Many young people who applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012 are now ready to renew their DACA protection from deportation and work authorization. This note is about the importance of timing in filing DACA renewal applications so that DACA registrants do not experience a gap between the current work authorization card and the new one. This is very important because driver’s licenses are tied to the expiration date of the work permits, as well as the ability to stay employed.
When is the Best Time to Renew?: The USCIS is accepting DACA renewal applications 150 days before expiration. That is five months. The agency is trying its best to make decisions on renewal applications in 120 days or less. This means the filing window is 150-120 before expiration. The earlier the better!
When can I ask the USCIS to hurry up?: If a DACA registrant filed her application for renewal more than 120 days before expiration, and the application is still pending 105 days later, she can make a “service request” with USCIS customer service. This is a way to ask USCIS to hurry up and make a decision.
Example filing window: Roberto Daquero has a DACA work permit that is valid from July 23, 2013, and expires on July 22, 2015. Mr. Daquero should file his renewal application 150 days before the expiration, or on February 22, 2015. He should consider the date 120 before expiration the absolute deadline for filing the renewal. That is March 24, 2015.
Example service request: Nancy Daquera has a DACA work permit that expires on March 17, 2015. She filed her renewal application less than 120 days in advance, on November 24, 2014. That was only 113 days before the expiration. She can make a service request after 105 days, or on March 9, 2015. The government has not committed to providing her with an interim work permit, however, because she did not file at least 120 days before expiration.
Example service request: Evelyn Daquera’s DACA work permit expires on May 6, 2015. She filed a renewal application on December 11, 2014, which was 146 days before the expiration. She can do a service request on March 26, 2015, 105 days after USCIS received her renewal. And, if her renewal has not been adjudicated by April 10, 2015, 120 days after filing, she can ask for an interim work permit.