USCIS Form I-765 Change: Old Work Permit Applications Will Be Rejected

People planning to apply for or renew a work permit in the United States must carefully check which form edition they use for their applications beginning next week.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new edition of Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and warned that it will reject previous versions once the change takes effect.

The key date is September 15, 2026.

Beginning that day, USCIS will accept only the new edition of Form I-765, identified by the date 09/15/26. Unlike some other form changes, there will be no grace period during which both editions remain valid.

This means someone could complete the application correctly, include the required documents, and satisfy every other requirement but still receive a rejection for using the wrong form edition.

Which Edition of USCIS Form I-765 Should Applicants Use?

Through September 14, applicants must use the current edition of Form I-765, identified by the date 08/21/25.

USCIS established three rules for the transition:

If the form is postmarked or submitted electronically before September 15, applicants must use the 08/21/25 edition.

If the application is submitted on or after September 15, applicants must use the new 09/15/26 edition.

The new edition cannot be submitted before that date. USCIS will begin accepting it only on September 15.

For applications submitted by mail, the agency will use the postmark date. For online applications, the submission date recorded in the USCIS system will apply.

USCIS Warns That There Will Be No Grace Period

This requirement is particularly important for people currently preparing an application that they plan to submit close to the transition date.

USCIS confirmed that there will be no grace period allowing applicants to continue using the previous edition.

The agency explained that the new edition of Form I-765 is necessary to implement a recent change to rules affecting certain nonimmigrants.

Therefore, USCIS will reject an application submitted on September 15 using the 08/21/25 edition, even if the applicant prepared it before the change took effect.

USCIS has already provided users with a preliminary version of the new form and its instructions so applicants and representatives can review the changes before implementation.

What Is USCIS Form I-765 Used For?

Form I-765 is used by certain foreign nationals in the United States to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), commonly known as a work permit.

Certain applicants can also use it to renew or replace the document.

Not everyone authorized to work in the United States must submit this form. Whether it is required depends on the person’s immigration category and individual circumstances.

Depending on their eligibility, people who may need Form I-765 include certain asylum applicants, humanitarian program beneficiaries, individuals with pending Adjustment of Status applications, and some students or relatives of visa holders.

The category under which someone applies is crucial because it determines the applicable requirements, documents, and procedures.

Why Is USCIS Changing Form I-765?

The change is connected to a new federal rule titled “Establishment of a Fixed Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.”

The regulation particularly affects certain people in the F, J, and I classifications, including international students, exchange visitors, and foreign media representatives.

The new rule also contains provisions involving F-1 students seeking work authorization through programs including Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT.

However, anyone who needs to file Form I-765 around the transition date must account for the edition change.

USCIS Will Also Change Form I-539

Form I-765 will not be the only form changing on September 15.

On the same day, USCIS will publish a new edition of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, also identified by the date 09/15/26.

The 08/28/24 edition will remain valid through September 14.

Beginning September 15, USCIS will reject the previous edition and accept only the 09/15/26 version. This form will not have a grace period either.

How to Verify That You Are Using the Correct Form Edition

The edition date appears at the bottom of each form page.

Anyone who previously downloaded Form I-765 to complete later should verify the edition again before submitting it.

Additionally, applicants filing on paper must ensure that every page belongs to the same edition.

In the days before the change, the safest approach is to check the official USCIS website immediately before filing and confirm which edition applies based on the submission date.

What Happens if You Use the Previous Form After the Change?

USCIS is clear: The application will be rejected.

This does not necessarily mean the applicant will permanently lose the opportunity to obtain employment authorization, but they may have to prepare and submit the application again using the correct edition.

The delay could be particularly serious for someone approaching an immigration deadline or needing to renew employment authorization.

Therefore, September 15, 2026, is a crucial date: A form valid the previous day could become grounds for rejecting an application.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: USCIS Form Changes: Key September Dates for Green Card Applicants