What Happens After You Send In Your Forms?

This will be a guide to what happens when everything for your DACA case goes as planned. You have sent in your forms I-821D, I-765 and I-765WS (G1145 for those that want the Email/TXT notification of application acceptance). So what are the steps and events that happen subsequent to this event?

Assuming your package made it to one of the different Lockbox locations as specified in the instructions. You should receive an electronic notification or an electronic I-797C Receipt for both I-821D and I-765 forms. (5-7 days after they received your package at the Lockbox)

Assuming that your forms had all the required information, that your forms were properly signed and that you included the correct filling fees. Your case has now been routed to one of the four Service Centers (Nebraska Service Center (LIN), Vermont Service Center (EAC), California Service Center (WAC), and Texas Service Center (SRC)). All service centers have different processing times for the forms you have sent; depending on their queue of pending applications you might see different processing dates. (This guide will detail more or less a case routed to LIN)

You will then receive the physical receipts of the same notification (if you did not send form G1145 then this will be your first notification of your case), I-797C for both I-821D and I-765. (5 to 7 days after the Lockbox received your package)

The next step in the process would be for background checks as part of the decision process. USCIS will now request for your biometrics (fingerprints).

You will then receive a subsequent I-797 Notice of Action receipt in the mail with your appointment date for your biometrics to be taken at your local Application Support Center, ASC. (7-10* days after the Lockbox received your package)

You have an appointment, the date arrived.* The ASC has successfully taken your biometrics/fingerprints, your photo and your signature. Depending on your background checks, whether your record is clean or not so clean, the following will take less or more time. Your biometrics are sent to the FBI (who usually returns your record within 24-48 hrs) and its forwarded to USCIS for them to do IBIS Name Check and IDENT Fingerprint Check as part of the background checks. The Biometrics letter after your appointment, notice the stamp.

You should then receive a TXT (If you have Signed Up to USCIS Portfolio) showing that your I-765 application has been accepted and your card has been ordered for production. This change will also appear in Case Status online. (6-15 days after the date you did Biometrics at ASC)

Congratulations! Your case has now been accepted! The adjudication of I-765 means your DACA case has been approved.

You should then receive a TXT (If you have Signed Up to USCIS Portfolio) stating that your I-821D has been approved and a notice has been mailed. (1 day after your I-765 EAD goes into production)

You should then receive a TXT (If you have Signed Up to USCIS Portfolio) stating that your Employment Authorization Document (EAD), has been mailed. (1 day after your I-765 EAD goes into production) You should then receive a TXT (If you have Signed Up to USCIS Portfolio) stating that USPS has picked up your EAD. (1 day after your I-765 EAD goes into production)

Then you should receive a First Class Flat Rate Envelope that contains I-797D which contains the approval notice and the EAD card itself. (4 days after I-765 EAD goes into production) Front of I-797D

The time is streamlined and very efficient. There is no guarantee that your case will take the same amount of time, because that is unrealistic, every case is different, and as time goes by there might be less or more realistically more applications for USCIS to go through.

A timeline for a case that might be sent a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent of Denial (NOID) because I did not receive one and I have not read of any. This is case-by-case basis and if all the odds are in your favor you should expect the same result. This is also under the assumption that you qualify for this benefit, if you are committing fraud then you risk being denied and your case being referred to ICE.