Work Permit and EAD in Florida (Form I-765)

What is an EAD, and is it the same as a work visa?

An EAD is an Employment Authorization Document, the physical card that proves you may legally work in the United States. It is not a visa and it is not immigration status. A work visa such as H-1B or L-1 gives you status and ties you to one sponsoring employer. An EAD works differently: it comes from some other pending case or status you already hold, and it generally lets you work for any employer. You apply for one by filing Form I-765 with USCIS.

Who qualifies for a work permit?

Eligibility runs by category, not by need, and you must fit one of the categories USCIS lists on Form I-765. The common ones in Florida are a pending green card application under category (c)(9), a pending asylum application under (c)(8), Temporary Protected Status, DACA, F-1 student practical training, certain spouses of visa holders such as H-4 and L-2, and VAWA and U visa filings. Wanting to work, or having a job offer, is not by itself a category. The code you claim also drives the fee and the evidence you must send, so identifying it correctly is the first real decision in the case.

How much does a work permit cost?

It depends on the category and on how you file. Under the fee schedule in effect since 2024, a standalone Form I-765 costs $470 filed online and $520 filed on paper. When it is filed together with a pending Form I-485 green card application, the fee is reduced to $260. Applicants with a pending asylum case under category (c)(8) pay no filing fee at all. Some other categories are also fee-exempt, and Form I-912 requests a waiver based on documented financial hardship. Confirm your own category on uscis.gov before paying, because sending the wrong fee gets the whole package rejected.

How long does it take to get a work permit?

Processing varies widely by category and by which USCIS office handles the file, and it has swung a great deal in recent years. Asylum applicants face a separate statutory wait on top of processing: the application generally cannot be filed until the asylum case has been pending 150 days, and the EAD cannot be granted before day 180. Check the current figure for your specific category at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times rather than relying on any published estimate, including this one.

When should I renew my EAD, and can I keep working while it is pending?

File the renewal as early as USCIS allows for your category, which is commonly up to 180 days before the card expires. For eligible categories, a timely-filed renewal triggers an automatic extension of your existing work authorization so you do not lose your job while USCIS decides. The length of that automatic extension has changed more than once in recent years, so do not rely on a number you read somewhere: your Form I-797C receipt notice states the extension, and that notice paired with the expired card is what you show your employer for Form I-9.

Can I work while my green card application is pending?

Not on the strength of the pending I-485 alone. You need the work permit itself, which is why most adjustment applicants file Form I-765 at the same time as Form I-485. Filed that way the fee is reduced, and USCIS can issue a combined card that serves as both the EAD and advance parole travel permission. Until that card is in your hand, working is not authorized.

What happens if I work without authorization?

It is a serious problem and not only an employment issue. Unauthorized work can make you ineligible to adjust status inside the United States, and depending on your history it can trigger bars that require a waiver to overcome. If you have already worked without authorization, say so during your consultation rather than leaving it to the form. There are categories, including immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, where the law forgives it, but that determination needs to be made before you file, not after.

Do I get a Social Security number with my work permit?

You can request one on the same form. Form I-765 includes questions that let you ask USCIS to send your information to the Social Security Administration so a card is issued without a separate trip to an SSA office. Answer those questions when you file, because doing it afterward means starting a separate process with SSA.

My EAD shows a category code. Why does it matter?

The category code is the legal basis for your permission to work, and it controls almost everything downstream: the fee you owe, whether you qualify for an automatic extension on renewal, how long the card is valid, and what happens to your work permission if the underlying case is denied. An EAD tied to a pending asylum case behaves very differently from one tied to TPS or to a pending green card. When people are surprised that their work permission disappeared, the category is usually the reason.