Form I-765 is the application for a work permit, which USCIS calls an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). This page covers the I-765 categories that apply to Guatemalans in the United States, the fee for each category from October 16, 2026, and the timing, renewal and validity rules USCIS publishes. This is general information, not legal advice. Before you file, confirm your own case with a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.
Quick summary:
- New fees on Oct. 16, 2026. For initial asylum-applicant, parole and TPS work permits, the separate Pub. L. 119-21 fee goes from $560 to $570 for requests postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 (USCIS alert of Sept. 30, 2026 and Federal Register notice of Oct. 1, 2026).
- General fee: $520 on paper, $470 online (G-1055, edition 10/07/26).
- Pending asylum (c)(8): you wait 150 days after filing the I-589 before you can apply, and USCIS can issue the card after 180 days in total. If you are not filing under the special ABC procedures, the initial EAD is $0 plus $570.
- Guatemalan ABC class members file under (c)(8). Their initial EAD is $520 on paper or $470 online, plus $570. USCIS decides the I-765 within 60 days if they meet the conditions.
- Renew up to 180 days early. USCIS says renewals filed on or after Oct. 30, 2025 in certain employment authorization categories get no automatic extension. Exceptions include extensions provided by law or by a Federal Register notice for TPS-related documents.
- Shorter cards: the maximum is 18 months for pending asylum, pending green card and several other categories (USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-27).
- Guatemala has no TPS designation on the USCIS list checked Oct. 15, 2026.
The fee change on October 16, 2026
USCIS announced an FY 2027 inflation increase on Sept. 30, 2026. The Federal Register published the notice on Oct. 1, 2026. Both say the new fees take effect on Oct. 16, 2026. In the words of the USCIS alert, “If you submit a request postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026, for a benefit that requires one of these fees, you must include the new fee for the specific benefit you are requesting”. It adds: “Any request postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 without the proper filing fee will be rejected”.
For the I-765, the change applies to the extra Pub. L. 119-21 fee on initial asylum-applicant, parole and TPS work permits. That fee goes from $560 to $570. The Federal Register table keeps the renewal extra fees at $275 for asylum and $280 for parole and TPS. The G-1055 PDF captured for this page is edition 10/07/26, and it still shows $560. The table below gives the new amount and the amount that applied before Oct. 16, 2026.
I-765 fees by category
The base filing fees come from the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26. The Pub. L. 119-21 amounts from Oct. 16, 2026 come from the USCIS alert and Federal Register notice described above.
| Category | Filing fee (paper / online) | Extra Pub. L. 119-21 fee, postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 | Extra fee before Oct. 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General: initial, replacement or renewal EAD, unless another row applies | $520 / $470 | None listed | None listed |
| (c)(8) pending asylum, initial, not under the ABC procedures | $0 | $570 | $560 |
| (c)(8) pending asylum, initial, under the special ABC procedures | $520 / $470 | $570 | $560 |
| (c)(8) pending asylum, renewal | $520 / $470 | $275 | $275 |
| (c)(11) parole, initial | $520 / $470 | $570 | $560 |
| (c)(11) parole, renewal | $520 / $470 | $280 | $280 |
| Pending green card (Form I-485) filed with a fee on or after April 1, 2024 | $260 / $260 | None listed | None listed |
| Pending I-485 filed on or after July 30, 2007 and before April 1, 2024, with the I-485 fee paid | $0 | None listed | None listed |
| (c)(33) DACA | $520 / $470 | None listed | None listed |
| Initial EAD, fee-exempt categories: (a)(3) refugee, (a)(5) asylee, (a)(10) withholding granted, (a)(19) U-1, (a)(20) U-2 to U-5, (c)(9) Special Immigrant Juvenile seeking to adjust, (c)(14) deferred action for a U petitioner, (c)(31) approved VAWA self-petition | $0 | None listed | None listed |
| (a)(12) / (c)(19) TPS, initial / renewal (not available to Guatemalan nationals, see below) | $520 / $470 | $570 / $280 | $560 / $280 |
Two rules from the G-1055 apply to the extra fee: “You must submit this fee separately from the filing fee. This fee may not be waived”. On the regular filing fee, the G-1055 says “Certain applicants may be eligible for a Fee Waiver” and points to the Form I-912 instructions. The waiver rules are on our USCIS fee waiver (I-912) page. The G-1055 also notes that “There is often a $50 discount when filing a form online”. For the I-765 that is the difference between $520 and $470.
The parole rows above are the G-1055’s general parole rows. The G-1055 lists some specific parole circumstances separately, so check the parole section of the schedule if your parole is not the standard kind. The fee-exempt row covers initial EADs only. The captured G-1055 rows do not give renewal fees for those categories.
Which category to file under
The I-765 instructions say: “Enter only one category number on the application”. The category depends on whether your case is pending or already granted. The instructions give this example: “a person with a pending asylum application may file an EAD application under category (c)(8); by contrast, the EAD category for a person already granted asylum is category (a)(5)”.
| Your situation | Category | What the I-765 instructions say to include |
|---|---|---|
| Asylum application (I-589) pending | (c)(8) | File after the 150-day wait (see below) |
| Guatemalan or Salvadoran ABC class member with asylum pending | (c)(8), ABC box checked | Check Part 3, Item Number 6; you need a complete pending asylum application |
| Eligible for NACARA 203 relief with USCIS | (c)(10) | May be filed together with Form I-881 |
| Green card application (I-485) pending | (c)(9) | File with the I-485, or attach the I-485 receipt notice or other evidence it is pending |
| Asylee or refugee with a pending I-485 | (a)(5) or (a)(3) | Do not use (c)(9) |
| Paroled into the US | (c)(11) | Copy of your valid, unexpired I-94, passport or travel document showing parole |
| Deferred action | (c)(14) | Copy of the grant document and proof of economic necessity to work |
| DACA | (c)(33) | File with Form I-821D |
Pending asylum: the 150-day and 180-day clock
The I-765 instructions say you are subject to a 150-day waiting period after you file your asylum application, and then an additional 30 days before USCIS can issue the EAD, 180 days in total. They warn: “We may reject your Form I-765 if you file it before the 150-day waiting period has elapsed”. There is one exception: “If you have received a Recommended Approval notice from the USCIS asylum office recommending a grant of asylum, you do not need to wait 150 days and may apply for an EAD immediately upon receipt of this notice”. The instructions also say that “if you fail to appear for your interview with a USCIS asylum office or for a hearing before an EOIR IJ, you may be ineligible for an EAD”. For the asylum case itself, see asylum for Guatemalans in the US.
Pending green card (c)(9)
The instructions say to “File Form I-765 together with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, or if filing separately, submit a copy of your Form I-485 receipt notice or other evidence that your Form I-485 is pending”. The fee depends on when you filed the I-485. It is $260 if you filed the I-485 with a fee on or after April 1, 2024. It is $0 if you filed it on or after July 30, 2007 and before April 1, 2024 and paid the I-485 fee. Asylees and refugees with a pending I-485 file under (a)(5) or (a)(3). The instructions say: “Do not file under eligibility category (c)(9)”.
Parole (c)(11)
The instructions say to “File Form I-765 with a copy of your valid, unexpired Form I-94, passport, or other travel document showing you were paroled into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or reasons of significant public benefit”. They add that people in expedited removal, including those with a pending credible fear determination, are not eligible for an initial EAD under (c)(11).
Deferred action (c)(14) and DACA (c)(33)
For (c)(14), the instructions say to “File Form I-765 with a copy of the order, notice, or other document reflecting the grant of deferred action and proof that you have an economic necessity to work”. A DACA work permit is filed under (c)(33) together with Form I-821D. The fees are on our DACA renewal page.
U visa, VAWA and Special Immigrant Juveniles
The G-1055 lists initial EADs at $0 for U nonimmigrants ((a)(19), (a)(20)), for deferred action filed by a U petitioner ((c)(14)), for Special Immigrant Juveniles seeking to adjust ((c)(9)) and for approved VAWA self-petitioners and their derivative children ((c)(31)). For the U visa itself, see our U visa (I-918) page.
What is specific to Guatemalans
- The ABC settlement names Guatemala. The I-765 instructions say: “If you are a Salvadoran or Guatemalan national eligible for benefits under the ABC settlement agreement, American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh, 760 F. Supp. 796 (N.D. Cal. 1991), you are entitled to an EAD under the ABC settlement”. The I-765 is decided within 60 days when two conditions are met: “You identify yourself as an ABC class member by selecting the box in Part 3., Item Number 6. of this application” and “You have a complete pending asylum application on file”. The fee is different from other asylum applicants. An initial ABC (c)(8) EAD pays the $520 paper or $470 online filing fee plus the Pub. L. 119-21 fee. A non-ABC initial (c)(8) EAD pays $0 plus that fee.
- NACARA 203. The instructions say: “If you are eligible to apply for NACARA 203 relief with USCIS, you may file Form I-765 together with your Form I-881”. That category is (c)(10).
- No TPS for Guatemala. The USCIS TPS page (last updated 09/09/2026, checked Oct. 15, 2026) lists El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela. Guatemala is not on the list, so the TPS rows in the fee table do not apply to Guatemalan nationals. See TPS and Guatemalans.
- Identity documents. The I-765 instruction excerpts captured for this page do not mention Guatemalan documents. If you need to renew a Guatemalan passport or other document for any purpose, find your Guatemalan consulate.
How to file, step by step
- Pick one category from the table above. You can enter only one per application.
- Check the fee for your postmark date. A request postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026 must include the new fee. If your category has a Pub. L. 119-21 fee, pay it separately from the filing fee.
- Use the right edition. The USCIS I-765 page says that, pursuant to the Sept. 14, 2026 order, “USCIS continues to accept the 08/28/24 edition of Form I-539 and 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition of Forms I-539 and I-765”. USCIS also says: “You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions”.
- File online or on paper. USCIS says you can create a USCIS online account and file the I-765 there, and “If necessary, you can file a paper application for Form I-765 instead”. USCIS changed the mailing locations on Oct. 7, 2026. Look up your address on the Direct Filing Addresses page linked from the USCIS I-765 page. USCIS says: “We will provide a 30-day grace period and accept forms postmarked on or before Nov. 9, 2026, that are sent to any prior filing location”.
- Attach the evidence for your category (see the category table).
- Photos: USCIS reminds applicants that “photos submitted to USCIS must be unmounted and unretouched”. Unretouched means the photos are not edited or digitally enhanced.
- Attend biometrics. The instructions warn: “If you do not attend your biometric services appointment, we may deny your application”.
- Wait for the card. If USCIS approves the application, it mails the card to the address on your application. USCIS says: “Please allow a total of 30 days from approval before inquiring with USCIS”. Case Status Online shows the USPS tracking number.
This page does not give processing times. Check the USCIS processing times tool for your category.
Renewals, automatic extension and card validity
| Rule | What USCIS says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When to renew | “We generally recommend you file a Form I-765 to request a renewal Employment Authorization Document (EAD) up to 180 days before your current EAD expires” | USCIS I-765 page |
| Card dates | USCIS says it generally does not backdate or postdate a renewal EAD to the end of your current card’s validity period | USCIS I-765 page |
| Scope of the change | DHS announced an interim final rule, effective Oct. 30, 2025, ending automatic extension “for aliens who apply to renew their EAD in certain employment authorization categories” | USCIS automatic extension page |
| Automatic extension | “Aliens who apply to renew their EAD on or after Oct. 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD” | USCIS automatic extension page |
| Exceptions | “Exceptions include extensions provided by law or through a Federal Register notice for TPS-related employment documentation” | USCIS automatic extension page |
| Earlier extensions | “The interim final rule does not affect EADs automatically extended before Oct. 30, 2025” | USCIS news release |
| Maximum validity, several categories | 18 months instead of 5 years for (a)(3), (a)(5), (a)(10), (c)(8), (c)(9) and (c)(10) requests pending or filed on or after Dec. 5, 2025 | Policy Alert PA-2025-27 |
| Maximum validity, parolees | “the end date of the authorized parole period or 1 year, whichever is shorter” | Policy Alert PA-2025-27 |
USCIS recommends filing a renewal up to 180 days before your current EAD expires. The end of automatic extension applies to renewals filed on or after Oct. 30, 2025 in certain employment authorization categories, and the USCIS page lists exceptions for extensions provided by law or through a Federal Register notice for TPS-related documents. The 18-month limit is stated here as it appears in USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-27 (Dec. 4, 2025). This page did not check whether a later Policy Manual update changed it. This page does not cover validity for DACA (c)(33) or deferred action (c)(14).
Related
- Asylum for Guatemalans in the US
- DACA renewal for Guatemalans
- USCIS fee waiver (Form I-912)
- U visa for crime victims (Form I-918)
- TPS and Guatemalans
- Find your Guatemalan consulate
- All diaspora guides
Sources
- USCIS, Form I-765 page (last reviewed/updated 10/07/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/i-765 (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS, Form I-765 Instructions, edition 08/21/25: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-765instr.pdf (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS, Form G-1055 fee schedule page (last reviewed/updated 10/07/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055 (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS, Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26 (PDF): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS alert, FY 2027 inflation increase for certain immigration-related fees (released 09/30/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-announces-fy-2027-inflation-increase-for-certain-immigration-related-fees (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- Federal Register 2026-20187, FY 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees (published Oct. 1, 2026): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/10/01/2026-20187.txt (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS, Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Extension (last reviewed/updated 10/29/2025): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/information-for-employers-and-employees/automatic-employment-authorization-document-ead-extension (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS news release, DHS Ends Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-ends-automatic-extension-of-employment-authorization (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-27 (Dec. 4, 2025): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-updates/20251204-EmploymentAuthorizationValidity.pdf (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
- USCIS, Temporary Protected Status (last reviewed/updated 09/09/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status (fetched Oct. 15, 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Form I-765 cost from October 16, 2026?
The USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26) sets the general I-765 fee at $520 on paper or $470 online. Some categories also owe an extra Pub. L. 119-21 fee that is paid separately and cannot be waived. The FY 2027 inflation adjustment changes that extra fee for initial asylum-applicant, parole and TPS work permits from $560 to $570 for requests postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026. Example: an initial pending-asylum (c)(8) EAD outside the ABC procedures is $0 plus $570. Renewal extra fees do not change: $275 for (c)(8) asylum and $280 for parole or TPS, on top of the $520 or $470 filing fee.
When can I apply for a work permit with a pending asylum case?
The I-765 instructions describe a 150-day wait after you file your asylum application before you can apply, plus 30 more days before USCIS can issue the EAD. That is 180 days in total. USCIS may reject an I-765 filed before the 150 days have passed. The wait does not apply if you received a Recommended Approval notice from the USCIS asylum office.
I am a Guatemalan ABC class member. What is different for me?
The I-765 instructions say Salvadoran or Guatemalan nationals eligible under the ABC settlement (American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh) are entitled to an EAD. You file under (c)(8). USCIS decides the I-765 within 60 days if you check the ABC class member box in Part 3, Item Number 6, and you have a complete asylum application pending. On the G-1055, an initial ABC (c)(8) EAD pays the $520 paper or $470 online filing fee plus the Pub. L. 119-21 fee, which is $570 for requests postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026.
When should I file to renew my work permit?
USCIS recommends filing a renewal up to 180 days before your current EAD expires. Separately, USCIS says that people who apply to renew their EAD on or after Oct. 30, 2025 in certain employment authorization categories no longer receive an automatic extension. Exceptions include extensions provided by law or by a Federal Register notice for TPS-related documents. EADs that were automatically extended before Oct. 30, 2025 are not affected.
How long is a new work permit valid?
USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-27 (Dec. 4, 2025) cut the maximum validity from 5 years to 18 months for several groups: refugees, asylees, people granted withholding, and people with a pending asylum, adjustment of status or cancellation of removal case. It applies to requests pending or filed on or after Dec. 5, 2025. For parolees, the maximum is the end of the parole period or 1 year, whichever is shorter.
Can Guatemalans get a TPS work permit?
Not as a Guatemalan national as of this check. The USCIS TPS page, last updated 09/09/2026 and checked Oct. 15, 2026, lists El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela as the countries currently designated. Guatemala is not on that list, so the TPS work permit categories (a)(12) and (c)(19) do not apply to Guatemalan nationals.
Which edition of Form I-765 should I use, and where do I mail it?
The USCIS I-765 page says that, pursuant to the Sept. 14, 2026 order, it accepts the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and does not accept the 09/15/26 edition. USCIS changed the mailing locations on Oct. 7, 2026. Look up the Direct Filing Addresses page linked from the I-765 page. Forms sent to a prior location are accepted if postmarked on or before Nov. 9, 2026.
