How to file Form I-821D (DACA renewal)
Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is the USCIS form used to request DACA. Under ongoing federal court orders described by USCIS, initial (first-time) requests are accepted but are not being adjudicated — renewals continue to be processed, and this page covers renewals only. It describes the general process with every factual claim cited to a primary source; it is not advice about any individual case.
Renewal only — the current posture
USCIS's DACA litigation page describes the current court-ordered posture: initial DACA requests are accepted but not adjudicated, while renewals of existing grants continue to be processed. Because that posture comes from ongoing litigation, USCIS's page is the reference for the current state. Everything below describes a renewal of an existing DACA grant.
When USCIS encourages filing
USCIS encourages filing a DACA renewal between 120 and 150 days before the expiration date on the current approval notice. Filing earlier than 150 days out does not result in a faster decision, and a request filed too early may be rejected and returned.
The renewal package
A DACA renewal is filed as a package: Form I-821D together with Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and the I-765WS worksheet. The three forms travel together — the I-765 is how the employment authorization document (EAD) is renewed alongside the deferred-action request.
The filing fees
Under the current USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055), the I-821D fee is $85, and the I-765 fee in the DACA category is $520 on paper or $470 online — so a paper renewal package totals $605 in filing fees. USCIS fees change periodically — before filing, verify current amounts on the official USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) at uscis.gov/g-1055.
What an approved renewal is — and is not
An approved renewal continues deferred action and, through the concurrently filed I-765, renewed employment authorization. DACA is a form of deferred action: USCIS describes it as not conferring lawful immigration status.
Tracking the renewal
After filing, USCIS issues Form I-797C, Notice of Action, receipts for the package, and case status can be checked online with the receipt numbers. Processing times vary; USCIS publishes current estimates in its processing-times tool, and this page does not claim any specific timeframe.
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How much does a DACA renewal cost?
Under the current G-1055 fee schedule: $85 for the I-821D plus $520 for the I-765 on paper ($470 online) — $605 total for a paper package. Fees change — verify current amounts at uscis.gov/g-1055.
When does USCIS encourage filing a renewal?
Between 120 and 150 days before the current expiration date. Earlier filings do not get faster decisions and may be rejected as too early.
What forms make up a renewal?
Form I-821D, Form I-765 (employment authorization), and the I-765WS worksheet, filed together as a package.
Can a first-time DACA request be filed?
USCIS states that under ongoing court orders, initial requests are accepted but not adjudicated. This page covers renewals of existing grants only; USCIS's DACA litigation page describes the current posture.
Does DACA give lawful immigration status?
No — USCIS describes DACA as deferred action, which does not confer lawful immigration status. An approved renewal continues deferred action and employment authorization.