How many photos does a DACA renewal need?

Two. A typical renewal packet is Form I-821D, Form I-765 and the I-765 worksheet, and the only photo requirement in it belongs to the I-765: two identical color passport-style photos, 2 x 2 inches, with your name and A-Number printed lightly in pencil or felt pen on the back of each.

Does Form I-821D itself require photos?

No. The I-821D instructions (edition 01/20/25) contain no passport-style photo requirement at all. The photograph USCIS uses for the DACA side is captured at your biometrics appointment, where the instructions say USCIS may collect fingerprints, a photograph and a signature to verify identity.

Is there a 30-day rule for DACA photos?

No. The current I-765 instructions (edition 08/21/25) say the photos must be taken recently, with no specific number of days or months. The 30-day photo rules belong to other forms, such as the I-130 spouse petition and the I-129F. Recent enough to look like you now is the standard.

What are the exact photo measurements for the I-765?

2 x 2 inches, in color, full face and frontal view, on a white to off-white background, printed on thin paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched. Head height 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin; eye height between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8 inches from the top of your eyes to the bottom of the photo.

Can I still file a first-time (initial) DACA request?

As of our September 9, 2026 check of the USCIS DACA page: USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests, and continues to accept initial requests but is not processing initial requests at this time, under the Fifth Circuit's January 17, 2025 decision. Check uscis.gov for the current posture before filing, since litigation can change it.

When should I send my DACA renewal?

USCIS strongly encourages submitting the renewal between 120 and 150 days (4 to 5 months) before the expiration date on your current Form I-797 DACA approval notice. Since the photos must be taken recently, take them when you assemble the packet rather than months in advance.

DACA · I-821D + I-765 · verified in the form instructions

DACA renewal photo requirements

A DACA renewal packet mails exactly two identical 2 x 2 inch color photos, and they belong to Form I-765 (the work permit application filed with the packet), not to Form I-821D itself, whose instructions require no passport-style photos at all: the DACA-side photograph is captured at your biometrics appointment. The photos must be taken recently, on a white to off-white background, with your name and A-Number penciled lightly on the back. Check your photo free against every published figure before you print.

The photo spec, from the I-765 instructions

DACA renewal photo requirements from the Form I-765 instructions
Rule	Requirement
How many	Two identical color photos, submitted with Form I-765
Size	2 x 2 inches, full face, frontal view
Head height	1 to 1 3/8 inches, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin
Eye height	1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches, from the top of the eyes to the bottom of the photo
Background	White to off-white
Paper	Thin paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched
Recency	Taken recently (no 30-day rule in the current instructions)
On the back	Your name and A-Number (if any), lightly, in pencil or felt pen
Head covering	Bare head unless headwear is required by your religious denomination

Source: Form I-765 instructions, edition 08/21/25, Required Documentation item 3.C, and Form I-821D instructions, edition 01/20/25 (which contain no photo submission requirement). Filing under category (c)(33) changes nothing about the photos.

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Renewals versus first-time requests

As of our September 9, 2026 check of the USCIS DACA page: following the Fifth Circuit's January 17, 2025 decision, USCIS continues to accept and process renewal requests and their accompanying employment authorization applications, and continues to accept initial requests but is not processing them at this time. Existing grants and work permits remain valid until they expire unless individually terminated. Litigation can change this posture, so confirm the current state on uscis.gov before filing.

Timing your photos: USCIS encourages filing the renewal 120 to 150 days before the expiration date on your current approval notice, and the photos must be taken recently, so shoot them when you assemble the packet. The same portrait can also produce other documents you may be filing at the same time; the maker offers a second document for $4.99 with any order.

DACA photo questions

How many photos does a DACA renewal need?: Two. A typical renewal packet is Form I-821D, Form I-765 and the I-765 worksheet, and the only photo requirement in it belongs to the I-765: two identical color passport-style photos, 2 x 2 inches, with your name and A-Number printed lightly in pencil or felt pen on the back of each.
Does Form I-821D itself require photos?: No. The I-821D instructions (edition 01/20/25) contain no passport-style photo requirement at all. The photograph USCIS uses for the DACA side is captured at your biometrics appointment, where the instructions say USCIS may collect fingerprints, a photograph and a signature to verify identity.
Is there a 30-day rule for DACA photos?: No. The current I-765 instructions (edition 08/21/25) say the photos must be taken recently, with no specific number of days or months. The 30-day photo rules belong to other forms, such as the I-130 spouse petition and the I-129F. Recent enough to look like you now is the standard.
What are the exact photo measurements for the I-765?: 2 x 2 inches, in color, full face and frontal view, on a white to off-white background, printed on thin paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched. Head height 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin; eye height between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8 inches from the top of your eyes to the bottom of the photo.
Can I still file a first-time (initial) DACA request?: As of our September 9, 2026 check of the USCIS DACA page: USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests, and continues to accept initial requests but is not processing initial requests at this time, under the Fifth Circuit's January 17, 2025 decision. Check uscis.gov for the current posture before filing, since litigation can change it.
When should I send my DACA renewal?: USCIS strongly encourages submitting the renewal between 120 and 150 days (4 to 5 months) before the expiration date on your current Form I-797 DACA approval notice. Since the photos must be taken recently, take them when you assemble the packet rather than months in advance.

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Checked free against the I-765 figures, then a clean file plus a printable sheet of six for $9.99, with a 24-hour money-back guarantee.

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