EAD Validity Period for Those with Pending Adjustment of Status Applications to Double from One Year to Two Years
On June 9, 2008, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that EAD authorization periods for those with pending adjustment of status applications will soon be granted for two year periods rather than the current one year period. He announced the change in a “State of Immigration” address he gave with Commerce Secretary Gutierrez in Washington.
The change is a very welcome one. By doubling the validity period for work authorization, it will mean less expense (the filing fee for the I-765 alone is $340.00) and hassle for those with pending adjustment applications. The change is supposed to start later this month.
Here is the quote from Secretary Chertoff’s remarks:
“. . . I'm also pleased to announce that we will be extending the validity period of the employment authorization documents that we issue to individuals who are waiting adjustment of status to lawful permit residency or in colloquial phrase, the green card.
Currently, adjustment applications are granted employment authorization documents with only a one year maximum validity. Beginning later this month, we'll start issuing these documents with a two-year validity period for aliens who are waiting adjustment of status if their application is expected to be pending for more than a year.
This, again, is eliminating a persistent source of frustration for workers who are here, who have a pending adjustment application but have to go and renew their employment documents every single year. It's going to cut the paperwork there. . .”
