The USCIS has officially removed the 540-day automatic extension granted to H-4 visa holders with employment authorisation. The rule allowed immigrants to continue working for up to 540 days while the USCIS processed their renewal filings.
However, under this new rule, that is no longer the case. The automatic extension granted will no longer apply to applicants who filed on or after October 30, 2025.
This means that if their current EAD expires before a renewal is approved, they can no longer work. The applicants must wait while a new authorisation is approved for them.
This policy applies to multiple categories of immigrants in the US. However, the most significant is the H-4 Visa category.
This new rule will inevitably cause unavoidable employment gaps. Critics have stated that immigrants will face income loss and hiring disruptions, as renewals are already a lengthy process.
Earlier in the year, the USCIS also shortened the maximum duration of the EAD. It was reduced from five years to just eighteen months for renewals.
This means that workers have less time to work on authorisation. And given the wait time of multiple months for a renewal, they will also have to file for renewal early.
Together, these changes are yet another step by the government to hamper immigrant lives.
