U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on June 19, 2020 a regulatory change removing the 30 day processing window USCIS officials had to process initial employment authorization documents (EADs) for asylum applicants. Effective August 21, 2020, this change will give USCIS more time to address “national security and fraud concerns, maintain technological advances in identity verification, and further deter those who may attempt to defraud the legal immigration system.”
The rule also removes the requirement that asylum applicants submit their work authorization renewal requests to USCIS 90 days before the expiration of their current employment authorization. This change is intended to reduce confusion and clarifying that asylum applicants can file their renewal work authorization applications up to 180 days before the expiration date, minimizing potential gaps in employment authorization.
