Guide · Form I-765
What is Form I-765?
A work permit is requested with this form. Here is what it is, in plain words — without guessing on your behalf.
Paso Libre editorial team
Reviewed August 25, 2026 · Educational information, not legal advice
What is Form I-765?
Form I-765 is the application sent to USCIS to request work permission. If USCIS grants it, they mail a card called an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
The form is the request; the card is what arrives afterwards. They are two different things, and many people call both of them the same thing.
The categories, and why we don't pick yours
The I-765 is not a form for one single situation. The official instructions list dozens of categories, each with a code such as (c)(8) or (a)(5).
Which one applies depends on your case, and that is a legal question. Paso Libre does not answer it: we do not choose your category or decide whether this form is for you.
If you are not sure, the full list is in the official instructions, and a licensed attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative can guide you.
What documents people usually gather
People almost always gather a photo ID (a passport or an official identity document), passport-style photos, and a copy of the previous permit when this is a renewal.
Beyond that, each category asks for its own evidence. How many photos, what size, and what proof goes with your code are written in the official instructions for your edition.
We can show you general document categories. We do not decide whether your evidence is legally sufficient — that part is not ours to judge.
What does it cost?
The government fee is paid directly to USCIS and we never mark it up. Some categories pay a fee and others do not; the official instructions say which is which.
The general fee is just below, with the date of the official table we read it from, and the additional fees some categories pay on top. Our costs page carries the same figure.
General USCIS fee: $520 · paid separately
by mail · $470 online
USCIS fees are separate.
USCIS general filing fee · Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26. . See the source ↗
Other situations pay a different amount. We do not decide which one applies to you.
Some categories also pay $560, $280, or $275 (Public Law 119-21). That fee cannot be waived and is separate from the base fee. We do not decide your category. Check yours on the USCIS fee calculator ↗
The $560 additional fee rises to $570. If you mail it before October 16, 2026: $560. From October 16 on: $570. The postmark date counts, and there is no grace period. Federal Register notice (91 FR 62540) ↗ · USCIS alert ↗
USCIS has a form for requesting a fee waiver: the I-912. We do not decide whether it is granted. See what is usually filed → Form I-912 on uscis.gov ↗
How Paso Libre helps
We ask you questions in Spanish, one at a time, and transfer your answers onto the official form. We check the formatting: dates, empty boxes, values that disagree with each other.
You receive an unsigned PDF. You review it page by page, sign it by hand and mail it yourself. We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice.