What is DACA and who qualifies?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal policy that provides protection from deportation and grants work authorization to certain individuals who came to the United States as children without legal status. It does not provide a path to permanent residency or citizenship, but allows recipients to remain and work in the US on a renewable two-year basis.

To qualify, an individual must have arrived in the US before their 16th birthday, have continuously resided in the US since June 15, 2007, have been present in the US on June 15, 2012 and at the time of applying, be currently enrolled in school or have graduated, and have no significant criminal history. The age range for initial requests and renewals has been subject to ongoing legal challenges.

Due to federal court litigation, USCIS has not been accepting new initial DACA requests but has been accepting renewals from existing recipients as of recent rulings. The status of the program remains subject to court decisions and policy changes, so checking the USCIS website for current guidance is essential.

This is general information only, not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration lawyer or registered migration agent for your specific situation.