Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, is the form U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses to decide requests for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from certain foreign nationals in the United States. You use it for an initial EAD, a renewal, or a replacement, and you enter the eligibility category that applies to you in Part 2, Item Number 27. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; USCIS publishes the official PDF, the instructions and the filing locations at uscis.gov/i-765.
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What is I-765?
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, is the USCIS form certain foreign nationals in the United States file to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the Department of Homeland Security agency that decides the request.
The EAD is the card (Form I-766, or any successor document) issued as evidence that the holder is authorized to work in the United States. The instructions distinguish three kinds: an initial EAD, issued for the first time under a specific eligibility category; a renewal EAD, issued after a previous EAD under the same category expired; and a replacement EAD, issued when the previous one was lost, stolen, damaged or contains errors such as a misspelled name.
Some people are authorized to work through their status itself ("incident to status"), for example asylees and refugees, and may still apply for an EAD as further proof. Others, such as parolees or people with deferred action, may work only after USCIS approves the form.
The form is edition 08/21/25, OMB No. 1615-0040, and has seven pages. Parts 1 to 3 are completed by the applicant; Part 4 is for an interpreter, Part 5 for a preparer and Part 6 for additional information. Form I-765 is not for lawful permanent residents, conditional permanent residents, or nonimmigrants authorized to work only for a specific employer under 8 CFR 274a.12(b). Form I-765WS, Form I-765 Worksheet, is the companion form for categories that require proof of economic necessity.
Who needs to file I-765?
You may file Form I-765 if you fall within one of the eligibility categories listed in the Who May File Form I-765 section of the USCIS instructions. The categories are grouped as asylee and refugee categories, nationality categories, foreign student categories, dependents of diplomatic mission or international organization employees, employment-based nonimmigrant categories, family-based categories, adjustment of status categories, and other categories such as parole, deferred action and T or U status. You enter one category only, for example "(a)(3)" for a refugee.
- Applicants with a pending application for a benefit often use a different category than people already granted it: a pending asylum applicant uses (c)(8), while a person granted asylum uses (a)(5).
- Spouses and children may file under their own category, such as (c)(26) for the spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant.
- A parent or legal guardian may sign for an applicant under 14, and a legal guardian may sign for a mentally incompetent person.
Do not use Form I-765 if you are a lawful permanent resident, a conditional permanent resident, or a nonimmigrant authorized to work only for a specific employer under 8 CFR 274a.12(b). Some categories need no Form I-765: for example, Family Unity applicants file Form I-817 and USCIS issues the EAD on approval, and a person filing Form I-914 who requests an EAD with it does not file Form I-765. You must file while in the United States and have a U.S. address.
When to file I-765
The timing of Form I-765 depends on your reason for applying and your eligibility category. For a renewal, USCIS generally recommends filing up to 180 days before your current EAD expires; its page also says to file at least 90 days before expiration. USCIS generally does not backdate or postdate a renewal EAD.
Category examples from the instructions:
- (c)(3)(A) pre-completion OPT: up to 90 days before you are enrolled for one full academic year.
- (c)(3)(B) post-completion OPT: up to 90 days before, but no later than 60 days after, your program end date, and within 30 days of your DSO's SEVIS recommendation.
- (c)(3)(C) STEM extension: up to 90 days before your current OPT expires, within 60 days of the DSO recommendation.
- (c)(8) pending asylum: generally after a 150-day waiting period from filing Form I-589, and USCIS may reject an earlier filing.
- (c)(9): together with Form I-485, or later with proof it is pending.
After approval, USCIS says the EAD card should be produced within 2 weeks and mailed by USPS Priority Mail; allow a total of 30 days from approval before inquiring.
Documents you need
- A copy of at least one of these: Form I-94 (front and back), a printout of your electronic Form I-94 from www.cbp.gov/i94, your passport, or another travel document. Not required if you file under category (c)(9).
- A copy of your last EAD (front and back), if you were previously issued one. For renewals (Part 1, Item 1.c), attach a copy of your previous EAD.
- If you never had an EAD: a copy of a government-issued photo identity document showing name and date of birth, a birth certificate with photo ID, a visa issued by a foreign consulate, or a national ID with photo and/or fingerprint.
- Two identical, recent color passport-style photos, 2 by 2 inches, on white to off-white background, unmounted and unretouched. Lightly print your name and A-Number (if any) on the back.
- The category-specific evidence listed for your eligibility category in the Who May File Form I-765 section, for example an approval notice, Form I-20, or proof of a pending Form I-485.
- Evidence of any other names you have used (Part 2, Items 2.a. to 4.c.), such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce documents, government ID or passport identity page.
- Form I-765WS, Form I-765 Worksheet, listing assets, income and expenses, if your category requires economic necessity, such as (c)(14) or (c)(33).
- Certified copies of arrest reports, court dispositions and sentencing documents, if you answer Yes to the arrest/conviction question in Item 30 or 31.b. (even if records were sealed or expunged).
- Form G-28, if an attorney or accredited representative prepared the application and may need to enter an appearance.
- A full English translation with a signed translator's certification for any document in a foreign language.
- Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, only if you request premium processing and your category is eligible.
How to fill out I-765
Complete the attorney or representative block
At the top of page 1, an attorney or accredited representative selects the box if Form G-28 is attached and enters the Attorney State Bar Number (if applicable) and USCIS Online Account Number (if any). Applicants without a representative leave this block blank.
Select your reason for applying
In Part 1, select only one box: 1.a. initial permission to accept employment, 1.b. replacement or correction of an EAD not due to USCIS error, or 1.c. renewal. For 1.c., attach a copy of your previous EAD.
Enter your legal and other names
In Part 2, Items 1.a. to 1.c., enter your full legal name as on your birth certificate or legal name-change document. Items 2.a. to 4.c. list every other name you have used, including aliases, maiden name and nicknames.
Provide mailing and physical addresses
Items 5.a. to 5.f. take a valid U.S. mailing address, where USCIS sends your EAD; add an In Care Of Name if mail goes to someone else. Answer Item 6, and if the answer is No, give your physical address in Items 7.a. to 7.e.
Enter identifiers and personal details
Item 8 is your A-Number (or "N/A"), Item 9 your USCIS Online Account Number if you have one, Items 10 and 11 sex and marital status on the filing date, and Item 12 whether you filed Form I-765 before. Enter your Social Security number in Item 13 if known.
List citizenship, birth place and date
Items 14.a. and 14.b. list each country of citizenship or nationality; type "stateless" if none and explain in Part 6. Items 15.a. to 15.c. give the city, state or province and country of birth as named at your birth, and Item 16 your date of birth as mm/dd/yyyy.
Report your last arrival information
Items 17 to 26 cover your Form I-94 number, passport and travel document details (even if expired), date and place of last arrival, immigration status at arrival and current status, and SEVIS number if any. Enter dates as mm/dd/yyyy.
Enter your eligibility category
In Item 27, enter the letter and number of your category from the Who May File section of the instructions, such as (a)(8) or (c)(17)(iii). Then complete Items 28 to 31 only if your category is (c)(3)(C), (c)(26), (c)(8), (c)(35) or (c)(36).
Complete the applicant's statement
In Part 3, select Item 1.a. if you read the form yourself, or 1.b. if an interpreter read it to you, and select Item 2 if a preparer helped. Enter your daytime and mobile telephone numbers and email in Items 3 to 5; Salvadoran or Guatemalan nationals under the ABC settlement select Item 6.
Sign and date Part 3
Sign in Item 7.a. and enter the date in Item 7.b. as mm/dd/yyyy. A parent or legal guardian signs for an applicant under 14.
Complete the interpreter and preparer parts
If an interpreter was used, Part 4 must be completed and signed by the interpreter. Anyone who prepared the application for you completes and signs Part 5, selecting Item 7.a. or 7.b. as applicable.
Use Part 6 for extra information
Add any extra answers in Part 6, with the page, part and item number each refers to. Type your name and A-Number at the top of any additional sheet, and sign and date each sheet.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Check that every item is answered or marked "N/A", the dates use mm/dd/yyyy and the signatures are in place. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit I-765
You can file Form I-765 online through a USCIS account or on paper; a few categories are filed through other channels.
- Online: USCIS says you can create a USCIS account and file Form I-765 at uscis.gov/i-765.
- By mail: the filing address depends on your reason for applying and the eligibility category in Item Number 27. Use the filing locations listed at uscis.gov/i-765. Initial TPS applicants and TPS beneficiaries should follow the Form I-821 Instructions and the Federal Register notice for their country.
- Through the Department of State: (c)(1) and (c)(4) dependents send Form I-765 with Form I-566 through their mission or international organization. (c)(7) NATO dependents at SACT, NATO/HQ send both forms to USLO to NATO/HQ SACT, 7857 Blandy Road, Suite 200, Norfolk, VA 23551-2491.
Assemble the package in this order: the filing fee, if applicable (see Form G-1055 at uscis.gov/g-1055); your signed application; then your supporting documents. Include every page of the form, even unanswered ones, and make sure the edition date and page numbers show on all pages. USCIS will reject an unsigned form. If you want premium processing where available, also file Form I-907. To get an acceptance email or text from a lockbox, clip Form G-1145 to the first page. Do not mail the form to the Camp Springs, MD address in the Paperwork Reduction Act notice. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the USCIS channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing the form unsigned, or with a stamped or typewritten name instead of a handwritten signature; USCIS rejects an application that is not properly signed.
- Selecting more than one box in Part 1, or entering more than one eligibility category in Item Number 27.
- Removing pages that do not apply to you; the instructions require all pages to be filed, even unanswered ones.
- Leaving non-applicable items blank instead of typing or printing "N/A", or "None" for a zero numeric answer.
- Filing a pending-asylum (c)(8) application before the 150-day waiting period has elapsed; USCIS may reject it.
- Filing a (c)(3)(B) OPT request more than 30 days after your DSO's SEVIS recommendation, or a STEM extension more than 60 days after it.
- Filing as an asylee or refugee adjustment applicant under (c)(9) instead of (a)(5) or (a)(3).
- Selecting Yes for Item 31.b. because of minor traffic violations, or omitting court records for an arrest because the record was sealed or expunged.
- Using your attorney's address as the mailing address when you do not want the EAD sent there.
- Sending original documents when not requested; USCIS may destroy originals submitted when not required.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form I-765 used for?
Form I-765 is the USCIS application to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You use it for an initial EAD, a renewal, or a replacement of a lost, stolen, damaged or incorrect card. You must show an eligibility category in Item Number 27.
Does a green card holder need to file Form I-765?
No. The instructions say that lawful permanent residents, conditional permanent residents, and nonimmigrants authorized to work only for a specific employer under 8 CFR 274a.12(b) should not use Form I-765. It is for foreign nationals who fall under one of the listed eligibility categories.
Can I fill out Form I-765 online?
You can fill out the I-765 PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file it for you: USCIS receives the application only through its own channels, online with a USCIS account or on paper, as described under How to submit.
When should I file to renew my EAD?
USCIS generally recommends filing a renewal up to 180 days before your current EAD expires; its page also says to file at least 90 days before expiration. Some categories have their own windows, so check the timing for your category in the instructions.
What eligibility category do I enter in Item Number 27?
Enter the single letter-and-number category that matches your situation, such as (a)(3) for a refugee, from the Who May File Form I-765 section of the instructions. A pending application can have a different category than a granted one: pending asylum is (c)(8), granted asylum is (a)(5).
What documents do I need with Form I-765?
Generally: a copy of your Form I-94, passport or other travel document; a copy of your last EAD or, if none, a photo identity document; two passport-style photos; and the evidence listed for your category. Some categories also need Form I-765WS or court records.
Where do I mail Form I-765?
The filing address depends on your reason for applying and the eligibility category in Item Number 27. USCIS lists the addresses on its Form I-765 page at uscis.gov/i-765. Some categories use other routes, such as Form I-566 through the Department of State.
How long until I receive my EAD card after approval?
USCIS says the card should be produced within 2 weeks of approval and mailed by USPS Priority Mail. It asks you to allow a total of 30 days from approval before inquiring, and to use Case Status Online to find your USPS tracking number.
Who can sign Form I-765 for a child?
A parent or legal guardian may sign for an applicant under 14 years of age, and a legal guardian may sign for a mentally incompetent person. USCIS does not accept a stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature, and rejects an unsigned application.
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