USCIS Updates EAD Validity Periods for Certain Categories

U.S. Citizenship and Im migration Services Office of the Director Camp Springs, MD 20588-000 9 December 4, 20 25 PA -2025-27 Policy Alert SUBJECT: Updating Certain Emplo yment Auth orization Do cument Vali dity Periods Purpose U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to upda te the maximum v alidity pe riods for Emp loyment A uthorization Documents (EADs, Form I - 766) fo r certain E AD categories. Background An alien must have employment authorization to work in the United States. While certain classes of aliens are au thorized to e ngage in em ployment th rough their i mmigration status, com monly referr ed to as employ ment authori zation incid ent to statu s, other class es of alien s are authorized to engage in employment only if they apply for, and are granted, such authorization by USCIS. 1 USCIS has the discretion to assign the v alidity pe riod for EAD s issued to al iens in each of the categ ories of employment authorization. 2 On July 4, 2025, the President signed into law An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14 (H.R. - 1, also referred to as the One Big Beautif ul Bill Act). This update incorporates changes to EAD validity periods required by that legislation and implemented by DHS on July 22, 2025, as announced by USCIS in its Federal Register notice and Web Alert. 3 Therefore, for employmen t authori zation (or E ADs) under elig ibility ca tegories (a)(4), (a)(12), (c)(11), (c) (19), and (c)(34), this update reflects changes in the law applicable to requests that are pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025. 4 1 See 8 CFR 274a.1 2(a) and 8 CFR 274a.12(c). 2 See 8 CFR 274a.1 2(a) (“USCIS ma y, in it s discre tion, determi ne the validit y period assi gned to a ny do cument i ssued evidencing an alien's author ization to work in the United States."). See 8 CF R 274a.12(c) (“USCIS, in its discretion, may est ablish a specifi c vali dity pe riod fo r an em ployme nt auth orizati on docu ment, w hich ma y incl ude any perio d when an a dmin istrati ve appea l or ju dicial review of an a pplicat ion or pe titio n is pe nding.”). 3 See H.R.1 — One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. - 1), Subtitle A, Title X of Pu b. L. 119 - 21, 139 Stat. 72 (July 4, 2025) (establi shing s tatutori ly req uired validit y periods for E ADs issue d to pa rolees and thos e wit h tempo rary pr otected status). See 90 FR 34511 (Jul. 22, 2025) (announcing impleme ntation of H. R. - 1). See USCIS Updates Fees Based on H.R.1 (Jul y 18, 2025) (a nnoun cing publ icati on of n otice i n the Fe deral R egist er regar ding H.R. - 1 fees and hi ghlighti ng the new validit y peri ods for parole a nd TPS catego ries re quired by H.R. - 1). 4 See 90 FR 34511 (Jul. 22, 20 25). See USCIS U pdates Fees Based on H.R.1 (Ju ly 18, 2025). An EAD in on e of the applicable categories issue d between Jul y 4, 2025, a nd July 22, 2025, with a validity period longer than 1 year retains the validity date stated on the EAD un less termination is otherwise appropriate.

PA -2025- 27: Updating Certain E mployment A uthoriza tion D ocument V alidity P er iods Page: 2 Additionally, U SCIS is ma king c hanges to va lidity pe riods for certain o ther EAD c a tegorie s to enhance i ts s c reening a nd ve tting e ffor ts, e nab le detec tion of aliens w ith p otential ly ha rmful in tent, deter f raud, a nd pl ace r emovable a l ie ns int o p roceedings. USCIS us es a ll pr ovisi ons under t he law t o deny benefits t o those w ho are a risk t o public s afety and national s ecurity. This upda te t herefor e also rescinds a spects of U SCIS’ gui dance of S eptember 27, 2023, and reduce s the va lidit y period for certain E AD ca tegorie s so that U SCIS c an mor e frequently review a n alien’s ba ckground for t hese concern s and t ake appropriate action w hen t hey a rise. 5 This guidance, contained in Volume 10 of the Policy Manual, is effective on December 5, 2025, and a pplies to re quests fo r e mployment authorization (or EADs) under eligibility c ategories (a)(3), (a)(5), (a)(10), (c)(8), (c)(9), a nd (c)(10) that are pending or filed on or after that date. The gui dance c ontained in the P olic y Manua l is c ontrolling and supersedes a ny related prior guidance. Policy H igh lights • Updates the maximum validity perio d for init ial and renewal EADs from 5 y ears to 18 months for those admitted as refugees, granted asylum, granted withholding of deportation or removal, for those with pending a pplications for asylum or withholding of removal, those with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245, and for those with pending applications for suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal. 6 • Updates the maximum validity perio d for init ial and renewal EADs for those paroled as refugees from the end date of the authorized parole period, not to exceed 5 years, to the end date of the authorized parole period or 1 year, whichever is shorter. 7 • Updates the maximum valid ity period for initial an d renewal EA Ds for parolees from the end date of the authorized parole period to the end date of the authorized parole period or 1 year, whiche ver is shorter. 8 • Updates the maximum valid ity period for initial an d renewal EA Ds for those wh o have or are applying for tempora ry protected status, fro m the length o f the alien’ s temporary protected status or any TPS renewals or extensions, to the length of temporary prot ected status or any TPS renewals or extensions, or 1 year, whichever is shorter. 9 • Updates the maximum valid ity period for initial an d renewal EA Ds for spouses o f an entrepreneur parolee from the end date of the authorized parole period to the end date of the authorized parole period or 1 year, whichever is shorter. 10 5 See Employment Authorization Document Validity Period for Certain Categories, PA - 2023 - 27, issue d Septem ber 27, 2023. 6 See 8 CFR 274 a.1 2(a)(3), 8 CFR 274 a.12(a)(5), 8 CFR 274 a.12(a)(10), 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(8), 8 CFR 274 a.12(c)(9), and 8 CFR 2 74a.12(c)(10). 7 See 8 CFR 274 a.1 2(a)(4). 8 See 8 CFR 274 a.1 2(c)(11). 9 See 8 CFR 274 a.1 2(a)(12) and 8 CFR 274 a.12(c)(19). 10 See 8 CFR 274 a.1 2(c)(34).

PA -2025-27: Updating Certain Employmen t Authoriza tion Doc ument Validi ty Periods Page: 3 Summary of Changes Affected Section: Vo lume 10 > Part A > Chapt er 4 > Section C, Decision • Revises tables in Subsection 1 (Approval). USCIS may also make other minor technical, stylistic, and conforming changes consistent with this update. Citation Volume 10: Employment Authorization, Part A, Employment Authorization Policies and Procedures, Chapter 4, Adjudication [10 USCIS - PM A.4 ].