How to renew DACA online

This page is for renewing DACA online. It is general information, not legal advice. For the big picture, start at the DACA hub.

Can I renew online?

Yes, if you have had DACA before and you are asking to renew it. USCIS is still accepting and deciding renewals (USCIS DACA page, checked October 21, 2026). Online filing is only for people who were granted DACA before. A first time request must be mailed on paper.

If your DACA ended more than one year ago, or USCIS ended it, your request counts as a first time request. Talk with an immigration attorney or a DOJ accredited representative before you file. See Apply for the first time.

What do I need before I start?

Gather these first. It makes the rest go fast.

• An email address you check and a phone that gets texts, or an authenticator app. The account sends you a code each time you sign in.
• Your A number and the date your DACA ends. Both are on your work permit and your last approval notice.
• Your addresses and trips since your last approved DACA request. If you traveled outside the U.S., you will need the dates.
• Your money numbers for the worksheet: your own yearly income, yearly expenses and the value of what you own. You do not need anyone else's money information.
• A card or a U.S. bank account to pay $555.
• Clear photos or scans of anything you need to upload (see below).
• Quiet time to check your work. Once you submit, you cannot change anything. Take your time.

How do I file, step by step?

Six steps, in order.

1. Sign in or create an account. Go to my.uscis.gov. Your email is your username. Pick how you want to get your one time sign in code: email, text or an authenticator app.
2. Choose "File a Form Online," then pick Form I-821D. USCIS shows a short video on the I-821D page that walks through filing the I-821D and I-765 online.
3. Fill out the form fields online. Answer every question. Write your name, birth date and address exactly as on your past USCIS papers. On the work permit form, your category is (c)(33).
4. Upload your evidence. See the next section.
5. Review, then sign. Read the summary carefully and save or print a copy for your records. To sign, type your full legal name, first, middle and last. After you submit, you cannot make changes.
6. Pay. Use a credit or debit card, or your U.S. bank routing and checking account numbers. Your forms are submitted when the payment goes through.

You can also fill out the PDF form, sign it, and upload it to your account. The guided online form is simpler for most people.

What should I upload?

Usually very little. For a renewal, you do not need to send the papers you sent with earlier DACA requests. You do need to upload copies of new papers if, since your last DACA request:

• You are now in immigration court (removal proceedings), unless your case was administratively closed, or
• You were charged with or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that you have not already reported.

Minor traffic tickets, like driving without a license, do not need papers unless alcohol or drugs were involved. If any of this applies to you, pause. Talk with an immigration attorney or DOJ accredited representative before you submit. See Keep your DACA.

Photos and your work permit. The I-765 instructions (edition 08/21/25, checked October 21, 2026) say you must send two passport style photos, and renewal filers must attach a copy of their previous work permit, front and back. A DACA note says (c)(33) filers don't need extra identity papers beyond what the I-821D asks for; it does not cover the photos. The instructions are written for paper filing, and we cannot see the online screens without an account. Our suggestion: have a clear photo of your current work permit (front and back) and a passport style photo of yourself ready, and upload them if the online form asks. If you are unsure, ask a clinic before you submit.

Upload tips from USCIS:

• Scan each paper or take a clear photo. Every word must be readable.
• Use PDF, JPG or JPEG files, each no bigger than 12 MB.
• Do not lock files with a password.
• If a paper is not in English, upload the original, a full English translation, and the translator's signed statement that they are able to translate and that it is accurate.

How much does it cost?

$555 online: $85 for the I-821D and $470 for the I-765. On paper it is $605, so filing online saves $50. There are no fee waivers for DACA. A very small number of people can get a fee exemption, but only if USCIS approves it before you file. See USCIS fee exemption guidance.

Make sure the money is in the account before you pay. Someone offering to speed up your case for a fee? That may be a scam. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.

What happens after I submit?

You can follow every step from your account.

• Your receipt. For most forms, USCIS gives you a receipt notice with your receipt number right away. Sometimes it takes up to 3 days. You will find it on your account home page and under the Documents or Notices tab. Save a copy.
• Biometrics. USCIS may schedule you at an Application Support Center for fingerprints, a photo and a signature. The notice shows up in your account. Go to the appointment. If you must change it, ask through your account before the appointment time.
• Requests for Evidence. If USCIS needs more, you get an email or text. Answer from the Documents or Notices tab before the deadline on the notice.
• Messages. Your account has a secure inbox to ask USCIS questions about your case.
• Status. Sign in any time to see where your case is.
• The decision. You can read it in your account. If approved, your new work permit comes by mail separately. USCIS shows a USPS tracking number in your account when it mails the card.

How long this is taking, and how to plan for a gap, is on While you wait. If you move, change your address in the same account within 10 days.

Who can help?

You don't have to do this alone. These are free or low cost public offices and nonprofits. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• For San Mateo County residents: the groups below.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: 650-326-6440
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: 650-558-0915
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (Redwood City consultations): 650-587-1558
• Catholic Charities (San Mateo County): 650-295-2160
• APILO: listed by San Mateo County for DACA renewals. County legal help list
• San Mateo County Immigrant Services: (650) 363-4194, ImmigrantServices@smcgov.org
• For Santa Clara County residents: the Office of Immigrant Relations works with Asian Law Alliance, Pars Equality Center and Santa Clara University on DACA renewals. Partner list
• Anywhere in California: the state's map of free immigration legal services, or call (916) 651-8017.

For trouble with your online account, call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283.