How To Apply for Work Permit In USA – If you want to acquire a work permit in the USA, you have to go through certain process which is fairly straightforward. You will have to fill out a one-page form, attach the fee, photos, and your documents proving you are eligible and get it submitted to the US Citizenship and immigration services.
When and how to apply for a work permit
You apply for a work permit with USCIS Form I-765 (“Application for Employment Authorization”). You can file Form I-765 along with your green card application (Form I-485) or at any time after you’ve gotten a notice that USCIS has received your green card application. If you apply for a work permit in the same package with your green card application, you simply need to include a completed Form I-765 and two passport-sized photos.
Even if you’ve already submitted your green card application, you can still apply for a work permit by filing Form I-765 along with a copy of the notice from USCIS showing that your green card application (including the I-485 filing fee) was received.
Be sure to follow the direct filing instructions for Form I-765. USCIS requires that I-765 applicants file their application with the service center that will process their petition. Previously, applicants would send their application to one service center hub, which would then send their application to a different center for processing. Note: If you are filing the I-765 with another form, such as the I-485, file both forms at the address specified by the other form.
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Documents that are required for work permit application
Below are a list of documents that are required for a work permit application:
- Copy of your I-94 travel record (front and back), if available, or a printout of your electronic I-94 obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Copy of your U.S. visa (a document placed in your passport)
- Copy of your passport photo page
- Copies of previous work permits (front and back), if any
- Two 2-inch-by-2-inch passport-style photos of yourself taken recently (print your full name and Alien Registration Number on the back of each with a pencil or felt-tip pen)
- Copy of receipt notice (official acknowledgment letter) from USCIS that your green card application (Form I-485) is pending, but only if:
- Your sponsor is a green card holder
- Your sponsor is a U.S. citizen and you’re applying for a work permit after submitting your green card application (which would be unusual)
If you have notbeen issued a work permit before, you must also submit a copy of one of the following forms of government-issued identification:
- Birth certificate and a photo ID
- Copy of a visa (a document placed in your passport) that was issued by the consulate of a country other than the United States
- Other national identity document with your photo and/or fingerprint
Renewing your work permit
It’s important to avoid any gaps in employment authorization, and to remember that your immigration work permit only lasts one year. Fortunately, you can apply for a renewal work permit as early as 180 days (6 months) before your current one expires. To be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to renew as early as possible, even if you expect that your green card will be approved before your current work permit expires.
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Remember if your work permit expires before your green card application is approved and you haven’t renewed it, you’ll be forced to take a vacation from any income-producing activities, whether you’re an employee or if you own a business. To renew your work permit, you will file another Form I-765 with a copy of the USCIS receipt notice showing that you have a pending green card application. You’ll also need to include a copy of your current work permit and two passport-sized photos. Renewal work permits generally take about 150 days (or longer) to process, so again, it’s important to start the renewal process early.