It is the DACA request, initial or renewal. It is filed with the I-765 and the I-765WS. The person signs the forms and mails them to USCIS with the fee, or files them online.

How much does it cost to prepare the I-821D with Paso Libre?

Filling it out is free. You pay $129 only when you finish your answers and decide to generate your PDF. Full refund within 14 days, and always if the PDF is not technically correct. USCIS fees are paid separately, directly to the government; confirm them in the official calculator.

How long does USCIS take with the I-821D?

It depends on the office and the moment. We publish an orientation measure calculated from the times USCIS publishes; it is not an official figure nor a promise about your case.

Does Paso Libre decide whether the I-821D applies to me?

No. We describe the form and fill in your answers. If your question needs a legal opinion, we point you to the official directories of licensed attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives.

Is USCIS accepting new DACA requests?

That has changed with court decisions and may change again. USCIS's official DACA page says what it is accepting and processing today; check it before sending anything.

When is the renewal filed?

USCIS recommends in its instructions filing it between 120 and 150 days before the current DACA expires, so the decision arrives in time. Your case's exact dates are on your previous notice.

What do I get at the end?

A PDF of the I-821D filled with your answers, unsigned. You review it page by page, print it, sign it by hand, and mail it to USCIS.

Who can help me with Form I-821D?

You can fill it out yourself: Paso Libre guides you in Spanish, question by question, and generates the unsigned I-821D PDF, which you review, sign, and mail. Form preparation, not legal advice. Evaluating your case is the job of a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative; USCIS publishes both directories for free. USCIS fees are paid separately, directly to USCIS.

What are the most common problems when filling out Form I-821D?

The most common are formatting problems: an outdated edition of the form, required boxes left blank, names or dates written differently than on your documents, a missing signature, and the wrong USCIS fee or mailing address. The list above has the details. Paso Libre's automated checks stop the PDF before it is generated when a required box is empty or a format does not match; you still review every page.

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USCIS formI-821D

Deferred action (DACA)

Form I-821D is the application a person uses to ask USCIS for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), for the first time or as a renewal. According to the instructions, it is filed together with the I-765 and the I-765WS worksheet. It is signed by hand and mailed with the fee, or filed online.

Paso Libre editorial team

Reviewed September 3, 2026 · Educational information, not legal advice

Filling is free. You pay $129 only when you finish your answers. USCIS fees are paid separately.

Start with Deferred action (DACA)

Current edition

May 12, 2026

Reviewed · September 11, 2026

Verify official edition

The edition date USCIS publishes for this form.

USCIS fee

Verify current fee

This fee you pay directly to USCIS.

Reviewed

September 11, 2026

We check daily whether USCIS changed anything.

What is the I-821D for?

DACA is not a status or a path to residence. It is a decision by USCIS not to prioritize a person's removal for a period, which can be renewed.

The instructions and the official DACA page describe the requirements and guidelines: when the person arrived, how old they were, where they have lived, their education, and their history.

Which requests USCIS is accepting and processing right now has changed with court decisions. Check the official DACA page before mailing; we do not write it here because it changes.

Who usually files it?

According to the USCIS instructions: a person who already has DACA and requests a renewal, normally between 120 and 150 days before it expires.
According to the USCIS instructions: someone who meets the published guidelines and requests it for the first time, when USCIS is processing initial requests.
According to the USCIS instructions: the request is accompanied by the I-765 and the I-765WS; the three are sent together.

These are the situations the official instructions describe. Paso Libre does not decide whether any of them is yours.

Changes

What has changed

No recent changes published for this form.

In plain words

What this means for you

We show only what USCIS already published. We do not guess what will happen.

Paso Libre does not evaluate your case to decide whether you need an attorney.

USCIS fees you pay directly to the government. We never collect them through Paso Libre.

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