USCIS Phases Out Older Form I-765 Editions Starting March 5

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will stop accepting older versions of Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization Document (EAD), effective March 5. Only the most recent edition of the form, released on August 21, 2025, will be accepted going forward. Applicants who submit outdated versions of Form I-765 after the deadline will have their applications rejected outright. This is a hard cutoff, not a grace period, meaning even minor version discrepancies can result in rejection and delays to work authorization. For EB-3 applicants and other employment-based immigrants awaiting adjustment of status, this change is directly relevant. Many EB-3 beneficiaries file Form I-765 concurrently with Form I-485 to obtain interim work authorization while their green card application is pending. Using the wrong form edition could set back work authorization timelines significantly. Applicants are advised to download the latest version of Form I-765 directly from the USCIS website before filing. Previously prepared applications using older editions should be discarded and refiled using the August 21, 2025 edition to avoid rejection.