By Admin 
In a major change in America’s immigration system, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that now the maximum validity period of Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) will be reduced. This decision will impact millions of Indian professionals and their families. The agency says that this change is necessary to strengthen security checks and detect potential risks.
USCIS said the new policy will allow for more frequent screening of people seeking permission to work in the US, to prevent fraud and to identify individuals with malicious intentions so that they can begin the process of removing them from the country.
People should not become a threat to public safety
Director Joseph Edlow linked the decision to public safety concerns. He said reducing the employment-permission period would ensure that people who want to work in the United States do not pose a threat to public safety and do not promote anti-national ideologies.
Foreign citizens should be checked frequently
Referring to a recent incident, he said that the person who attacked National Guard soldiers in Washington was allowed to come into the country by the previous administration. After this incident, it has become more important that foreign citizens are checked repeatedly. These changes directly impact several categories that are used by Indian citizens in large numbers, such as employment-based green card applicants and H-1B workers who are undergoing processing.
EAD valid for only 18 months instead of 5 years
Now according to the new policy, EADs given to refugees, asylum seekers, those seeking relief from removal process and those applying for Green Card (INA 245) were earlier valid for five years, but now it will be valid only for 18 months. The policy alert states that this rule applies to all applications pending or filed on or after December 5, 2025.
This change could create new concerns for Indian applicants who are already facing long waits for green cards for years. Many Indians rely on long-term EADs and advance parole documents to remain employed. The Indian expatriate community is the largest beneficiary of employment-based visas in the US. They will be most affected by this change.