Online filing for DACA renewals announced

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries can file renewal applications online.

Key Points:

• Individuals who have been granted DACA can now file Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, to renew their DACA grants online.
• Such individuals must also file the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and the Form I-765 Worksheet online as evidence to support the renewal filing.
• DACA renewal requestors are required to create a USCIS online account before filing their Form I-821D and Form I-765 online.
• Individuals can now file 13 USCIS forms online; a complete list is available here.

Additional Information: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to accept and adjudicate renewal DACA requests as well as requests for employment authorization. DHS is currently prohibited from granting initial DACA requests under a 2021 U.S. District Court ruling, though the agency may intake such requests. The Biden administration appealed the ruling in September. DHS has also proposed a regulation to “preserve and fortify” DACA, in a move that drew strong support from the business community.

BAL Analysis: USCIS has expanded online filing with the intent to make operations more efficient and effective for DACA renewal applicants and to minimize the agency’s reliance on paper records. BAL continues to monitor developments related to DACA and will provide updates as information becomes available. For more information, please visit BAL’s DACA Resource Center here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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