With an employment authorization document (EAD), you can get a Social Security card, a job, and sometimes a driver's license as well. You may have finally gotten this work permit after months of waiting. Unfortunately, you may have noticed that there is a mistake on your permit. If so, then you need to act now to fix it, as you might have to wait weeks more.
What this means is that the moment your get your EAD (or work permit), you need to look it over to make sure that all the information on there is accurate. This means looking at every line, making sure that your name is spelled right and that the "USCIS" or "A" number is right, etc. Are there any mistakes that can be ignored? Unfortunately, that answer will almost always be no. A small error can affect many other important processes. For instance, if your birthday is not correct on your work permit, you could struggle to get a Social Security number.
If you find a mistake, then you need to how it got there, who is responsible for the mistake. If the USCIS goofed up, then it has to fix your EAD for free, and you do not have to reapply either. If, however, you were the one who made the mistake, then you will probably have to fill out another I-765 form, and you would again have to pay the filing fee.
For whatever immigration application you fill out and turn in, you should probably keep a copy. If you have a copy of your first I-765 form, you can see if you were the one who put down the mistake. If for example, your birthday is wrong on the work permit, check the application to see if it is wrong there too. This is an easy one to mess up on, because many other countries put down dates in the order "day/month/year", while the order on the I-765 form has to be "month/day/year".
Whoever made the mistake, you will need to write a letter to the USCIS to tell them about the mistake and to ask them to correct it. You would send this letter to the address on your approval notice, the I-797, Notice of Action. The address is probably on the lower left corner. With the letter, you may need to turn in a copy of the document that shows the real information. If you need to correct a birth date, you could submit a copy of your birth certificate, along with an English translation, if necessary. This type of proof would be a supporting document.
If you made the mistake on your application, then you would need a money order that is made out to "The Department of Homeland Security" for the filing fee. Along with this filing fee, you would also need to fill out another form I-765. You would sent the letter, any supporting documents, the filing fee, new application, and the erroneous work permit to that address on your approval notice. You should keep a copy of the work permit. After this, it could take as long as two months for the new work permit to get to you.
As with any immigration process, it can be incredibly helpful to work with an experienced immigration attorney, someone who can tell you about your rights and your options, and who can help you understand what to expect from the process. If you are looking for the best immigration lawyer you can find, look through our directory today to find the qualified attorney you deserve.