The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Apr. 4 that it would extend the validity period for certain immigrant work permits, including those from India. This extension comes in the form of a temporary final rule, which automatically prolongs the validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Effective Apr. 8, the validity period for these documents will be extended from 180 days to 540 days.
Under the temporary change, two groups will benefit from the extended validity period: first, individuals who submitted Form I-765 applications on or after Oct. 27, 2023, and whose applications are still pending on Apr. 8, 2024; and second, individuals who will file Form I-765 applications between Apr. 8, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025.
The temporary rule will prevent EAD holders from losing their employment status due to a potential loss of status on Apr. 24, 2024. As a result of this change, eligible immigrants will be able to maintain their employment eligibility for an additional 360 days until their EADs are renewed.
This temporary final rule (TFR) is part of USCIS's ongoing efforts to facilitate access to work for individuals authorized for employment. USCIS has significantly reduced processing times for EADs, particularly for individuals with pending green card applications, with processing times cut by half from FY2021 onwards. Moreover, USCIS has processed a record number of EAD applications in the past year, surpassing previous years' figures.
Additionally, USCIS has reduced processing times for EADs for asylum applicants and certain parolees to a median of 30 days or less, extended the validity period for certain categories from 2 years to 5 years, streamlined the process for refugee EADs, and expanded online filing for EADs to asylum applications and parolees, it said in a statement.
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