How long DACA renewal is taking, and what to do while you wait

Waiting is hard when your job hangs on a card in the mail. You can still act. This page covers the time after you file a DACA renewal. It is general information, not legal advice. To ask USCIS to move faster, see Can I speed up my DACA case?. For everything DACA, start at the DACA hub.

How long is renewal taking?

About 70 days at the median, and many people wait much longer. Members of Congress wrote to USCIS on June 18, 2026, citing news reports, that the median wait for a DACA renewal had grown to 70 days for cases from October 2025 to February 2026. In fiscal year 2025, it was 15 days. "Median" means half of cases took less time and half took more. So many people wait longer than 70 days.

The newest figure we found is from the news, not a USCIS page. CBS News reported on October 8, 2026 that USCIS said it decided 80 percent of DACA renewals within seven months over the previous six months. Read that the other way around: about 1 in 5 renewals took longer than seven months. We found no USCIS page that posts this number.

In late June 2026, legal groups including the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area sued in federal court in Northern California to get USCIS data on the delays (EdSource, July 1, 2026, a news report). The case asks for records. It does not ask the court to decide anyone's renewal.

USCIS's own DACA page still says most renewals are decided within 120 days. It cites older numbers: about 1 month in 2023 and under 2 months in late 2023. Those numbers are out of date.

The official USCIS processing times tool sits behind an automated security check, so we do not quote its numbers here. You can open it yourself in a normal web browser.

How do I check the live wait time?

1. Open the USCIS processing times tool.
2. Choose Form I-821D and follow the prompts on the page.
3. Write down the time shown and today's date.

USCIS says it does not look into cases that are still inside the normal processing time. If yours is past it, see Can I speed up my DACA case?

How do I check my own case?

• Online account: sign in at my.uscis.gov to see your status, notices and messages. If you filed on paper, use the Account Acceptance Notice USCIS mailed you to link your case.
• Case Status Online: go to egov.uscis.gov and type the receipt number from your receipt notice. If you have more than one receipt number, check each one.

What happens after I file?

Usually four things, in this order. Your case may not follow every step.

1. Receipt notice. USCIS sends a receipt after it accepts your request. If you filed online, it usually shows in your account right away. If you mailed it and sent Form G-1145, you also get an email or text. Keep every notice in one folder.
2. Biometrics appointment. USCIS may send a notice (Form I-797C) with a date, time and place at an Application Support Center for fingerprints, a photo and a signature. Bring the notice and a photo ID. If you miss it, USCIS may deny your request. If you truly cannot go, ask to reschedule through your online account before the appointment, with a good reason.
3. A possible Request for Evidence. If USCIS needs more, it sends a letter (and a message in your online account) with a deadline. Answer by that deadline. If you are not sure what they want, take the letter to a clinic right away.
4. Decision. If USCIS approves, you get an approval notice. Your new work permit card comes separately in the mail. USCIS says to allow up to 30 days after approval for the card to arrive before asking about it. Your online account or Case Status Online can show the USPS tracking number.

If USCIS denies a DACA request, there is no appeal. If you think USCIS made an administrative mistake, such as sending a notice to the wrong address after you reported a move, call the Contact Center to ask for a review, and talk with a clinic.

Does my work permit keep working while I wait?

No. DACA work permits are not automatically extended while a renewal is pending. On October 14, 2026, the government made final a rule that ends automatic extensions for renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, and DACA permits were never on the old extension list.

If your DACA and work permit end before the new ones arrive:

• You may not work until your new card arrives.
• You start to build up "unlawful presence" again, unless you were under 18 when you filed the renewal (USCIS DACA FAQ Q55, checked October 21, 2026). This can matter later. Ask a clinic what it means for you.

A receipt notice does not let you keep working. Your employer must check your new work permit on Form I-9 no later than the day the old one ends. See Your rights at work for your other rights on the job.

How do I prepare for a gap in work?

Start now, even if you think your card will arrive in time. A plan you never need beats a gap you did not see coming.

Talk with your employer early.

• Tell your manager or HR the date your permit ends and show your receipt notice as proof you filed.
• Ask what they can offer if the new card is late: unpaid leave, holding your job, or bringing you back as soon as the card arrives. Ask them to put it in writing.
• Bring your new card to HR the day it comes.

Plan your money.

• Count the weeks between today and the date your permit ends. Then plan for a gap of at least two or three months after that.
• Set aside what you can now for rent, food, phone and transportation. Pay any bills you can ahead of time.
• If money gets tight, 211 is a free service that helps you find local help with food, rent and utilities where it runs. It does not cover every California county; check 211ca.org for yours. In San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, United Way Bay Area runs it. See 211: free help finding local services.

School and financial aid (California).

• You do not need DACA for in state tuition or the California Dream Act. A gap in DACA does not end those. See Paying for college in California and How to apply for the CA Dream Act.
• A campus job is still a job. Your school's HR office must check your work permit the same way, so you may need to pause work until the new card comes. Tell your financial aid office early if you count on that pay.

Take care of yourself. Waiting is hard. If stress is getting heavy, see Mental health care without fear. If you or someone you know is in danger right now, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

What if I move or a notice never comes?

If you move, tell USCIS within 10 days. Do not skip this. Changing your address with the Post Office does not change it with USCIS, and the Post Office will not forward USCIS mail. Do both.

• Online (best): sign in to your USCIS online account and use the change of address tool. Enter the receipt number for each pending case, so your DACA request and your work permit request both get the new address.
• By mail: fill out Form AR-11 (USCIS) and send it to the address printed on the form. Do not send it to the lockbox where you mailed your renewal.
• Put your name on your mailbox, especially in an apartment building.
• You can sign up for USPS Informed Delivery to see pictures of mail that is on its way to you.

If a notice never comes:

• No receipt more than 30 days after you mailed your packet: USCIS says to contact it. Use e-Request or call the Contact Center.
• Case Status Online says a notice was sent more than 14 days ago, but you do not have it: send a case inquiry on e-Request and choose "did not receive notice by mail". If you do not know your receipt number, call the Contact Center.
• Your card was mailed but did not come: follow the USPS Find Missing Mail steps first. Then contact USCIS or use e-Request ("did not receive card by mail"). You may have to file a new form to get the card sent again, so act quickly.

Who can help?

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:

• 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): (650) 587-1558, consultations by appointment
• Catholic Charities (San Mateo County): (650) 295-2160
• San Mateo County Immigrant Services: (650) 363-4194, immigrantservices@smcgov.org

Elsewhere:

• 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.
• USCIS Contact Center: 800-375-5283, TTY 800-767-1833, for questions about your own case.

The wait is real, and so is the way through it. Keep your papers close and take it one week at a time.

Is there a checklist I can print?