USCIS Tightens EAD Validity: New 18-Month & 1-Year Limits Effect Immediately

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has revised its Policy Manual to shorten the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents across several immigration categories, implementing both agency policy changes and statutory mandates under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). The agency states that reducing EAD validity—from five years to eighteen months for refugees, asylees, applicants for asylum or withholding, applicants for adjustment of status, and individuals seeking suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal—will increase the frequency of security vetting, thereby strengthening fraud prevention and public-safety screening. H.R. 1 further requires that individuals granted parole, Temporary Protected Status, or related benefits receive EADs valid for no more than one year or until the end of their authorized period, whichever is shorter. These revised validity limits apply to Form I-765 applications pending or filed on or after the respective implementation dates of December 5, 2025, and July 22, 2025. You can read the announcement HERE.