Effective May 4, 2022, USCIS will increase the automatic extension period on EAD’s for certain applicants to 540 days from 180 days in order to prevent gaps in employment authorization.

USCIS will temporarily provide up to 360 days of additional automatic extension time (for a total of up to 540 days) to eligible applicants (only those already authorized for 180 day EAD extension) with a timely-filed Form I-765 renewal application pending during the 18-month period after publication of the TFR while USCIS continues to work through pending caseloads that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This timeframe will allow USCIS an opportunity to address staffing shortages, implement additional efficiencies, and meet Director Jaddou’s recently announced goal of achieving a three-month cycle time for EAD applications (generally comparable to a median three-month processing time) by the end of FY23.

Beginning Oct. 27, 2023, automatic extensions of employment authorization and EAD validity will revert to the up to 180-day period for those eligible applicants who timely file Form I-765 renewal applications.