Application for Employment Authorization

[I-765, Application for Employment Authorization]

IMPORTANT: Information on this site may be outdated. For up-to-date instructions and filing fees check always with the USCIS site:
http://www.uscis.gov/forms

Purpose of Form :

Certain aliens who are temporarily in the United States may file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Other aliens who are authorized to work in the United States without restrictions should also used this form to apply for a document evidencing such authorization.

Number of Pages :

12

Edition Date :

11/20/06. Prior versions acceptable. NOTE: The form itself, was not changed with the 7/26/06 edition, only the instructions have changed.

Where to File :

Please see Special Instructions, below.

Filing Fee :

$180.00

Special Instructions :

Please note: The blue “Signature Card” mentioned in the form’s instructions is no longer required.

You may be eligible to file this form electronically. Please see the related link “Introduction to Electronic Filing” for more information.

Effective August 2, 2004, USCIS has changed its requirements for photographs to a standard passport-style photograph. Please see this informational flyer for more details.

Note on Filing Fee :

If you are in one of the categories noted below, no fee is required.

If filing for an initial EAD under one of these categories:

  • refugee, asylee or paroled as a refugee;
  • N-8 or N-9 Nonimmigrant;
  • Citizen of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, or Palau;
  • Granted Withholding of Deportation;
  • Deferred Enforced Departure;
  • Dependent of certain foreign government or international organization personnel; or,
  • Applicant for asylum (applicant filing under special ABC procedures must pay the fee however).

If filing for a renewal EAD under one of these categories:

  • Citizen of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, or Palau;
  • Granted Withholding of Deportation;
  • Deferred Enforced Departure; or,
  • Dependent of certain foreign government or international organization personnel.

If you are filing for a replacement EAD, and you are a dependent of certain foreign government or international organization personnel, no fee is required.

Download I-765 (400KB PDF)

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
OMB No. 1615-0040; Expires 08/31/08
I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

Where to File :

Where to file varies by which category of eligibility applies to your case and where you reside. 8 CFR 274a.12(a) and (c) detail these eligibilities. You will also find most categories listed on the instructions to the form.

274a.12(a) – Category – Filing location

(1) – Lawful Permanent Resident – Separate EAD not required. Use Form I-551 (Permanent Residence Card)

(2) – Legalization Temp. Resident – Separate EAD issued without application.

(3) – Refugee – Nebraska Service Center

(4) – Paroled Refugee – Nebraska Service Center

(5) – Asylee – Nebraska Service Center

(6) – Fiance(e) – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence.

(7) – N-8 or N-9 – Nebraska Service Center

(8) – Micronesia/Marshall Is. – Nebraska Service Center

(9) – LIFE K3/4 – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(10) – Withholding – Box 805887, Chicago, IL, 60680-4120

(11) – Extended Voluntary Departure – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence.

(12) – Temp. Protected Status – For the filing address of your Form I-765, click on your country of origin listed below:
Burundi
El Salvador
Honduras
Liberia
Nicaragua
Somalia
Sudan

(13) – Family Unity – Service Center with jurisdiction over you residence

(14) – LIFE Legalization – Box 7219, Chicago, IL 60680-7219

(15) – V nonimmigrants – Box 7216, Chicago, IL 60680-7219

(16) – T principal renewals – Vermont Service Center

(17) – E spouses – Service Center with jurisdiction. An I-765 concurrently filed with principal’s E Form I-129 must be filed at California Service Center or Texas Service Center, depending on principal’s place of employment

(18) – L spouses – Service Center with jurisdiction

274a.12(c) – Category – Filing location

(1) – Spouse/Dependent of foreign government official – Department of State (who certifies and forwards to Nebraska Service Center)

(2) – Spouse/Dependent of Coord. Council NA Affairs – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(3)(i) – F-1 Opt PT – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(ii) – F-1 International Org. Act – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(iii) – F-1 Hardship – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(4) – Spouse/Dependent of G-1, 3, 4 – Dept. of State/United Nations (alien’s sponsoring organization) who certifies and forwards to Nebraska Service Center

(5) – J-1 dependent – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(6) – M-1 PT – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(7) – NATO dependent – NATO, who certifies and forwards to Nebraska Service Center

(8) – Asylum applicant – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(9) – I-485 pending – Please see page 7 of the form instructions for more information.

(10) – 244 Suspension – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(11) – Public Interest Parolee – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(12) – Not in use

(13) – Not in use

(14) – Deferred Action – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(15) – Not in use

(16) – Sec 249 creation – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(17)(i) – B-1 Domestic of Nonimmigrant – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(17)(ii) – B-1 Domestic of Certain USCs – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(17)(iii) – Employee Foreign Airline – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(18) – Order of Supervision – Box 805887, Chicago, IL 60680-4120

(19) – Temp. Protected Status – For the filing address of your Form I-765, click on your country of origin listed below:
Burundi
El Salvador
Honduras
Liberia
Nicaragua
Somalia
Sudan

(20) – Sec 210 Legalization – Service Center with jurisdiction over your residence

(21) – S Nonimmigrant – Don’t use Form I-765. See USCIS Contact.

(22) – Sec 245A Legalization – If you have a pending I-687 (Legalization Application) based on an approved “Front Desk Questionnaire,” file at Texas Service Center

(23) – Irish Peace Process – Don’t use Form I-765. I-94 used.

(24) – LIFE Legalization – Box 7219, Chicago, IL 60680-7219

(25) – T dependents – Vermont Service Center