I-765Application for Employment Authorization
“Pursuant to the Sept. 14, 2026, order, USCIS continues to accept the 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539 and 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition of Forms I-539 and I-765.”uscis.gov, Form I-765 page · checked 2026-11-02
- Source
- uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-765.pdf
- Size
- 467,424 bytes
- SHA-256
- Revision (page)
- Edition Date 08/21/25
- Revision (footer)
- Form I-765 Edition 08/21/25 ✓ match
- Fetched
- 2026-11-02 06:15 UTC
Form I-765 is the application for employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), the card that shows you may work in the United States. Some people are authorized to work because of their status and use it only to get the card; others, such as many parolees or people with pending applications, must have the I-765 approved before they can work. You enter exactly one eligibility category code from the instructions' list in Part 2, Item 27. Lawful permanent residents, conditional residents and nonimmigrants authorized to work only for a specific employer do not use this form. Read the edition notice first: USCIS's own page says which edition it accepts today, and the I-765 instructions say to use the latest Adobe Reader to complete the form.
How to file Form I-765
USCIS online account (guided)
USCIS lists guided online filing of Form I-765 for certain categories only, including (a)(12), (c)(3)(A), (c)(3)(B), (c)(3)(C), (c)(8), (c)(11), (c)(19) and (c)(33). USCIS notes a fee discount for certain forms filed online; see its fee schedule.
“There is a discount when you file certain forms online.”
Open on uscis.govUpload a completed PDF
USCIS lists PDF upload for I-765 categories (a)(12), (c)(8), (c)(9), (c)(11) and (c)(19), and as part of an online I-485 package. The PDF must carry a valid wet-ink signature; for a fee-exempt (c)(9) filing, USCIS says to mail a paper form instead.
“Attorneys and representatives must make sure the benefit requestor’s valid wet-ink signature appears on the PDF before submitting the form through PDF upload.”
Open on uscis.govMail a paper form
Every other case is filed on paper at the address for your category. Use one edition for every page, keep the edition date and page numbers visible, and include all pages even if some do not apply.
“You must include all pages when you file Form I-765, even if the pages do not apply to you and are unanswered.”
Open on uscis.govWhy our filler is off for this form: USCIS says its forms are optimized for Adobe Acrobat Reader, and part of this PDF is read-only by design (copied headers, barcodes, signature boxes). We turn our fill on per form only after the output re-opens in Acrobat Reader with every value intact and a matching barcode. Until then, Adobe Reader on a computer is the free tool USCIS points to.
Print, sign in ink, scan, send
USCIS does not accept signatures made by software, so the dependable path is paper first, then a clean PDF under the online limit. Every step below runs in your browser.
- PrintThe official I-765 PDF from uscis.gov, every page from the same edition.
- Sign by handIn the signature box, in ink. USCIS: “USCIS does not accept signatures created by a typewriter, word processor, stamp, auto-pen, or similar device.”
- Scan to PDFPhone camera pages, deskewed and cleaned, in this tab.
- MergeForm and evidence in the order the instructions ask for.
- Under 12 MBCompressed to the USCIS online upload limit, with a preview first.
Sources: USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 1, Part B, Ch. 2 (signatures) · uscis.gov/file-online/tips-for-filing-forms-online (12 MB) · checked 2026-10-05
Line help for Form I-765
Plain-language notes written from the official instructions, with the place each one comes from. Informational, not legal advice.
Select one: initial permission to work, a replacement (lost, stolen, damaged, or an error not caused by USCIS), or a renewal. For a renewal, attach a copy of your previous EAD.
“If you select Item Number 1.c., attach a copy of your previous EAD.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Part 1. Reason for ApplyingYour full legal name as on your birth certificate or legal name-change document, then all other names you have used, with evidence of them.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Part 2, Item Numbers 1.a.–4.c.A U.S. mailing address where the EAD will be sent. Do not use your attorney's address unless you want the card sent there. VAWA, T and U applicants may give a safe mailing address. Add your physical address if different.
“We will send your EAD to this address.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Item Numbers 5.a.–7.e.Your A-Number if you have one (otherwise N/A), and a USCIS Online Account Number only if you previously had a receipt number beginning with IOE. The account number is not the A-Number.
“The OAN is not the same as an A-Number.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Item Number 8; How To Complete, item 5Your SSN if known. The form also asks whether you want the Social Security Administration to issue a card; the instructions explain those items.
Form I-765 (08/21/25), Part 2, Item 13 and followingCountry or countries of citizenship (not necessarily where you were born; write 'stateless' and explain if none), place of birth using the country's name at the time, and date of birth as mm/dd/yyyy.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Item Numbers 14.a.–16.Your I-94 number (from cbp.gov/i94 if electronic), passport or travel document details, date and place of last arrival, status at arrival and current status, and SEVIS number if any.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Item Numbers 17.–26.The single category code from the Who May File list, plus the extra items some categories require (STEM OPT employer details, (c)(26) spouse receipt, (c)(8) and (c)(35)/(c)(36) questions). Finding the right category is your decision; if you are unsure, see USCIS's guidance on legal help.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Item Numbers 27.–31.b.Say whether you read the form yourself or used an interpreter or preparer, give your phone and email, and sign and date by hand.
“A stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature is not acceptable.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Part 3Completed and signed by an interpreter or preparer only if one helped you.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Parts 4–5Extra space. On each added sheet give your name and A-Number, the page, part and item number, and sign and date it.
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), How To Complete, item 2A handwritten signature; a scan of it counts.
USCIS rejects an I-765 without a valid signature, and a typed or stamped name is not one. A photocopy, fax or scan of the original page with your handwritten ink signature is valid for filing, which is why the evidence chain below starts on paper.
“USCIS will consider a photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of an original benefit request with a handwritten signature as valid for filing purposes.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Validity of SignaturesOne category code, from the list.
The category decides the evidence, the fee and often where you file. A pending application and a granted one can have different codes, for example (c)(8) for a pending asylum application and (a)(5) once asylum is granted.
“Enter only one category number on the application.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), Who May File Form I-765?N/A, None, and every page.
If a question does not apply, write N/A; if a numeric answer is zero, write None, unless the form says otherwise. Use Part 6 for extra space.
“If a question does not apply to you … type or print “N/A” unless otherwise directed.”
Form I-765 Instructions (08/21/25), How To Complete Form I-765Revision history
We check the USCIS form page and its edition statement every day, and USCIS’s sitemap for preview files of new editions. This list starts when our crawler first saw the form.
| Edition | Status | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Edition 08/21/25 | Current | baseline |
- Preview_Form_I-765_9-15-26_Edition_USCIS_WILL_REJECT_IF_POSTMARKED_BEFORE_09-15-26.pdf · first seen 2026-10-05
Related forms
I-485
USCIS lists the 09/18/26 edition on its form page.
I-131
USCIS lists the 01/20/25 edition on its form page.
I-539
USCIS is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition. The edition it lists today is 08/28/24.
I-9
USCIS lists the 01/20/25 edition on its form page.
G-1145
USCIS lists the 09/26/14 edition on its form page.
Sources
- USCIS Form I-765 page (edition statement) · checked 2026-10-05
- Form I-765 Instructions (Edition 08/21/25) · checked 2026-10-05
- USCIS, Forms Available to File Online · checked 2026-10-05
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 1, Part B, Ch. 2 (Signatures) · checked 2026-10-05
- USCIS page for Form I-765 · crawled 2026-11-02
Not affiliated with the IRS, USCIS or any government agency. US federal forms are public domain (17 U.S.C. §105); the line help is ours, written from the instructions. Informational only: not tax or legal advice. If you need help with an immigration case, USCIS explains how to find legitimate legal services: uscis.gov, Find Legal Services.