USCIS Extends Automatic EAD Renewal Period To 540 Days

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on April 4 announced an extension to the automatic extension period for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), which is expected to particularly benefit Indian immigrants.

The temporary measure will prevent already work-authorized noncitizens from having their employment authorization and documentation lapse while waiting for USCIS to adjudicate their pending EAD renewal applications and better ensure continuity of operations for US employers, the immigration agency stated.

The measure will apply to eligible applicants who timely and properly filed an EAD renewal application on or after Oct. 27, 2023, if the application is still pending on the date of publication in the Federal Register.

“This is the latest step by the Biden-Harris Administration to get work-authorized individuals into the workforce, supporting the economies where they live,” USCIS said.

“Over the last year, the USCIS workforce reduced processing times for most EAD categories, supporting an overall goal to improve work access to eligible individuals.  However, we also received a record number of employment authorization applications, impacting our renewal mechanisms,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou.

“The announcement by USCIS is a testament to the impact of community advocacy and collaborative efforts in shaping policies that directly impact immigrant communities,” said CA-based Indian American Ajay Bhutoria who is on the White House Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Commission.