What happened: On January 17th, 2025 the 5th Circuit Court once again ruled against DACA, but kept renewals open–for now. This ruling is part of ongoing, deliberate attacks to undermine immigrant communities, limit opportunities, and enable mass deportation.
Eligibility. If you are currently a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient and are married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder, you may be eligible for a marriage-based green card of your own. This guide can help you understand your options, based on the most common situations.
Total DACA Processing Time USCIS has a stated goal to processing DACA applications within 120 days. Real processing times have been much longer, but the Biden administration appears to be making some improvements.
You should be aware that you can work as long as your EAD card remains valid. In other words, you can work until the expiration date of your DACA status. You can get your EAD card extended if you successfully renew your DACA status.
In most cases, renewing your DACA status online is faster and easier than filing by mail. There are some exceptions, however.
Approximately 8 to 20 Weeks After Filing If you also submitted Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, USCIS is currently issuing an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in approximately 8 weeks. Many people call it a work permit.
DACA renewals can now be filed online. Current DACA recipients must first create a USCIS online account in order to file Forms I-821D (DACA) and I-765 (Work permit) online. The online account provides a quick and easy method of submitting forms, paying fees, and tracking the status of USCIS applications.
For now, the Fifth Circuit kept the district court's stay in place, which means that current DACA recipients can continue to benefit from DACA and renew their grants of DACA and work authorization while the case continues, but first-time applications are still not being processed.
As of April 12, 2022 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals can now be filed online. Renewing your DACA by yourself can seem like a daunting task.
Total DACA Processing Time USCIS has a stated goal to processing DACA applications within 120 days.