Which category do I use?
Your category code goes in Question 27, and it decides everything else. A pending asylum application in Form I-589 uses (c)(8); a pending Form I-485 uses (c)(9). A person already granted asylum uses (a)(5), and someone granted withholding uses (a)(10). Pending cancellation of removal in court uses (c)(10), and parole uses (c)(11). An asylee or refugee with a pending I-485 stays in (a)(5) or (a)(3), not (c)(9). Filing alone gives no right to work. The wrong code can cost you the fee and months, so match your documents, such as your receipt notice or the judge's order, to the instructions' eligibility section first. U and T applicants need their own check: an approved U-1 in the United States, or a T applicant who requested a card on Form I-914, files no I-765, but renewals, replacements, U-1s arriving from abroad and notices to apply do.
How much will I pay?
The general fee is $520 on paper or $470 online. With an I-485 filed on or after April 1, 2024 and still pending, you pay $260. A paid I-485 filed from July 30, 2007 and before April 1, 2024 means $0. An initial (c)(8) asylum request costs $0 plus a separate $570 fee. A renewal costs $520 or $470 plus $275. Most parolees and TPS applicants pay the general fee plus $570 at first and plus $280 on renewal; certain Ukrainian and refugee parolees pay $0 plus $570 at first. A replacement is $0 after a USCIS error on the card or a USCIS or USPS delivery failure. Parolees in the Ms. L. settlement class and their qualifying relatives pay $0. Form I-912 can cover the USCIS fee in most categories, but not the added fees, which must be paid separately or the filing may be rejected.
When can an asylum applicant apply?
You must wait 150 days after filing a complete asylum application before you can file Form I-765, and USCIS cannot issue the card until a further 30 days have passed, 180 days in total. Days of delay caused by you do not count, so do not ask for a postponement without weighing the effect on the clock, and keep your own record of hearing dates and adjournments. A Recommended Approval notice lets you apply right away. Keep your receipt and proof of the filing date. Pay the annual asylum fee when notified: you can read how that works on the Form I-589 page. DHS proposed in February 2026 to lengthen the wait and pause some filings. The Federal Register lists it only as a proposed rule as of October 31, 2026, so the current wait still applies. Check again before filing.
How do I renew without losing work authorization?
If your right to work depends on the card, treat its expiration date as your deadline. DHS ended automatic extensions for renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025 and confirmed that in a final rule effective October 14, 2026, with exceptions only for extensions provided by law or Federal Register notice, such as certain TPS documents. A pending renewal generally does not let you keep working after the card expires, and your employer must reverify. File about 180 days before expiration, with all your evidence; USCIS recommends not filing earlier than that, though nothing prohibits it. Even this may not prevent a gap, since commenters told DHS that renewals can take longer. Most (c)(8), (c)(9), (c)(10), (a)(5) and (a)(10) cards run up to 18 months, so plan about a year after approval. (c)(11) parole cards run to the end of parole or one year, whichever is shorter.
My card expired, but I am a refugee or asylee. Can I keep working?
Generally yes, because your right to work does not come from the card. The I-765 instructions say refugees and asylees are authorized to work as soon as they get that status, and DHS says authorization of this kind lasts as long as the status, not until the date on the card. So in categories (a)(3) and (a)(5), an expired card is a document problem, and you should not quit. Show your employer other Form I-9 documents. Under Handbook M-274, an asylee can present a Form I-94 showing asylum with a List B identity document such as a driver's license, and a refugee can present a List B document with a List C document such as an unrestricted Social Security card. Someone granted withholding under (a)(10) should get advice before stopping work. Apply for a new card anyway if you want further proof.
Which edition, where to file, and what if the card is wrong?
Use the 08/21/25 edition. USCIS says it is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition because of a D. Mass. court order, so check the form page on filing day. The mailing address depends on your category. USCIS changed addresses on October 7, 2026, and packages sent to an old address are accepted only if postmarked by November 9, 2026. Photos must be unmounted and unretouched. Attach Form G-1145 for a text or email when the lockbox accepts the form. If USCIS put wrong information on your card, or you never received it because of a USCIS or USPS error, do not wait for a reissue: file Form I-765 as a replacement request. G-1055 lists $0 for both situations, so include proof of the error.
What if I have a case in immigration court?
You still file Form I-765 with USCIS, even when the judge has your case. With a court-filed I-485, send proof that you are in proceedings and that the I-485 was properly filed with the court and is still pending. For cancellation under (c)(10), send proof you are in proceedings and that fees were paid or waived by the judge. Defensive asylum applicants use (c)(8) and the same 150-day rule. Your card goes to the address USCIS has, while hearing notices go to the address the court has, so after a move update USCIS within 10 days and file Form EOIR-33/IC with the court within 5 days. Check your next hearing and prepare for the individual hearing, because a removal order can end the basis for the card. Ace Immigration's removal defense team can align the card with your court calendar.