USCIS Form I-821D

I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Alert Type info ALERT: Important Reminders Regarding the DACA Renewal Process We continue to adjudicate the majority of DACA renewal requests within 120 days and make every effort to efficiently process these requests as we receive them.

USCIS

Historical Data shows the median processing time for DACA renewals and associated Employment Authorization Documents in fiscal year 2023 was 1 month, and less than 2 months for the first quarter of FY 2024. As USCIS has long recommended, we strongly encourage DACA recipients to submit your DACA renewal request to us between 120 and 150 days (4 to 5 months) before the expiration date located on your current Form I-797 DACA approval notice. Filing during this window reduces the risk that your current period of DACA and employment authorization will expire before you receive a decision on your renewal request. Please note that filing earlier than 150 days before your current DACA expiration date will not result in a faster decision.

For additional information on DACA, including the requirements for renewal, please visit uscis.gov/DACA . Alert Type info ALERT: Important Update on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals On Jan. 17, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision regarding the DACA Final Rule. Pursuant to the court’s order, USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23.

USCIS will continue to accept initial requests but will not process initial DACA requests at this time. Current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated. Alert Type info ALERT: Court decisions regarding DACA. On Sept.

13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the DACA Final Rule unlawful and expanding the original July 16, 2021, injunction and order of vacatur to cover the Final Rule. However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for “all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021.” See the Memorandum and Order and Supplemental Order of Injunction . Accordingly, current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated. In accordance with this decision, USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23, as it has since October 31, 2022.

We will also continue to accept initial DACA requests, but in accordance with the District Court’s order, we will not process initial DACA requests. Current valid grants of DACA and related EADs will continue to be recognized as valid under the Final Rule. This means that individuals with DACA and related EADs do not have to submit a request for DACA or employment authorization until the appropriate time to seek renewal. Please see the DACA Litigation Information Page for important updates and information related to court rulings on the DACA policy.

Use this form to request that we consider a renewal of your deferred action status on a case-by-case basis. Deferred action is an act of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal of an individual. Individuals who receive deferred action will not be removed from the United States for a specified period of time, unless the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chooses to terminate the grant of deferred action. Individuals filing Form I-821D must also file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , and Form I-765WS, Worksheet .

File Online In this video, you can learn how to file your Form I-821D and Form I-765 online: Form Details Forms and Document Downloads Form I-821D (PDF, 544.17 KB) Instructions for Form I-821D (PDF, 379.19 KB) Form I-765 (MUST be filed with your Form I-821D) (PDF, 456.47 KB) Instructions for Form I-765 (PDF, 566.8 KB) Form I-765 Worksheet (PDF, 254.2 KB) Edition Date Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format. If you complete and print this form to mail it, make sure that the form edition date and page numbers are visible at the bottom of all pages and that all pages are from the same form edition. If any of the form’s pages are missing or are from a different form edition, we may reject your form. If you need help downloading and printing forms, read our instructions .

Where to File Where you file depends on your state of residence; check our Filing Addresses for Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals page for the correct mailing address. Filing Fee You can find the filing fee for Form I-821D by visiting our Fee Schedule page. Form Filing Tips Filing Tips for Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Complete all sections of the form. We will reject your form if these fields are missing: Part 1 – Information About You Initial Request or Renewal Request Expiration date of most recent period of DACA (renewals only) Family Name U.S. Mailing Address Alien Registration Number (renewals only) Date of Birth Part 4 – Criminal, National Security, and Public Safety Information (for initial and renewal requests) Questions 1 – 7 must be marked “Yes” or “No” Filing Tips: Review our Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page for information on how to ensure we will accept your form.

Do not forget to sign your form. We will reject any unsigned form. Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Employment Authorization Document (EAD) If you are a current DACA recipient and only need to replace a valid EAD because yours was lost, stolen, or damaged, file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , and select box 1.b. Submit the properly completed Form I-765, evidence that you are a current DACA recipient (such as your most recent DACA approval notice), and the filing fee to the filing address for the location where you live . For purposes of a request for a replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged EAD, do not file Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, with the Form I-765.

If you submit Form I-821D when you are filing to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged EAD, we will deny your Form I-821D and we will not refund the $85 filing fee for Form I-821D. Special Instructions E-Notification: If you want to receive an e-mail and/or a text message that we have accepted your form at a USCIS lockbox, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance , and clip it to the first page of your form. Related Links Filing Tips for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA Litigation Information Page Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Fee Exemption Guidance DACA Frequently Asked Questions Last Reviewed/Updated: 06/01/2026