The Department of Homeland Security has announced an interim final rule ending the practice of automatically extending employment authorization documents for aliens filing renewal applications in certain employment authorization categories.

With this new rule in place, USCIS recommends applying to renew your employment authorization 180 days before the EAD expires. The longer one waits to file an EAD renewal application, the more likely it is that they may experience a temporary lapse in their employment authorization or documentation.

Noncitizens who file to renew their EAD on or after Oct. 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD for 540 days. There are limited exceptions to this rule for TPS recipients and others.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) emphasizes that the purpose of the new rule is to deter fraud and detect those with potentially harmful intent, by increased scrutiny in the screening and vetting processes. The change reflects the current administration’s intent to increase scrutiny and oversight of noncitizens’ work authorization.

The rule is published here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/30/2025-19702/removal-of-the-automatic-extension-of-employment-authorization-documents“