U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that prior recipients of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are capable of filing Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, online.

According to USCIS’s Director Ur M. Jaddou, “The expansion of online filing is a priority for USCIS as we make our operations more efficient and effective for the agency and our stakeholders, applicants, petitioners, and requestor.” “The option to file DACA renewal requests online is part of USCIS’ ongoing move to minimize reliance on paper records and further transition to an electronic environment.”

Currently, due to a U.S. District Court ruling blocking new DACA filings as part of ongoing court battles over the future of the DACA program, initial filings cannot be accepted. However, the Department of Homeland Security will continue to accept the filing of initial requests as well as renewals. For those who have already been granted DACA benefits, beneficiaries may file Form I-821D for extensions and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and the associated Form I-765 Worksheet, which DACA beneficiaries are required to complete as supporting evidence online.

The introduction of online filing for DACA forms is consistent with the USCIS’s attempt to introduce online filing for greater numbers of forms in order to increase efficiency and reduce its processing backlog. For reference, the USCIS received nearly 9 million requests in the fiscal year 2021, which included 438,950 Form I-821D requests. Since launching online filing in 2017, the agency has seen a continuously increasing share of these requests filed online. In the fiscal year 2021, online filing encompassed 1,210,700 requests, petitions, and applications which equated to a 2.3% increase from the previous fiscal year.

In order to submit DACA related forms, a DACA recipient must first create a USCIS account. This account will allow them to submit forms, track the status of any ongoing requests, and pay fees associated with any forms. Creating the account is free, and it will also allow an individual to conveniently communicate with the USCIS online and submit Requests for Evidence instantly. Now a total of 13 forms may be submitted online through the Forms Available to File Online page. However, for those who wish to continue filing by mail, USCIS will continue to accept the paper filing.

For employers, navigating the challenges of verifying employment authorization and completing the Form I-9 for DACA beneficiaries and others with a unique status can be challenging. The best way to simplify the process is to invest in an electronic I-9 management tool that can guide employers through every step of the process and ensure that documentation is secure for review at any time.

Pre-employ’s I-9 Compliance tool will help quickly verify your employment eligibility automatically and stay compliant.

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