls; a service-center address from an old approval notice or another category may be wrong.
After acceptance, USCIS issues a receipt notice and may request biometrics, additional evidence, or an interview. Processing-time estimates depend on category and office and are not guarantees of a decision date.
Approval and the physical card answer separate questions
USCIS adjudicates whether the applicant qualifies for employment authorization under the selected category and whether discretion is warranted where the rule makes authorization discretionary. Approval normally results in an EAD stating its validity dates and category.
Some categories receive automatic extensions of expiring EAD validity after a timely renewal, but only when current regulatory requirements are met. The receipt notice, expired card, category, filing date, and other applicable documents determine whether an extension exists.
Form I-765 is also separate from Form I-9. The employee presents acceptable evidence of identity and work authorization under the I-9 rules; an employer does not adjudicate the I-765 application. Category-specific timing can also differ, including for an asylum work permit.
A sound filing sequence is to identify the federal basis, verify the category code, choose the correct filing reason, download the current edition, collect category-specific evidence, confirm the fee and address, review every answer, and complete all required signatures.
