WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced updates to its Policy Manual that reduce the maximum validity periods for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for certain categories of aliens. The changes, which also reflect provisions from recent legislation, aim to strengthen vetting and screening processes for individuals seeking authorization to work in the United States.
Under the updated guidance, several categories of aliens will see their EAD validity reduced from a maximum of five years to 18 months. These categories include:
- Aliens admitted as refugees
Aliens granted asylum
Aliens granted withholding of deportation or removal
Aliens with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal
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Aliens with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245
Aliens with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act
This change applies to applications filed or pending on or after December 5, 2025.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow emphasized the importance of frequent vetting, stating, “Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies. Frequent vetting allows USCIS to deter fraud and identify individuals with potentially harmful intent for removal from the United States.”
Additionally, in compliance with H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, 139 Stat. 72), signed into law on July 4, 2025, the maximum validity for EADs in other categories will now be limited to one year or the end of the authorized parole period or duration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), whichever is shorter. This applies to:
Aliens paroled as refugees
Aliens granted TPS
Aliens granted parole
Aliens with a pending TPS application
Alien spouses of entrepreneur parolees
The Federal Register notice published on July 22, 2025, outlines the implementation of these provisions, which apply to Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, filed or pending on or after that date.
These changes reflect USCIS’s ongoing efforts to maintain national security, prevent fraud, and ensure that employment authorization is granted to individuals who meet eligibility requirements while maintaining rigorous oversight.