USCIS Reducing Maximum Validity of Many EADs from 5 Years to 18 Months

What’s Happening

On December 4, 2025, USCIS announced that the agency was updating its Policy Manual to reduce the maximum validity period for many Employment Authorization Document (EAD) categories from up to five years to just 18 months.

An EAD is a work permit issued by USCIS that allows a noncitizen to legally work in the United States for a specific period of time. It serves as proof to employers that the individual has permission to work pursuant to their current status or while their application for an immigration benefit is pending.

What You Need to Know

The change will take effect for all EAD applications pending on or filed after December 5, 2025.  Impacted EAD categories include:

  • Applicants for adjustment of status (Form I-485)

  • Asylees and refugees
    Individuals with pending asylum or withholding of removal applications

  • Individuals granted withholding of removal

  • Certain individuals eligible for cancellation of removal or similar relief

Validity periods for many EADs were increased to 5 years under the Biden Administration in an effort to decrease processing times for these benefits. The Trump Administration’s reversion to shorter validity periods reflects its purported efforts to increase the frequency of screening and vetting of noncitizens authorized to work in the United States.

In light of this change:

  • Newly issued and renewed EADs in the impacted categories will now be valid for no more than 18 months, significantly shorter than the previous five-year maximum.

  • Current EADs remain valid through their printed expiration date. Only new cards issued on or after the effective date are impacted.

  • When coupled with the removal of automatic extensions of employment authorization for timely filed EAD renewals, the shorter EAD validity periods may increase the risk, frequency, and duration of work-authorization gaps if renewals are not filed early.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Not all EAD categories are affected. The 18-month limit applies only to specific categories including adjustment of status applicants and many applications for humanitarian benefits.

  • Shorter validity periods mean it is more important than ever to track EAD expiration dates and remind employees to file renewal applications as early as permitted.

  • Rising renewal volume may slow processing times, and without automatic extensions of employment authorization, even timely filed renewals could face a gap in employment authorization.

  • Foreign nationals affected by the new policy, including adjustment-of-status applicants, should submit EAD renewal applications at the earliest opportunity to help prevent or minimize gaps in employment authorization. Although renewals can typically be filed six months before the current EAD expires, USCIS processing times may extend beyond six months.