The Employment Authorization Document (EAD) — the card that lets a non-citizen work in the U.S. — comes from Form I-765. Its fee is one of the most confusing in the system because it depends on why you are eligible to work. Here is the 2026 breakdown.
Informational only — not legal advice. Fees change; confirm the current I-765 fee on USCIS.gov before filing.
The answer first
| Situation | I-765 fee (2026) |
|---|---|
| Standard, online | $470 |
| Standard, paper | $520 |
| Filed with a pending I-485 green-card application | $260 |
| Initial EAD for asylum / parole / TPS (H.R. 1) | $560 |
| Renewal EAD for parole / TPS (H.R. 1) | $280 |
| Renewal EAD for asylum applicant (H.R. 1) | $275 |
The fee you pay is driven by your eligibility category, the code you enter in the form (for example (c)(8) for asylum applicants or (c)(9) for adjustment applicants).
The standard fee — and the green-card discount
For most categories, the I-765 costs $470 online or $520 on paper. The single biggest discount: when you file the work permit with a pending green-card application (Form I-485), the fee drops to $260. This is why a marriage-based adjustment-of-status bundle is cheaper than the forms would suggest at full price.
The H.R. 1 fees for asylum, parole and TPS
This is the major 2025–2026 change. Historically, the work permit tied to a pending asylum case was free. Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1) ended that. Now:
- An initial EAD for an asylum applicant, parolee or TPS holder costs $560.
- A renewal/extension costs $280 (parole and TPS) or $275 (asylum applicants).
- These amounts are adjusted for inflation each fiscal year and cannot be waived with Form I-912.
If you are a TPS holder, the work permit is on top of the Form I-821 TPS registration fee ($510 for FY2026). If you have DACA, the I-765 ($470/$520) is filed together with Form I-821D ($85), and DACA has no fee waiver.
Premium processing for the I-765
Some I-765 categories can request premium processing with Form I-907 for faster adjudication. As of March 1, 2026 that fee is $1,780. Premium processing only speeds up the decision; it does not change eligibility or the underlying I-765 fee.
How to be sure of your fee
Because the right fee depends on your category code, USCIS provides an official fee calculator. Our I-765 form page summarizes the categories, and the USCIS fee calculator on this site lets you add the I-765 into a bundle to see a total.
Sources and accuracy
The standard I-765 fee is from the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055); the asylum/parole/TPS amounts are from the Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1) fee notices in effect for FY2026. Current as of June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm your category’s fee on USCIS.gov and consult a licensed immigration attorney. See our methodology.