How to Replace a Lost, Stolen or Damaged Employment Authorization Document

When do you need to file Form I-765 for a replacement EAD?

USCIS defines a replacement Employment Authorization Document as an EAD issued to an eligible applicant when a previously issued card was lost, stolen, damaged or contains errors. The correct procedure depends on what happened to the card and, for an incorrect card, who caused the error.

If your previously issued EAD was lost, stolen or damaged and has not expired, USCIS instructions require a new Form I-765 for a replacement. On Form I-765, select the option for replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged employment authorization document, or correction of an EAD not due to USCIS error.

This procedure concerns an EAD, not a Permanent Resident Card. If you are a lawful permanent resident replacing or renewing a Green Card, use the separate Helpydo guide to replace or renew a Green Card with Form I-90.

Is replacing an EAD the same as renewing it?

No. USCIS distinguishes a replacement EAD from a renewal EAD. A replacement addresses a previously issued card that was lost, stolen, damaged or contains an error. A renewal requests continued employment authorization under the same eligibility category after the previous authorization expires.

If the card is approaching expiration and you also need continued employment authorization, review the rules for your specific eligibility category rather than assuming a replacement filing extends your authorization.

What evidence should you submit with Form I-765?

USCIS requires the evidence listed in the Form I-765 instructions plus any additional evidence required for your specific eligibility category. The general instructions include applicable identity and immigration documentation and information about your previously issued EAD.

USCIS instructions generally require:

• a copy of an applicable Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, passport or other travel document, subject to category-specific exceptions;
• a copy of your last EAD, front and back, when applicable and available;
• the additional evidence required for your particular Form I-765 eligibility category; and
• the passport-style photographs required by the current Form I-765 instructions.

If your original EAD was lost or stolen and you retained a photocopy or digital copy, use that copy when the instructions call for the previous EAD. Always follow the current instructions for your exact eligibility category because USCIS imposes additional evidence requirements for many categories.

How much does it cost to replace an EAD?

There is no single fee that applies to every replacement EAD applicant. USCIS Form G-1055 currently lists the general Form I-765 fee as $520 for paper filing and $470 for an eligible online filing, but the fee schedule contains multiple category-specific exemptions and other rules.

For example, the current fee schedule provides a $0 replacement fee for an unexpired EAD that was lost, stolen or damaged for several specified categories, including certain refugees, people paroled as refugees, citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau, people granted withholding of deportation or removal, certain trafficking and U nonimmigrants, and other categories identified in Form G-1055. Separate fee rules also apply to certain applicants with a pending Form I-485.

Always check the current Form G-1055 entry for your exact Form I-765 category before paying. Sending the general fee without checking your category can result in an incorrect payment.

What if USCIS made the error on your EAD?

If the EAD contains incorrect information because of a USCIS error, the normal paid replacement process does not apply. USCIS states that you do not need to file a new Form I-765 or pay a filing fee solely to correct an error attributable to USCIS.

USCIS provides a Typographic Error service request for documents or cards containing an agency error. Its Form I-765 instructions also direct applicants to submit a letter explaining the error together with the card containing the error to the service center or National Benefits Center that approved the last Form I-765, following USCIS's current document-correction instructions.

Do not discard the incorrect card. USCIS's correction procedure can require the card containing the error to be returned.

What if the incorrect information was not a USCIS error?

If the card contains incorrect information that is not attributable to USCIS, such as information that must be changed because of information provided by the applicant or a later change, USCIS treats the request differently. The Form I-765 instructions require a new Form I-765 for a replacement, and the card containing the incorrect information must be included as directed by USCIS.

A filing fee may apply, depending on your eligibility category and filing history. Check the current Form G-1055 fee schedule before submitting the replacement.

What if USCIS mailed the EAD but you never received it?

A card that USCIS produced and mailed but that never arrived is not automatically the same situation as losing a card after receiving it. USCIS has a specific Did Not Receive Card by Mail inquiry for a card that was mailed to your address of record but was not received.

USCIS's current fee schedule also provides a $0 Form I-765 replacement when USCIS issued the previous card but it was never received because of USPS error or USCIS error. Before filing and paying for an ordinary lost-card replacement, determine whether your situation is actually card non-delivery.

Can you replace an EAD online?

Not every Form I-765 eligibility category can use the same filing method. USCIS supports online Form I-765 filing for authorized categories, and its current fee schedule distinguishes between eligible online filings and paper filings. Do not assume that your replacement category can be filed online.

Check USCIS's current Form I-765 filing instructions for your eligibility category. If your category is not authorized for online filing, use the applicable paper filing procedure and current USCIS filing address.

How long does USCIS take to issue a replacement EAD?

USCIS does not publish one processing-time figure that applies to every replacement EAD. Form I-765 processing varies by eligibility category and case circumstances. USCIS's processing-times system requires users to select the applicable form category and processing information.

Historical national medians should not be treated as a promise for an individual replacement case. Use the current USCIS Case Processing Times tool and your receipt information to evaluate your case after filing.

What happens after you submit the replacement request?

USCIS issues a receipt for an accepted Form I-765 filing and adjudicates the application under the applicable employment-authorization category. USCIS may request additional evidence if needed. If the application is approved, USCIS issues the EAD and generally mails the card to the address of record, although USCIS may require pickup in some cases.

Keep your mailing address current with USCIS while the application is pending. If you move, follow the USCIS change-of-address rules; Helpydo has a separate guide explaining how to report a change of address to USCIS.

Common replacement EAD mistakes to avoid

• Do not use Form I-90 to replace an EAD. Form I-90 is for a Permanent Resident Card, not an Employment Authorization Document.
• Do not confuse a replacement with a renewal. A replacement does not automatically solve an approaching expiration date.
• Do not assume the general $520 paper or $470 online Form I-765 fee applies to your category; check Form G-1055 first.
• Do not pay for an ordinary replacement if the incorrect information was caused by USCIS without first following the agency's no-fee correction procedure.
• Do not treat a card that USCIS mailed but you never received as automatically equivalent to a card you received and later lost. USCIS provides a non-delivery inquiry process.
• Do not file online unless USCIS currently permits online Form I-765 filing for your eligibility category.
• Do not omit category-specific evidence simply because USCIS previously approved an EAD. A replacement Form I-765 remains subject to the applicable filing instructions.