DACA renewal status

Where DACA stands today

What the USCIS DACA page and its litigation FAQ say, as checked on Nov. 4, 2026:

• Renewals: USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests and the work permits filed with them.
• Initial requests: USCIS continues to accept them but, under the court orders, does not process them.
• Current grants: valid DACA, related work permits and advance parole remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated.
• Advance parole: USCIS continues to accept and decide advance parole applications from current DACA recipients.

The DACA page says these rules follow a decision of the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on the DACA final rule. Court rulings can change them, so check that page before you file. This is information, not legal advice on your case.

How long a DACA renewal takes

USCIS reports DACA in two places: Form I-821D, the DACA request itself, and the I-765 work permit filed with it (category C33).

Source: USCIS, All Forms by Quarter, FY2026 Q3. In the same quarter USCIS denied 471 I-821Ds and 482 DACA work permits. The median covers cases USCIS finished in April to June. The pending counts include initial requests that USCIS accepts but does not process, so they don’t show a renewal line.

The C33 work permit counts split renewals from initial requests:

Source: USCIS, I-765 by category, FY2026 Q3. Zero initial approvals matches what USCIS says: initial requests are accepted but not processed.

USCIS’s own wording on time: it adjudicates “the majority of DACA renewal requests within 120 days” (DACA page). The same page cites its historical data: a median of 1 month for renewals and their work permits in fiscal year 2023, and less than 2 months in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. The monthly report to Congress does not include the I-821D. For all work permit categories, see I-765 processing time.

When to file your renewal

USCIS strongly encourages filing 120 to 150 days (4 to 5 months) before the expiration date on your current I-797 DACA approval notice. It also says filing earlier than 150 days before expiration will not get you a faster decision (DACA page).

Two more points from the litigation FAQ:

• What counts as a renewal. A request filed while your DACA is current, or within one year after it expired. If more than a year has passed, USCIS treats it as an initial request, which it is not processing.
• The gap. If your DACA expires before the renewal is approved, the FAQ says you will not have DACA in between. Your current grant does not stretch to cover it.

What you file. Form I-821D with Form I-765 and the I-765 Worksheet; the I-765 must be filed with the I-821D. USCIS lets you file both online (Form I-821D).

Fees, from the G-1055 as checked on Nov. 4, 2026:

USCIS says only very limited fee exemptions exist, each needing a letter and documents (the DACA page lists the conditions).

What your status will show

A renewal moves through the usual USCIS stages, on two receipt numbers: one for the I-821D, one for the I-765.

1. Case Was Received. USCIS accepted the request and mailed receipt notices.
2. Biometrics. After it receives a complete request with fees, USCIS mails a notice for an Application Support Center appointment. See biometrics appointment. Then “Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken”.
3. Review. “Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS”, or a request for evidence (evidence stage).
4. Decision and card. “Case Was Approved”, then the work permit moves through “New Card Is Being Produced” and “Card Was Mailed To Me” (card stage).

Check it in the USCIS case status tool or a USCIS online account. USCIS mails DACA requestors an account acceptance notice with instructions to create one. Every message is explained in our status index.

The litigation FAQ lists what slows a renewal down: missing or rescheduling the biometrics appointment, background check issues, travel abroad that needs clarification, name or date of birth mismatches, and an incomplete request that leads to an RFE.

If your renewal is taking too long

1. After 105 days. The litigation FAQ says you may submit an online inquiry once a renewal has been pending more than 105 days. Use e-Request.
2. Contact Center. Call the USCIS Contact Center with your receipt number.
3. Moved? Update your address in your online account or through change of address, so the card is not lost.
4. Urgent travel. The FAQ says a current DACA recipient in an extremely urgent situation can ask for an emergency advance parole appointment through the Contact Center. See I-131 processing time.

The YourCaseStatus app (coming soon) will alert you when your status changes. For every form, see the processing times hub. En español: verificar caso USCIS.

Official links

• USCIS DACA page
• DACA litigation FAQ
• Form I-821D
• Check your case status
• Case inquiry (e-Request)