Refugee Work Permit (I-765) Processing Time

USCIS reports 80% of Refugee Work Permit cases (Service Center Operations (SCOPS)) are completed within 18.5 months, per USCIS's own processing-times data.

USCIS data as of November 5, 2026not legal advice

USCIS reports 80% of cases in this category are completed within 18.5 months.

Processing office: Service Center Operations (SCOPS). Figure from USCIS's official processing times tool — check your own case's current estimate directly at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times, since USCIS updates these monthly and your specific receipt date affects where you fall in the range.

Form I-765 category (a)(3): work permit for someone admitted to the U.S. as a refugee, who is authorized to work immediately upon admission — the EAD is proof of that pre-existing authorization, not a new grant of it.

Other offices, same form

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This page is general information, not legal advice. AskDM is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. The processing-time figure and the category description above are pulled directly from USCIS's own published data, current as of November 5, 2026. Processing times change — always confirm the current figure on USCIS's own site before making decisions based on it.