I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, category (c)(9)
Prepare your C9 EAD while your I-485 is pending
The (c)(9) work permit for family-based and employment-based adjustment of status applicants. We fill Form I-765, add the receipt notice USCIS asks for, and check the package before you pay.
No account or card needed. Money-back guarantee.
- First card, renewal, or replacement
- Seven filing checks
- Money-back guarantee
Last updated
- $99Preparation price
- 7Pre-filing checks
- $0 or $260USCIS fee
- 100%Money-back guarantee
CURRENT RULE
No automatic extension for a C9 EAD renewal. A renewal filed on or after October 30, 2025 does not extend your current card. If the card expires before the new one arrives, you have to stop working, so file up to 180 days before the expiry date.
Three reasons to file
Which C9 work permit do you need?
The reason you choose is printed on Form I-765 and decides which checks run.
- 01
First C9 work permit
You filed Form I-485 without a Form I-765, or you want a work permit now.
INITIALCheck if you qualify - 02
C9 EAD renewal
Your (c)(9) card expires soon. Cards now last up to 18 months, so many filers renew while the I-485 is still pending.
RENEWALCheck renewal timing - 03
Replacement card
Your card was lost, stolen, or damaged, or it has a mistake that USCIS did not cause.
REPLACEMENTCheck if you qualify
What you get
A complete (c)(9) package for your pending green card case
Your answers decide the fee, the mailing address, and the document list.
- PRE-FILING AUDIT
7 checks before you file
We check the (c)(9) category, the reason for applying, your I-485 receipt number, renewal timing, and the card expiry for a replacement, plus required fields and field content.
The right USCIS fee
The fee is $260 if you filed your I-485 with its fee on or after April 1, 2024, and $0 if you filed it with its fee from July 30, 2007 through March 31, 2024.
The right mailing address
Family-based and employment-based cases go to different USCIS lockboxes. We pick the one for your case and state.
A document list for your reason
Your I-485 receipt notice, photos, and for a renewal or replacement, a copy of your current or last card.
How it works
Prepare your C9 EAD in four steps
Your answers save as you go.
Check if you qualify
Answer a few questions about your pending I-485. No account is needed.
Complete Form I-765
Work through the form in plain English. We fill in category (c)(9) and your reason for applying.
Read the report
See each check, any flags, and what to do next before you pay.
Mail it to USCIS
Print the packet and mail it to the address in your filing instructions.
Pre-filing audit
See the checks before you file
The report covers five (c)(9) checks and two form-integrity checks.
Category and reason
- Category (c)(9) on Form I-765
- Reason for applying matches your answers
Pending I-485
- I-485 receipt number
- Renewal timing
- Card expiry for a replacement
Form integrity
- Required fields complete
- Field content validation
Compare your options
Three ways to file a C9 EAD
Compare the form, the fee and address rules, the checks, and the price.
Swipe to compare all three
| Feature | Do it yourself | Immiva | Traditional immigration attorney |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay to prepare it | Free | $99 | Varies by firm |
| Form I-765 | YesThe blank USCIS form | YesFilled from your answers | YesPrepared for you |
| USCIS fee and address | NoYou work them out from the USCIS charts | YesPicked from your I-485 date, basis, and state | YesPicked for you |
| Error checking | NoNo built-in review | Yes7 checks before payment | YesA person reviews it |
| Document list | NoA generic checklist | YesBuilt for a first card, renewal, or replacement | YesTailored to your filing |
| Preparation price | YesFree | Yes$99 after you see the report | Varies by firm |
Your C9 EAD application
Form I-765 in category (c)(9), the pre-filing checks, your document list, and mailing instructions.
$99The USCIS filing fee is separate and paid to the government.
Covered by a money-back guarantee. Read the guarantee terms
Common questions
C9 EAD questions, answered
Eligibility, fees, renewals, and filing.
It is the work permit for an adjustment of status applicant. "C9" is the Form I-765 eligibility category (c)(9), shown on the card as C09. You qualify while your Form I-485 is pending.
Yes. You can file it with the I-485 or on its own later. Filed on its own, it needs a copy of your I-485 receipt notice (Form I-797C) or other proof that the I-485 is pending.
$260 if you filed your I-485 with its fee on or after April 1, 2024. $0 if you filed it with its fee on or after July 30, 2007 and before April 1, 2024. Otherwise the general Form I-765 fee applies.
USCIS recommends filing up to 180 days before your card expires. Renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025 get no automatic extension, so a late filing can leave you unable to work.
Family-based and employment-based cases. An asylee or refugee adjusting status files under (a)(5) or (a)(3), and Immiva does not prepare those categories or other bases yet.
Some family-based and employment-based applicants can upload the completed form online, but a fee-exempt filer has to mail paper. Immiva prepares a paper package with mailing instructions.
Immiva's preparation fee is $99, paid after you see the report. The USCIS fee is separate.
No. Immiva is software that prepares and checks Form I-765 and tells you when a fact needs review. It does not provide legal advice.
Guides
Read this before filing
Work and travel permits during adjustment of status, renewal timing, and case tracking.
- Work permit and travel permit with your I-485How the I-765 and I-131 fit around a pending green card application.Work and travel
- Why to renew your EAD earlyProcessing backlogs, the end of automatic extensions, and when to file.Renewal
- Five ways to check your EAD statusTrack the work permit after you file.Case status
- I-485 processing timeHow long the green card application itself takes.Processing time
Related applications
Other paths for green card applicants
Applications that come before or alongside a C9 work permit.