DACA

DACA Processing Times: How Long Does It Take USCIS To Process DACA Applications?

Written by ImmigrationHelp Team.
Updated December 11, 2023

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protects eligible undocumented young people in the U.S. from deportation, but it does not confer legal status. DACA recipients are eligible to apply for work authorization, or a work permit, so they can legally work in the United States. DACA status is valid for two years. Recipients may reapply every two years to renew their status and work authorization. The DACA program is being challenged in federal court, so the U.S. government is accepting, but not currently processing, initial DACA applications. This article lists the current case processing times for the two main DACA forms — Form I-821D: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Form I-765: Application for Employment Authorization Document, as well as the accompanying worksheet Form I-765WS. It also lists the case processing times for the Advance Parole application Form I-130, which many DACA recipients file.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 26, 2023

Form I-765 is main official form you use to apply for a work permit. To receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), you need to file Form I-765 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This article explains what Form I-765 is and how it’s used. We'll also explain who can file the form, how to complete it, what supporting documents to include, and how much it costs.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 25, 2023

Nearly every foreign traveler to the United States has an I-94 travel record (also known as “Form I-94” or “I-94 Form”). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials issue an I-94 to foreign travelers entering the United States. CBP officials use the I-94 to track arrivals and departures of non-citizens visiting the United States. This article explains Form I-94 in-depth, including how it is used, how to access yours, and answers to some frequently asked questions.‍

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 25, 2023

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) requires a biometrics appointment as part of many applications for immigration benefits. This is sometimes called the "fingerprint appointment." At the appointment, the U.S. government will take your fingerprints, pictures, and signature. These are used to run a background check and for identification purposes. Usually, USCIS will schedule a date and time for the biometrics appointment for you, but sometimes you have to schedule it yourself. If you have a conflict, you can attend your scheduled biometrics appointment early or reschedule it for a later, more convenient time. But it’s best to attend at the scheduled time whenever possible.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated April 6, 2023

If you are applying to renew your DACA status, there are some reasons that USCIS might reject your application. Common reasons include failing to reply to requests for evidence (RFEs) or experiencing changes since your last application that make you no longer eligible for DACA. This article will walk you through eight reasons USCIS might deny your DACA renewal application and what you can do about each.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated March 21, 2023

Despite recent challenges to the DACA program, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is accepting and processing DACA renewal requests in 2023. To apply for a DACA renewal, gather your previous DACA forms, complete the three required USCIS forms, get your filing fee ready, and submit your packet. If you are a current DACA recipient, you can renew your DACA status and work permit with USCIS online or by mail. Renewing your DACA status and work permit costs $495. As of March 2023, the processing time for DACA renewals is 3–18 months.

How To Write a Declaration in Support of Your Advance Parole (I-131) Application + Sample Letter

Written by Paige Hooper.
Written February 23, 2023

Even if you have legal immigration status, you may not be able to travel freely outside the United States and re-enter legally. To travel from and be allowed to return to the U.S., some people need to apply for advance parole from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You can travel for humanitarian, educational, or employment purposes, and part of the application process includes providing evidence for the purpose of your trip. One way to provide this evidence is to write a declaration in support letter explaining why USCIS should grant your Advance Parole request.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated February 23, 2023

When U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines that it needs extra information to make a decision on your immigration case, it will send you a request for evidence, also called an RFE. USCIS will send it to the mailing address you listed on your application. In this article, we will explain what a USCIS request for evidence is, how to avoid RFEs, and how to respond to a USCIS RFE if you receive one.

How To Write an Advance Parole Cover Letter

Written by Paige Hooper.
Written February 19, 2023

Depending on your immigration status, you may need to apply for advance parole before traveling outside the United States. The advance parole application is relatively straightforward, but you’ll need to provide official forms as well as evidence when you submit it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To help keep your application organized, you can add a cover letter to your advance parole application packet. In this guide, you’ll learn more about how the cover letter fits in with the rest of the application documents and the best way to write a cover letter for your advance parole application.

What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Transferred” Mean for My DACA Application?

Written by Amy Lane Carst.
Written February 2, 2023

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) case status “Case Was Transferred And A New Office Has Jurisdiction” means that USCIS moved your case to a different service center or field office. The new office will continue processing your case from there. USCIS may choose to transfer your DACA case for several reasons, including staffing shortages or processing delays. Cases may also be transferred if you, the applicant, move and are now in a new jurisdiction. If USCIS transfers your case, it will notify you via your online account and mail you a transfer notice. You don’t need to do anything, but take note that any future additional documentation for your case and any questions you have about your case will need to be directed to the new office.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated January 17, 2023

If you would like to track your immigration application as it moves along the immigration process or if you are wondering how to check if your application's processing is outside the expected processing timeframes, we've got you covered! This article will explore how to check your application case status - both with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the National Visa Center (NVC) - and what to do if your application processing falls outside the normal processing time.

What Does the USCIS Case Status “Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent” Mean for My DACA Application?

Written by Amy Lane Carst.
Written January 16, 2023

If you log in to your U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) account online and see the case status “Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent,” it means that USCIS needs more information from you to process your case and ensure you’re eligible for DACA status. USCIS will mail a Form I-797E: Notice of Action that outlines exactly what additional evidence is needed and why. The notice will also include a deadline for submitting the requested information. It’s important to submit the requested information before the deadline to ensure USCIS continues processing your application without too much delay.

What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Was Denied” Mean for My DACA Application?

Written by Amy Lane Carst.
Written December 15, 2022

If you see “Case Was Denied” as your USCIS case status online, it means that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received and reviewed your DACA application and decided not to grant you DACA status. If USCIS denies your DACA renewal case, it will send you a denial notice explaining why. It can be disheartening to go through months of processing for DACA status only to have your case denied. If this happens, you may want to get legal advice about the next steps.

What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Was Received” Mean for My DACA Application?

Written by Amy Lane Carst.
Written December 14, 2022

When you see the case status “Case Was Received” from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it means USCIS is acknowledging that it received your immigration application packet. This is just the start of USCIS processing your application. It hasn’t yet reviewed your application materials or determined your eligibility. Once you see this status, you’ll want to keep an eye on future status changes and respond to anything that requires your attention, such as a request for evidence. This article explains the “Case Received” USCIS status and what to do when your application is in this status.

What Does USCIS Case Status “Case Rejected” Mean for My DACA Application?

Written by Amy Lane Carst.
Written December 14, 2022

The USCIS case status “Case Rejected” means that you didn’t file your DACA renewal paperwork correctly, so USCIS did not review your case. If USCIS rejects your case, it will return your original filing fee. To have your case reviewed, you’ll need to fix the issue that caused the rejection. Common issues that lead to rejection include filing the incorrect form version, paying an incorrect fee amount, and not signing a form.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated December 13, 2022

With DACA, you can access immigration benefits like work authorization and protection from deportation. In this article, we explainresources you can turn to when you need a bit more help to prepare your DACA application.

Written by ImmigrationHelp Team.
Written December 13, 2022

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has a complicated history, and its future is uncertain. Right now, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is accepting both initial DACA applications and renewals, but the agency is only processing renewals. Up until recently, DACA recipients had to renew their status by mail. USCIS now allows DACA recipients to file their renewal applications online.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 22, 2022

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program doesn’t yet provide a pathway to lawful permanent residence. But if you’re a DACA recipient and you fall in love with and marry a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to get a marriage green card. As a green card holder, you’ll have protection from deportation and long-term employment authorization, meaning you’ll never have to renew your work permit. Getting an immigrant visa is also the first step towards naturalization - the process of gaining U.S. citizenship. But to change your immigration status from DACA recipient to green card holder, you must satisfy certain eligibility requirements. Your green card eligibility will depend largely on how you entered the United States and if you’re married to a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. This article explains the different ways that DACA recipients can qualify for marriage green cards and how long the process takes.

What Is DACA, and How Do You Apply?

Written by ImmigrationHelp Team.
Updated November 22, 2022

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provides relief from deportation for eligible young immigrants who are documented and living in the United States. DACA recipients can get Social Security cards and work permits that they can renew every two years. This article explains all you need to know about the DACA program, including its history and purpose, who can apply for it, and how to apply if it's your first time or if you're renewing your status.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 22, 2022

Getting status and other U.S. immigration benefits may be out of reach for people with criminal records. If you have ever committed a felony, for example, you can't get immigration benefits. Advance Parole is a travel permit available to special immigrants and those adjusting status to green cards. For example, if you have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, you can travel abroad and return with Advance Parole. This article explains how you can qualify for Advance Parole and whether or not a criminal record can keep you from getting Advance Parole.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 22, 2022

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provides protection from deportation for many young undocumented immigrants. When you're applying for DACA, you'll submit three main forms together with your supporting evidence to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In addition to the official DACA application Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, you'll have to file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and Form I-765WS, the worksheet explaining why you need a work permit. This article will focus on the shortest out of the three forms—Form I-765WS. You'll learn what Form I-765WS is and why you need it, as well as how to complete the different parts of the form.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 15, 2022

Every application for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) must have both the official application forms and supporting evidence to back your case. One of the most important pieces of evidence you must submit with your application is a proof of identity document (ID). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes DACA applications, and they have requirements for what ID you can submit with your new DACA or DACA renewal application. This article explains what an acceptable ID is for DACA and how to get one for your application.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 1, 2022

Advance Parole is a travel permit available to certain groups of immigrants to travel abroad and return to the United States without negatively impacting or abandoning their U.S. immigration statuses. With President Biden's executive order to reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program after the Trump administration halted new applications, many more people can get DACA and, by extension, Advance Parole. Adjustment of status applicants, as well as DACA status and other Temporary Protected Status (TPS) immigrants, can get Advance Parole for humanitarian, educational, or employment purposes. This article explains how to apply for Advance Parole based on humanitarian reasons.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 1, 2022

For green card applicants based in the United States and people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, Advance Parole is a welcome provision. With this travel document, you can leave the United States while in DACA status or while U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes your green card application. Advance Parole provides a chance to visit ailing family, study abroad, attend forums and conferences abroad, and catch up with friends. But sometimes the U.S. government does not allow people with valid Advance Parole documents to reenter the United States. This article explains some reasons why the U.S. government would refuse to let you back into the country even with Advance Parole and some things you can do if you find yourself in this situation as an adjustment of status applicant or a DACA recipient.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated October 24, 2022

Many immigrants who come to the United States have moved around and changed addresses. Most U.S. immigration applications, including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application, ask for your address history as an applicant. This article explains what address information you need to fill out your DACA forms, how to find old address information, what happens if your address history is incomplete on your DACA forms, and what supporting documents should accompany your DACA application.

Weekly Immigration News Roundup: October 21, 2022 (Archive)

Written by ImmigrationHelp News Team.
Written October 20, 2022

This has been a busy week in immigration news, and thankfully some of it is positive. The United States government wants to fast-track applications for Afghan asylees who helped U.S. troops, a senior living facility explains why immigration is important to the country’s economy, and the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of four nonprofits who want the right to provide legal counsel to their immigrant detainee clients for free.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated October 19, 2022

Form I-821D is officially called the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It is the most important form to submit for Dreamers requesting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). This article explains Form I-821D, including who needs to file it, what the filing fees are, and what supporting documents you need to file with it.

Weekly News Roundup: October 14, 2022 (Archive)

Written by ImmigrationHelp News Team.
Written October 13, 2022

The fourth quarter brings with it an array of immigration news. A few things in this week's bulletin: changes in wait times for Mexican nationals applying for family-sponsored green cards, a legal challenge to visa retrogression laws, a timeline on what to expect from DACA as litigation continues, and why Anna “Delvey” Sorokin’s house arrest matters to immigration advocates.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated October 2, 2022

In 2012 President Obama passed an Executive Order that launched the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for millions of undocumented youth in the United States called Dreamers. DACA provides protection from deportation for eligible Dreamers, but it doesn't provide a pathway to long-term lawful permanent residence in the United States. Over the years, lawmakers have proposed many different laws to grant Dreamers a clear path to permanent residence and eventual citizenship, but none have passed yet. Still, it may be possible for some DACA recipients to get green cards and then naturalize as American citizens. This article explains the barriers to citizenship for DACA recipients and discusses the conditions under which some DACA recipients could get green cards and later naturalize.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated August 22, 2022

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)recipients sometimes have an urgent need to travel outside of the United States. If you're in DACA status, you can apply for permission to travel outside the U.S. using a process called “Advance Parole.” With an approved Advance Parole application, DACA recipients can travel outside the United States and return lawfully. If you get Advance parole, USCIS gives you a document to show to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) so that they let you re-enter the United States. This article explains what Advance Parole is, who is eligible to apply for it, and what the Advance Parole application process is like.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated August 15, 2022

If you’ve already been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you are eligible to renew your status every two years. You’ll need to fill out Form I-821D and submit it along with other required forms and fees to renew. It’s also recommended that you prepare a simple cover letter to include with your application as well. The cover letter allows the USCIS officer to see what’s included with your application at a glance. This article explains what a DACA renewal cover letter is and the elements it should include. It also includes a template you can use to write your own.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written May 30, 2022

Immigrants in the United States have been increasingly vulnerable to raids, detentions, and deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration agents. As a result, many faith groups and some neighborhoods, campuses, and offices have tried to find ways to advocate for and protect the immigrants in their communities. The practice of sanctuary is one way that faith groups and other communities are trying to protect immigrants from deportation. In this article, we'll explain what sanctuary is, and how it can be helpful to immigrants who are living in a place that is a sanctuary.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written May 30, 2022

President Obama created Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012. The DACA program protects certain young people who entered the country illegally from deportation. DACA beneficiaries can get a work permit, a Social Security Number (SSN), and apply for a driver’s license. But, many have contested the legality of the program over the past few years. Trump administration officials argued that the program did not comply with current immigration laws.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written May 26, 2022

It is generally difficult for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to get bank loans — but it's still possible. Many banks and lenders will consider you a high-risk individual because of your status. Many banks consider DACA to be temporary and not guaranteed because DACA is easily affected by U.S. immigration law. However, DACA recipients can borrow from other lenders. You can get personal loans, student loans, and home loans from banks and other lenders. This article explains how to get personal loans, student loans, and home loans as a DACA recipient.

Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written May 26, 2022

For Deferred Action and Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and adjustment of status applicants, the U.S. government makes provision for a travel document called Advance Parole. Advance Parole allows immigrants based in the United States to travel abroad while in status or while waiting for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to process their paperwork. If you have DACA or are applying for adjustment of status, your approved Advance Parole document will serve the same purpose as a U.S. visa, allowing re-entry to the United States upon returning. In this article, we explain Advance Parole, how to get it, and highlight some of the risks involved in traveling back to the United States on Advance Parole.