Can I work while my I-765 is pending?

Usually no, and this changed recently in a way that catches people out. Renewal applicants used to get an automatic extension of up to 540 days past the expiry date printed on the card. The Department of Homeland Security removed that on 30 October 2025. If your renewal is not approved before your current card expires, your permission to work stops on the expiry date, and you must stop working that day even though the application is still pending. Two continuations survive and are unaffected: the 180-day continuation for a timely-filed STEM OPT extension, and extensions granted under a Temporary Protected Status notice. Outside those, you may only work during the validity dates on the card. This matters most if you are an H-4 spouse, because those renewals are among the slowest, so file as early as the category allows rather than close to the expiry date.

How much does Form I-765 cost?

Check the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) and the fee calculator on uscis.gov on the day you file. Fees change, and an underpayment gets the filing rejected.

OfficialUSCIS — Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization · Last verified 17 Aug 2026

Form I-765 and the employment authorization document

The EAD is the card that proves you may work. Form I-765 is how you ask for it, and the eligibility category on the form decides everything else.

The category code is the form

Form I-765 asks for an eligibility category, such as (c)(3)(B) for post-completion OPT, (c)(3)(C) for the STEM extension, (c)(26) for an eligible H-4 spouse, or (c)(9) for a pending adjustment of status. The category determines the evidence you must send and the validity of the card. Filing under the wrong category is one of the most common reasons for a rejection or a request for evidence.

Source: USCIS — Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization · in effect from 2017-01-17

You may not work before the card is valid

Except where a specific rule allows continued employment while a renewal is pending, you may only work during the validity dates printed on the card. Filing an application is not authorization to work.

Source: USCIS — Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization · in effect from 2017-01-17

Where to check what it costs

Filing fees change, and a fee quoted from anywhere other than the agency on the day you file is a fee that may be wrong. Use the USCIS Fee Schedule, Form G-1055, and the fee calculator on the USCIS website immediately before you send anything. An underpaid filing is rejected and returned, which costs you the filing date.

Source: USCIS — Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization · in effect from 2017-01-17

Official

Frequently asked questions

Can I work while my I-765 is pending?: Usually no, and this changed recently in a way that catches people out. Renewal applicants used to get an automatic extension of up to 540 days past the expiry date printed on the card. The Department of Homeland Security removed that on 30 October 2025. If your renewal is not approved before your current card expires, your permission to work stops on the expiry date, and you must stop working that day even though the application is still pending. Two continuations survive and are unaffected: the 180-day continuation for a timely-filed STEM OPT extension, and extensions granted under a Temporary Protected Status notice. Outside those, you may only work during the validity dates on the card. This matters most if you are an H-4 spouse, because those renewals are among the slowest, so file as early as the category allows rather than close to the expiry date.
How much does Form I-765 cost?: Check the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) and the fee calculator on uscis.gov on the day you file. Fees change, and an underpayment gets the filing rejected.