# How to file Form I-765 (work permit / EAD)

> The EAD application, step by step: how the category system works, the real fees ($520/$470, $260 with a pending I-485), and what happens after filing.

Canonical: https://www.popimmigration.com/guides/how-to-file-i-765-ead  
Publisher: Pop Immigration (https://www.popimmigration.com)  
Last reviewed: 2026-07-20

Form I-765 is the application behind the work permit — the employment authorization document. Its logic is categorical: who may apply, with what evidence, at what fee, all flow from a category code in the instructions. This page walks that structure and the filing itself. Every claim is cited; general process description, not advice about any individual case.

## Step 1 — the category comes first

I-765 eligibility runs through defined categories listed in the form's instructions — each with a code, its own evidence, and in some cases its own fee. Applicants with a pending I-485 and DACA recipients, the two situations this site serves, each have their own category. The instructions' category list is the authority on who fits where; a filing without the right code is a filing that stalls.

## Step 2 — the fee, by situation

Under the current G-1055 schedule the general fee is $520 on paper or $470 online. One situation is cheaper: with a pending I-485 filed with fee on or after April 1, 2024, the I-765 is $260 — and the old free-with-I-485 rule survives only for pre-April-2024 filings. USCIS fees change periodically — before filing, verify current amounts on the official USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) at uscis.gov/g-1055.

## Step 3 — assemble and file

The filing carries the category code, the evidence that category requires, and photos where the instructions require them. After filing, the receipt arrives as Form I-797C and status is trackable online; USCIS publishes processing-time estimates, and this page claims no timeframe.

## What the card is

The EAD is a card with its own expiration date printed on it — employment authorization runs on the card's own clock, tied to the category it was granted under. Renewal mechanics vary by category and belong with the instructions for the specific situation.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does Form I-765 cost?

$520 on paper or $470 online in the general category; $260 with a pending I-485 filed with fee on or after April 1, 2024. Fees change — verify at uscis.gov/g-1055.

### Who can file for a work permit?

Eligibility runs through the category list in the I-765 instructions — each category has a code, evidence, and rules. Pending-I-485 applicants and DACA recipients are two of the categories.

### Is the work permit free with a green card application?

Not anymore for post-April-2024 I-485s — the concurrent I-765 is $260. The old bundled rule survives only for I-485s filed with fee before April 1, 2024.

### How long is an EAD valid?

The card carries its own printed expiration date, tied to the category it was granted under. Renewal rules are category-specific — the instructions govern.

## Sources

- USCIS — I-765: https://www.uscis.gov/i-765
- USCIS — I-765 instructions (eligibility categories): https://www.uscis.gov/i-765
- USCIS — I-765 (filing contents; card validity): https://www.uscis.gov/i-765
- USCIS — Processing Times: https://egov.uscis.gov/processingtimes/

---
Pop Immigration is an educational and organizational tool, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. HTML version: https://www.popimmigration.com/guides/how-to-file-i-765-ead