ARTICLE · 17 NOVEMBER 2021

USCIS Issues Policy Alert On EAD Extensions For Certain H-4, E, And L Dependent Spouses

Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd.

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On November 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Alert regarding the automatic extension of employment authorization for certain H-4, E, and L dependent spouses.

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Derek W. Strain

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On November 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Alert regarding the automatic extension of employment authorization for certain H-4, E, and L dependent spouses. Spouses of H-1B, E and L nonimmigrants have long faced significant hardships due to extreme delays in processing times by USCIS of their employment authorization documents (EADs). The policy announcement follows a settlement agreement entered into on November 10, 2021 in response to litigation in which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed to provide some relief to certain H-4, E and L-2 spouses and their applications for employment authorization. Prior announcements regarding the agreement only mentioned H-4 and L-2 spouses.

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