CivicNest

I-765

Applying for a work permit

Application for Employment Authorization

Form I-765 is the Application for Employment Authorization. USCIS uses it to issue an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in categories the form lists. CivicNest can help you prepare the form. It does not determine which legal category applies to you.

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$79.00$0.00

Free during Alpha

USCIS filing fees are separate.

About this form

Used for
Work
Who can file
Eligible applicants who need employment authorization
CivicNest preparation
$79.00$0.00

Free during Alpha

USCIS filing fees are separate.

USCIS filing fee
Paper $520 · Online $470 (other amounts apply in some situations)
Average time
3-6 months
CivicNest prepared edition
08/21/25

Paper filing is currently $520 for many applicants; online is $470. Some categories listed on Form G-1055 are $0. H.R. 1 initial asylum, parole, or TPS employment authorization fee is $560 when postmarked before October 16, 2026; $570 when postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. This add-on is not the general filing fee. CivicNest does not use today's date as the postmark. H.R. 1 renewal or extension parole EAD fee remains $280. The October 16, 2026 inflation notice did not change it. H.R. 1 renewal or extension asylum applicant EAD fee remains $275. The October 16, 2026 inflation notice did not change it. CivicNest preparation is a separate product charge. It is not a USCIS government filing fee. Confirm the current amount on Form G-1055 and the official USCIS form page before you pay.

EAD and employment authorization

An EAD is an Employment Authorization Document. Form I-765 is how many people apply for, renew, or replace that document. Search language such as “EAD application” and “employment authorization” refers to this USCIS form, not to a generic work-permit product.

Eligibility category matters

I-765 is not a single all-purpose application. You select an eligibility category on the form, often written as an (a) or (c) code. That category controls both whether USCIS can issue an EAD and which initial evidence you must submit.

CivicNest does not choose your legal category for you. You should know the category that matches your status or pending case, using official USCIS instructions.

Filing requirements vary

Photographs, identity documents, proof of underlying status, and the government filing fee can all change with the category. Some categories pay a general paper or online fee; others pay a different amount or $0. Confirm Form G-1055 and the I-765 instructions for your category.

Related I-765 resources

What CivicNest helps with

  • • Guided questions
  • • Information reuse
  • • Consistency checks
  • • Official PDF generation
  • • A filing checklist so supporting evidence is not forgotten after the form is filled

What you'll need to file

This is a short USCIS summary, not a decision about your case. Confirm the official instructions for your situation.

Who typically files

  • You must fit a listed eligibility category

    Work authorization is not general. Your (a) or (c) category controls both eligibility and evidence.

  • You can prove identity

    USCIS wants photographs and a prior EAD or other government ID.

  • You can prove the status or pending case behind that category

    Examples include an I-94, I-20, I-797, I-589 receipt, or I-821 filing.

Submit with the form

Official USCIS form pageUSCIS evidence checklist

Official USCIS form preview

View PDF

Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Form I-765

OMB

Application for Employment Authorization

Start here. Type or print in black ink.

Part 1. Information About You

1.a. Family Name

1.b. Given Name

1.c. Middle Name

Date of birth

Edition 08/21/25

Page 1

This is a CivicNest mock of the official form. Open the PDF to see every page USCIS publishes.

View instructions