Overview
- Renewal requests filed by October 29, 2025, remain covered by the prior policy that allowed up to 540 days of automatic extension.
- Applicants who file after the cutoff cannot continue working once their current EAD expires until USCIS approves a new card.
- Categories such as DACA and certain TPS beneficiaries retain protections under separate statutes or Federal Register notices.
- USCIS urges filing renewals up to 180 days in advance, and attorneys warn new verifications could prolong processing by an estimated seven to ten months.
- Employers and households face potential work disruptions, while the Labor Department has resumed key visa-processing systems that support employer-sponsored cases.