USCIS Employment Authorization Card EAD Category Codes

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USCIS issues an EAD card for unrestricted employment in the USA. The EAD card is also known as form I-766.

The application form for an EAD card is called form I-765. Form I765 requires an EAD category code to approve your eligibility.

You can use this app to fill out the EAD form, validate all, and make sure the form is not rejected or an RFE is sent by USCIS.

You should write the correct EAD category code to avoid any RFE (request for evidence). The same category code is printed on your EAD card i.e. form I-766.

Example:

H4 EAD category code is C(26)
L2 EAD category code is A(18). Recently, USCIS made the changes to allow L2-dependent work just with the use of L2 i94. No need to apply L2 EAD using form i765 separately.
Asylum refugees EAD category code is A(3)
i485 Adjustment of Status EAD category code is (C)(9)
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) EAD category code is C33

USCIS EAD Category Codes

USCIS only allows some EAD categories to keep working even after EAD expiry if you have filed the extension before the current EAD approval expires.

Automatic 180 EAD extension allowed for A03, A05, A07, A08, A10, C08, C09, C10, C16, C20, C22, C24, C31 and A12 or C19.

Code	EAD Code Eligibility	180-Day Automatic Extension?
A02	A lawful temporary resident under sections 245A or 210 of the INA	N
A03	Refugee	Y
A04	Paroled as refugee	N
A05	Asylee (granted asylum)	Y
A06	K-1 nonimmigrant fiancé(e) of U.S. citizen (USC) K-2 child of K-1	N
A07	N-8 Parent of international organization employee granted permanent residence N-9 Dependent Child of international organization employee granted permanent residence	Y
A08	Citizen of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau admitted as a non-immigrant	Y
A09	K-3 nonimmigrant spouse of USC K-4 child of K-3	N
A10	Granted Withholding of Deportation or Removal	Y
A11	Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)	N
A12	Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted under 8 CFR 244.12	Y
A13	IMMACT Family Unity beneficiary (Section 301 of the Immigration Act of 1990)	N
A14	LIFE Act Family Unity beneficiary (Section 1504 of the Legal Immigrant Family Equity (LIFE) Act Amendments)	N
A15	V-1 Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident V-2 Minor unmarried child of Lawful Permanent Resident V-3 Minor unmarried child of V-1 or V-2	N
A16	T-1 nonimmigrant (victims of a severe form of trafficking)	N
A17	Spouse of E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader/Investor Spouse of E-3 specialty occupation professional from Australia	N
A18	L-2 spouse of an L-1 intracompany transfer (L-1: Individuals in the U.S. who have been transferred from a subsidiary, affiliate, or branch office overseas to the U.S. to work in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge capacity	Y No need to file EAD. Can work using L2 i94.
A19	U-1 nonimmigrant (victims of certain criminal activity)	N
A20	U-2 spouse of U-1 aliens U-3 children of U-1 aliens U-4 parents of minor U-1 aliens (16 or under) U-5 unmarried sibling under age 18 of U-1 alien under age 21	N
C01	Dependents of A-1 or A-2 foreign government official	N
C02	Dependent of TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office) E-1 non-immigrant)	N
C03A	Pre-completion OPT F-1 students	N
C03B	Post-completion OPT F-1 students	N
C03C	24-month extension for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) OPT students	N
C03(ii)	F-1 student offered off-campus employment under the Sponsorship of Qualifying International Organization	N
C03(iii)	F-1 student seeking off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship	N
C04	Spouse or unmarried dependent child of G-1, G-3, or G-4 nonimmigrant (Representative of International Organization and their dependents)	N
C05	J-2 spouse or minor child of a J-1 exchange visitor	N
C06	M-1 student seeking practical training after completing studies	N
C07	Dependent of NATO-1 through NATO-7 non-immigrant	N
C08	Asylum applicant (w/ pending asylum application) who filed for asylum on or after January 4, 1995	Y
C09	Adjustment of status (i485) This is also known as green card EAD. People who are waiting for their GC approval are eligible for this EAD. How to apply for green card EAD renewal. Most times, USCIS issues a combo card for EAD and Advance parole.	Y
C10	Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) section 203 applicants Applicant for suspension of deportation The applicant for cancellation of removal	Y
C11	An alien paroled into the United States in the public interest or temporarily for emergency reasons	N
C12	Spouse of an E-2 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) investor; eligible for employment in the CNMI only	N
C14	Alien granted deferred action	N
C16	Registry applicant based on continuous residence since January 1, 1972	N
C17(i)	B-1 nonimmigrant who is the personal or domestic servant of a nonimmigrant employer	N
C17(ii)	B-1 nonimmigrant domestic servant of a U.S. citizen	N
C17(iii)	B-1 nonimmigrant employed by a foreign airline	N
C18	Alien with a final order of deportation/order of supervision;	N
C19	Temporary Protected Status applicant under 8 CFR 244.5	Y
C20	An alien who has filed a completed legalization application for special agricultural workers	Y
C22	An alien who has filed a completed legalization application under INA 245A	Y
C24	LIFE legalization applicant	Y
C25	T-2 spouse of T-1, the victim of trafficking T-3 child of T-1 T-4 parent of T-1 (if T-1 is under age 21)	N
C26	H4 Dependents of H1B Visa worker It is also known as H4-EAD in general language	Y Auto Extension rule
C31	The principal beneficiary of an approved VAWA self-petition Qualified child of a beneficiary of an approved VAWA self-petition	Y
C33	An alien who has been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)	N
C35	The principal beneficiary of an approved employment-based immigrant petition facing compelling circumstances	N
C36	Spouse or unmarried child of a principal beneficiary of an approved employment-based immigrant petition facing compelling circumstances.	N