The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that individuals who previously received deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) can now file their renewal forms online.
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“The expansion of online filing is a priority for USCIS as we make our operations more efficient and effective for the agency and our stakeholders, applicants, petitioners, and requestors,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “The option to file DACA renewal requests online is part of USCIS’ ongoing move to minimize reliance on paper records and further transition to an electronic environment.”
Here’s how to file:
- A DACA requestor must first create a USCIS online account.
- There is no cost to set up an account, which offers a variety of features, including the ability to communicate with USCIS through a secure inbox and respond online to Requests for Evidence.
- There are several online forms available. DACA requestors must fill out: Form I-821D and Form I-765.
Online Option Only for Renewals
As of now, the option to file online is only available for individuals who have previously been granted DACA. These individuals must also file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, which is available for online filing, as well as the Form I-765 Worksheet, which is required as evidence in support of the filing for DACA.
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Filing Tips for Form I-821D
Complete all sections of the form. The application will be rejected if these fields are missing:
- Initial Request or Renewal Request
- The expiration date of the most recent period of DACA (renewals only)
- Family Name
- US Mailing Address
- Alien Registration Number (renewals only)
- Date of Birth
- Criminal, National Security, and Public Safety Information (for initial and renewal requests)
- Questions 1 – 7 must be marked “Yes” or “No”
- Remember to sign the form.
The filing fee is $495. Forms will still be accepted through the US postal service. Click here to find the address for your state.
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Araceli Cruz is a Multimedia Producer for Copper Courier. Her stories have been published in The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, Mic, The Cut, Zora, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, and others.
