If USCIS made a mistake on a document it sent you, USCIS says you "generally must file a new form, but not pay a new fee." The form depends on the document: Form I-90 for a green card and Form N-565 for a naturalization or citizenship certificate. For an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), USCIS describes an online service request for a clear typo, or a letter with evidence, and its Form I-765 page says you do not need to file a new Form I-765 and filing fee when the error is USCIS's.
The general rule
USCIS has a page called Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them (last reviewed 02/18/2025). It says that if you got a document from USCIS with an error that was not your fault, you generally file a new form and do not pay a new fee. It also says:
- "You must return the document with the incorrect information."
- Generally, you also need to submit a statement explaining the error, supporting documents showing the correct information, or both.
The key question is who caused the error. For EADs, the page says that if USCIS finds the error was not its fault, it will notify you that you must follow the procedure for when a correction is needed and not due to USCIS error.
Which route fits which document
| Document | What USCIS says to do for a USCIS error |
|---|---|
| EAD (work permit) | For a clear typographical error with no evidence needed, use the online service request. Otherwise send a letter, evidence and the card. Details below. |
| Green card | File Form I-90 and select the filing category for a card with incorrect data due to DHS error. Include the card and documents showing the correct information. |
| Naturalization or citizenship certificate | File Form N-565 and complete Part 4 to explain the error. Include the certificate and supporting documents. |
| Form I-94 issued by USCIS | USCIS can correct it using Form I-102. If CBP issued the I-94, the correction goes through CBP instead. |
For travel documents, green cards and certificates, the page says to include supporting documentation to show what the correct information should be. For EADs, evidence is needed when the error is more than a clear typo, such as a wrong validity date.
EAD errors in more detail
USCIS says that for an EAD with a typographical error where no evidence is needed, you submit a service request online and select the "EAD Replacement due to USCIS Error" option. You must still mail the card with the error to the address listed on the USCIS page. If evidence is needed, for example when "the error relates to the EAD's validity period," USCIS says to mail a letter, the evidence and the card. USCIS says processing takes about 30 days after it receives the card, not counting mail time.
The Form I-765 page, last reviewed 10/07/2026, separates the two cases. For incorrect information that USCIS did not cause, it says you must use the filing locations for Form I-765 for your eligibility category and pay the filing fee. For incorrect information that USCIS caused, it says "you do not need to file a new Form I-765 and filing fee," and you check the "Replacement for Card Error" instructions on the filing addresses page. The page also says USCIS "may reissue the card if the original document was not delivered to you." Fee amounts are on the USCIS Fee Schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055. For general EAD questions, see our EAD combo card explainer.
Green card errors in more detail
The USCIS Policy Manual says that if a card has incorrect data because of DHS error, the applicant must "submit proof of the correct name or biographical data" and return the original card with Form I-90. If your card shows an error and you are not sure whether it counts as a USCIS error, an immigration attorney can tell you.
I-94 errors: USCIS or CBP
The I-94 is an arrival and departure record. USCIS says that if USCIS issued the form with incorrect information, you may file Form I-102 to correct it, and that if CBP issued it, you must contact CBP. The Form I-102 page says: "do not file Form I-102" when CBP issued a form with incorrect information such as a misspelled name, wrong birth date, visa classification or admission date. Go to the nearest CBP port of entry or deferred inspection office instead. Our guide to getting and fixing your I-94 covers that route.
What the USCIS pages do not cover
The USCIS page above does not address mistakes printed on receipt notices. Our service request guide explains service requests in general. If a card you were mailed never arrived, see the "card was mailed" status page.
Common questions
Do I pay again if USCIS made the mistake?
USCIS says you generally file a new form but do not pay a new fee. For an EAD, the Form I-765 page says you do not need to file a new Form I-765 and filing fee when the error is USCIS's.
Do I have to send back the card with the error?
Yes. USCIS says you must return the document with the incorrect information.
Is a misspelled name always a USCIS error?
Not necessarily. For EADs, USCIS says that if it finds the error was not its fault, it will notify you that you must follow the procedure for when a correction is needed and not due to USCIS error.
How do I know which form to use?
Use the document type in the table above, and read the official page for the current instructions. A licensed immigration attorney can help if the situation is unclear.
Official sources
- USCIS: Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
- USCIS: Form I-765
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 11, Part B, Chapter 2
- USCIS: Form I-102
GreenLight is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.