Current DACA Updates
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR DACA RENEWALS: Starting October 28, 2025, USCIS will no longer accept paper-based forms of payment. If you submit a DACA renewal with paper checks or money orders, and it arrives at USCIS on or after October 28, 2025, it will likely be rejected.
Starting October 28, 2025, USCIS will only accept payment via Credit Card (Form 1450) or ACH Transaction (Form G-1650).
As of April 1, 2024, the fee for filing a DACA renewal application consists of:
- $85 Fee for I-821D + $470 Fee for I-765 (if online filing) = $555
- $85 Fee for I-821D + $520 Fee for I-765 (if paper filing) = $605
- As of October 2025, USCIS no longer accepts payment via paper check or money order. The fee must be paid using Form G-1450 if paying by credit card or Form G-1650 if paying by ACH transaction.
- You must submit two separate copies of the Payment Form you chose: one for the I-821D fee, and one for the I-765 fee.
Updated Advisory Regarding Status of DACA Program - 06.05.2026
As we honor the resilience, leadership, and contributions of DACA recipients, we also encourage community members to stay informed and seek trusted legal advice.
Access the advisory
Accede a nuestro aviso
On September 29, 2025, parties in the Texas v. United States case submitted briefs in response to a July 2025 court order. The briefs are proposals by the parties as to how to move forward with the 5th Circuit’s decision. At this point, nothing has changed, and we must wait for Judge Hanen’s decision following the briefing period.
On January 17, 2025, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court ruling finding the DACA program unlawful, but maintained the district court's stay for current DACA recipients. The Court of Appeals clarified that protection from deportation for DACA recipients is legal, but work authorization is not a lawful part of DACA. The Court of Appeals also limited this decision to the state of Texas.
The case was sent back to the federal district court where the judge is expected to implement these changes for Texas. Until the judge moves forward, the previous stay, which allowed DACA renewals to continue, but barred any new DACA applications, remains in place.
The important takeaway is that if you have current DACA status, your DACA status remains valid, and you can continue to work and renew your status while anticipated legal processes play out. If you previously had DACA status and your status expired less than one year ago, you also remain eligible to apply for renewal. If you let your DACA status expire past the one-year grace period, you will not be able to renew your DACA at this time. Advance Parole (permission to travel abroad) continues to be available for current DACA recipients for educational, employment and humanitarian reasons.
All DACA recipients are encouraged to seek legal and/or financial assistance as necessary to keep their DACA status current as legal processes continue to play out. NWIRP offers free monthly clinics to assist Washington State residents with their renewals. You can obtain more information about our clinics and register by visiting our DACA Portal at https://nwirp.org/daca/clinics/
Prior Critical DACA Updates
On January 17, 2025, The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court ruling finding the DACA program unlawful, but once again maintained the district court's stay for current DACA recipients.
On September 13, 2023, federal district court Judge Andrew Hanen issued yet another decision in Texas v. U.S., this time ruling that the 2022 DACA rule, like the 2012 DACA memo, is unlawful, but stayed the existing protections for current DACA recipients. In other words, there is no immediate change to the DACA program.
October 31, 2022: The final DACA rule went into effect, establishing formal DACA regulations. The new DACA rule is subject to the ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, meaning that existing protections for current DACA recipients remain in place. In other words, if you have DACA status (or your DACA status has been expired for less than one year) you can continue to renew your DACA.
On October 5, 2022, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the July 2021 decision of the federal district court in Texas (Texas v. U.S.) ruling that the DACA program is unlawful, but stayed the existing protections for current DACA recipients and remanded the case back to the district court to review the final DACA rule that was published in August 2022.
On July 27, 2021, USCIS guidance, which clarifies how the agency will implement the court’s decision, was updated. Of note:
USCIS will only make decisions on Renewal DACA applications. USCIS has concluded that this means only renewals filed where the application was either:
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1. filed by an individual with current DACA status; or
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2. filed by an individual whose DACA status expired less than a year ago.
If your DACA status expired more than a year ago, USCIS considers your application a Renewal as Initial and will treat the application as subject to the permanent injunction. In other words, USCIS will not make decisions on Renewal as Initial applications while it waits until court processes play out.
If your DACA status expired more than a year ago, USCIS considers your application a Renewal as Initial and will treat the application as subject to the permanent injunction. In other words, USCIS will not make decisions on Renewal as Initial applications while it waits until court processes play out.
On July 16, 2021, federal district court Judge Andrew Hanen issued his decision in Texas v. U.S.. The case had been brought by Texas and a number of other states challenging the validity of the DACA program. The district court ruled that the DACA program is unlawful, but put part of its decision on hold. The important message from this ruling is that if you have current DACA status, your DACA status remains valid, and you can continue to work and to renew your status while anticipated legal processes play out. For people eligible for DACA but who have not already been approved under the program, the court’s decision prohibits DHS from approving any new DACA applications.
On July 17, 2021, President Biden issued a statement that the “Department of Justice intends to appeal this decision in order to preserve and fortify DACA,” and called on Congress to act.
If your DACA status expired more than a year ago, USCIS considers your application a Renewal as Initial and will treat the application as subject to the permanent injunction. In other words, USCIS will not make decisions on Renewal as Initial applications while it waits until court processes play out.
If you had an Initial application or a Renewal as Initial application pending on July 16, 2021, USCIS will not
make a decision on your application. These applications will remain pending, and USCIS will not refund fees.
On September 10, 2021, the Biden Administration filed a Notice of Appeal in the Texas II litigation. The
case is currently before the Fifth Circuit.
On September 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security officially published its proposed rule for DACA. The 60-day public comment period ended on November 29, 2021. DHS received over 9,000 comments. If finalized as proposed, the rule would codify DACA with the same eligibility guidelines as in the 2012 DACA program along with a few notable changes, including modifying the existing filing process and fees for DACA.
NWIRP submitted comments to the proposed rule, which you can read here.
Additional Information and Resources
Completing Your DACA Application
NWIRP’s Free Monthly DACA Renewal Clinics: NWIRP offers free monthly DACA renewal clinics to assist clients seeking to renew their DACA status. To secure a spot in one of our DACA renewal clinics, please select the “Register for a DACA Renewal Clinic” tab above or call the DREAMLine (855-313-7326) from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.
We HIGHLY encourage you to secure registration for a DACA Renewal Clinic at least six months before the expiration date on your EAD (Employment Authorization Document/work permit) to minimize the risk of a lapse in your DACA status.
Please note that NWIRP is not assisting with Initial DACA applications nor Renewals as Initials (for those whose status expired more than one year ago) at this time.
Real ID
The Real ID Act went into effect on May 7, 2025. Starting on this date, anyone traveling by airplane must use a REAL ID-compliant document. You can see the list of documents that meet REAL ID standards here.
If you are a DACA recipient and your DACA status is active, you can use your work permit (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)) as a valid identification option for REAL ID purposes.
If you have a criminal history or your work permit has expired, we encourage you to consult with an attorney before traveling by airplane.
Scholarships for Renewing DACA
Financial Aid for DACA Applicants Pursuing College Education
Questions About Crimes and DACA
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created this
chart to help individuals understand the criminal bars to deferred action.
DACA Frequently Asked Questions
Will NWIRP be assisting people who want to file initial DACA applications or who need to
Renew as Initials?
At this time, NWIRP is only assisting people with DACA Renewals.
NWIRP encourages all individuals to speak with a legal representative before submitting any immigration
application, especially if you have had any contact with police or immigration officials, or have left the
United States since your last DACA was approved. We also recommend that you speak with an attorney or accredited
representative in order to explore whether you may qualify for an immigration benefit that has a path to
citizenship.
What if I already have DACA and want to apply for Advance Parole? Will NWIRP be able to help?
At this time, NWIRP is not assisting with applications for Advance Parole.
If you are a current DACA recipient and wish to travel on Advance Parole, that option is still available to you. However, NWIRP urges DACA recipients who are considering international travel to first speak with an attorney or accredited representative. The landscape of DACA is changing fast, and we cannot guarantee that Advance Parole will remain a viable or safe option in the future.
I filled out my DACA renewal application myself, can NWIRP review my application before I submit it?
Yes, we can assist you through one of our virtual or in person DACA renewal clinics. To sign up for an appointment, please click the “Register for a DACA Renewal Clinic” link above, or call our DREAMLine (855-313-7326) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Can NWIRP help me if I live outside of Washington State?
No, NWIRP is only able to assist Washington residents. If you live outside of Washington State, please click this link to search for nonprofit organizations in your area
that may be able to help you.
You can also find a list of private attorneys in your area by searching the website of the American Immigration
Lawyers Association, which you can find by clicking here.
Where can I find an immigration attorney?
If you are seeking a list of service providers, please click this link to search for other nonprofit organizations that may
be able to help you.
You can find a list of private attorneys who may be able to assist you by searching the website of the American
Immigration Lawyers Association, which you can find by clicking here.
How can I check the status of my DACA application?
After submitting your DACA renewal application, you should receive two receipt notices, one for your Form I-821D (DACA application) and one for your Form I-765 (employment authorization application).Each receipt notice will have a receipt number. Please note that it can take USCIS several weeks to mail you a receipt notice.
You can use the receipt number on your Receipt Notice (Form I-797C) to monitor your case’s status by using USCIS’s online “My Case Status” tool, located at https://egov.uscis.gov/.
You will need to enter the receipt number from either the I-821D or I-765 receipt notice, which is generally located on the top left of your receipt notice.
How long is USCIS taking to process DACA applications?
USCIS aims to process DACA renewal requests within 120 days. However, as of June 2026, we are seeing significant delays in processing times.
You can use the USCIS https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ to determine if enough time has passed so that you can request an update on your case. Enter Form: I-821D, Form Category: Renewal, and Field Office or Service Center: Service Center Operations (SCOPS), then click “Get processing time.”
The website will show you how long it is taking for 80% of cases to be completed.. Scroll down and enter your receipt date, which is located on your receipt notice. Select “Get Inquiry Date”, and the system will let you know if you are able to submit a Service Request at this time.
I need to change my address with USCIS. Where do I do that?
If you move, USCIS requires that you update your address directly with USCIS using form AR-11. Please visit this
website for instructions and the form you need to complete: https://www.uscis.gov/ar-11
What should I do if I lose my work permit / EAD (Employment Authorization Document) or if it was stolen?
Please visit USCIS’s website for instructions on how to replace a lost or stolen EAD by following this link. Note that you may have to pay a filing fee. Depending on your individual situation you may be able to wait until it is time to renew your DACA status to receive a new work permit/EAD or you may have to file for a replacement work permit/EAD.
If you would like to discuss your options, you can contact us through our DREAMLine (855-313-7326) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or the DACA email dacaintake@nwirp.org.
My work permit/ EAD (Employment Authorization Document) has expired. Can I continue to work?
We encourage individuals to timely renew their DACA status (and therefore their work permits) to minimize the risk of a lapse in their DACA status. If your work permit has expired, we encourage you to register for one of our virtual DACA renewal clinics to renew your status. Please click the “Register for a DACA Renewal Clinic” link above, or call our DREAMLine (855-313-7326) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or send us an email at dacaintake@nwirp.org if you would like to renew through one of our clinics.
That said, you do not have an affirmative duty to tell your employer that your DACA status has been terminated or rescinded, or that your work authorization has expired or will expire. Once your work permit expires, your employer has an obligation to ask to see your new work permit.It is your responsibility to be truthful in answering an employer’s direct questions, and to never misrepresent your status.
Working without authorization may affect your ability to adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident in the future, depending on what category you’re seeking to adjust under. The most common path that we see for DACA recipients is through a family based petition (e.g. you marry a US citizen). In those cases, having worked without authorization won’t generally affect your ability to adjust status.
Please keep in mind that after your work permit expires, you will no longer be authorized to work.. That means that your employer may terminate your employment at any time.
If my work permit expires, does my social security number also expire?
No. The Social Security Number (SSN) that the Social Security Administration assigns to you is your number for
life. Please keep in mind that your SSN is limited for work authorization purposes only when it is tied to your
work permit.