USCIS Increases the Maximum Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Validity Period to 5 Years for Adjustment of Status Applicants 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is updating guidance in the Policy Manual to increase the maximum validity period to 5 years for initial and renewal Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for certain noncitizens. This includes individuals who are applying for adjustment of status to permanent residence. It also includes individuals who have applied for asylum, and withholding of removal, as well as individuals who have received employment authorized incident to status or circumstance, such as those admitted as refugees, paroled as refugees, and granted asylum or withholding of removal.

 

USCIS stated that this change is intended to significantly reduce the number of new Form I-765, Applications for Employment Authorization, as an effort to reduce processing times and backlogs.  

 

Alongside these extensions, the guidance also clarifies the categories of noncitizens who are automatically authorized to work incident to status and provides more information on who can present a Form I-94 to an employer as an acceptable document showing employment authorization for purposes of providing a List C document for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.