I-765 processing time (2026)
Work Permit (EAD)
Current national processing time
2 to 7 months
All categories · reported range · Manifest Law
as of July 2026Source: manifestlaw.com
Form I-765 requests an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), the card that lets certain non-citizens work legally in the US while another application is pending.
What the sources say
We show every source we have, with its date. Trackers report different statistics (a median versus a reported range), so the numbers can differ. That transparency is the point.
| Category | Figure | Basis | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All categories | 1.9 months | median | July 2026 | Boundless |
| All categories | 2 to 7 months | range | July 2026 | Manifest Law |
Estimate your I-765 timeline
Enter your filing (receipt) date. We apply the current Work Permit (EAD) range of 2 to 7 months to estimate a completion window.
Common questions
- How long does I-765 take?
- As of July 2026, the I-765 (Work Permit (EAD)) processing time is 2 to 7 months, per Manifest Law. Times change monthly; check the current figure and your case status.
- What is I-765?
- Form I-765 requests an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), the card that lets certain non-citizens work legally in the US while another application is pending.
- Why do I-765 processing times vary?
- Processing time depends on the category, the office handling the case, current caseloads, and whether premium processing applies. The range shown reflects recent reported cases, not a guarantee for any individual case.
- Is the I-765 processing time getting faster or slower?
- We date every figure and refresh it on a schedule so you can see the current number. Compare the "as of" date here with older pages elsewhere, which often show stale figures.