USCIS Announces 18-Month Limit on Work Permits for Green Card,
Refugee, and Asylum Applicants
Los Angeles/Dec 08, 2025
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its Policy Manual to shorten the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) across multiple immigrant categories. The agency said the changes are intended to increase security by requiring more frequent vetting of individuals applying for work authorization in the United States.
New EAD Validity Period: 18 Months
Applies to both initial and renewal EADs for:
- Refugees
- Individuals granted asylum
- Noncitizens granted withholding of deportation or removal
- Individuals with pending asylum or withholding applications
- Applicants for adjustment of status under INA 245
- Individuals with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or NACARA relief
Effective Date
- These changes apply to EAD applications filed or pending on or after December 5, 2025.
The agency emphasized that shorter validity periods will help detect fraud and identify individuals who may pose security concerns. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the new process ensures that those seeking work authorization do not jeopardize public safety, noting recent security incidents involving noncitizens.
In addition, USCIS implemented changes required under the H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act, limiting EAD validity to one year—or the end of a parole or TPS period—for parolees, TPS recipients, individuals with pending TPS applications, and spouses of entrepreneur parolees. These rules apply to all Form I-765 applications filed or pending on or after July 22, 2025.
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