How long does the work permit (I-765) take in 2026?
How long the I-765 work permit takes according to the official USCIS median by category (asylum, adjustment, DACA and others) and what delays your EAD.
Source: USCIS quarterly report — accessed Oct 19, 2026
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I-765 median processing time
| Period | Category | Median (months) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 Q3 | Asylum | 0.8 |
| FY2026 Q3 | Adjustment Of Status | 6.4 |
| FY2026 Q3 | DACA | 4.1 |
| FY2026 Q3 | All Other | 3.3 |
I-765 key facts
- Under a Sept. 14, 2026 court order, USCIS continues to accept the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition. (Source)
- On Oct. 7, 2026, USCIS changed the paper filing location for Form I-765 and accepts forms postmarked on or before Nov. 9, 2026, that are sent to a prior filing location. (Source)
- Under category (c)(8) you must wait 150 days after filing your I-589 before you can apply for an EAD, and USCIS cannot issue it until 180 days have passed in total. (Source)
- According to USCIS, after an I-765 is approved the EAD card should be produced within 2 weeks and is mailed by USPS Priority Mail. (Source)
- You can file Form I-765 online with a USCIS account or, if needed, on paper. (Source)
What actually moves the EAD clock
The work permit is not a single queue. The same Form I-765 is used by asylum applicants, people with a pending adjustment of status, DACA recipients and many other categories, and each group moves at its own pace. That is why the table above keeps the rows exactly as USCIS publishes them in its quarterly report. If you asked for the EAD together with your green card, the row that matters to you is adjustment of status; if your basis is a pending asylum application, look at the asylum row.
People applying on the basis of a pending asylum case also face a legal waiting period before they can file at all, described in the key facts. That wait runs separately from processing time and is worth calculating before you send anything, because an early filing gets rejected.
The form edition is another common source of delay. While the court order USCIS mentions on its page stays in place, only the edition it names is accepted; sending a different one can mean a rejection and starting over. The same goes for the mailing address, which changed this fall.
Once the case is approved, the card still has to be printed and delivered by mail. If you moved, update your address with USCIS before approval so the card does not get lost. And if your current permit is about to expire, read our guide on the automatic EAD extension and TPS to see which rules apply to your category today before you renew.
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Frequently asked questions
Why does the work permit time vary so much by category?
USCIS publishes a separate median for asylum-based, adjustment-based, DACA and all other I-765 filings, because each group follows its own review track. Use the row for your category, not the lowest one.
Does the time in the table include mailing the card?
No. The median runs from the day USCIS receives the form until it completes it. After approval the card still has to be produced and mailed.
What if my I-765 is taking longer than the median?
The median is the midpoint: half of the cases finish later. Check your status with your receipt number and, if your case falls outside your office's normal time, you can reach USCIS through its contact center.
Official sources
- USCIS — Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization → — accessed Oct 19, 2026
- USCIS — Immigration and Citizenship Data (quarterly reports) → — accessed Oct 19, 2026
- USCIS quarterly report (FY2026 Q3) → — accessed Oct 19, 2026
