My DACA expires in the next few months
Renew on time and keep working while you wait.
6 steps
Step 1 of 6: Check your dates
See the filing window USCIS recommends for your expiration date.
Step 2 of 6: Gather your papers and fill the forms
A renewal is three forms that go together. Use the checklist so nothing is missing.
- Fill out the DACA formsA DACA request is three forms that go together: Form I-821D, Form I-765 and the I-765WS worksheet. Use the current editions, fill in every required field, write (c)(33) as your work permit category, and sign each form by hand. Most rejections come from small mistakes, so check twice.Quick answer
- DACA ChecklistYou can't control the courts. You can control your next ten steps. This checklist covers what protects you most right now, with DACA uncertain, from your renewal date to your family plan. Work through it this week.Guide
- Before you mail itPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 3 of 6: Plan the fee
Know the cost, and look for help if the fee is a problem.
- DACA renewal costA DACA renewal costs $555 if you file online and $605 if you file on paper. There is no fee waiver, so plan for the full amount.Quick answer
- Help with the DACA feeYes. If you live in California, you can get a 0% interest loan for the $555 online fee from Mission Asset Fund. There is no USCIS fee waiver for DACA, and the old California fee program ended in 2023, so plan early and ask local clinics about any help they have this year.Quick answer
Step 4 of 6: File online or by mail
Pick one way to file.
Do one of these:
- DACA Renew OnlineHad DACA before? Renew from your phone or computer with a free USCIS online account. It costs $50 less than paper, you get your receipt right away, and you answer USCIS from the same account. Here's how, step by step.Guide
- DACA Renew by MailYes, you can still renew DACA on paper. It's three forms, two payment slips and a few copies, mailed together to one address. Small mistakes get packets sent back. Here's exactly what goes in, in what order, and where to send it.Guide
Step 5 of 6: While you wait
Plan for a slow decision, and know your options if your card ends first.
- DACA WaitRenewals are slow right now, and your DACA work permit is not extended while you wait. Plan for it. Here is the latest wait time we can confirm, how to check your case, what notices to expect, and how to get ready for a gap in work.Guide
- DACA Speed UpA slow renewal is stressful. You can ask for help, and it costs nothing. Ask USCIS to expedite it, ask about a case past the normal wait, or ask your member of Congress to check on it. Here is what each one needs and how to ask.Guide
- DACA Work Permit and Your JobYour job is safe while your work permit is valid. The day it ends, your employer must see a new one, or you must stop working for now. That is hard, but it is often a pause, not the end. Here is what your employer can and cannot do, and how to protect your place.Guide
- While you wait for your DACA renewalPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 6 of 6: Get help from a person
You do not have to do this alone. Ask about cost, languages and current openings before you share documents.
- California state-funded immigration legal servicesThe California Department of Social Services funds nonprofit organizations to give free immigration legal services to people who live or have lived in California. Services include DACA, naturalization, other immigration applications, removal defense and help for unaccompanied minors.Organization
- CHIRLALos Angeles-based immigrant rights group with low-cost immigration legal services (DACA, citizenship, family petitions, deportation defense). Lines on its site: Immigrant Assistance Referral Line 888-624-4752, Legal Assistance 213-201-3797, and the EMPLEO National Wage Theft Hotline 877-552-9832.Organization
- Mission Asset FundInformation about immigration programs and financing for some application fees.Organization
This page puts DNLH guides in a useful order. It is general information, not legal advice. Each guide shows its sources and the date its facts were checked.
Not quite your situation?
All situations- My DACA already expired, or my renewal is lateFile now, push a slow case and protect your income.5 steps
- I have never had DACAWhat a first request means right now, and other options to ask about.5 steps
- I want to travel outside the U.S. with DACAUnderstand the risk, get legal advice, then apply.5 steps
- I cannot afford the DACA feeLoans, grants and free filing help.4 steps