USCIS To Start Sending Separate EAD And AP Approvals – Immigration

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed
it will be decoupling the standard employment authorization
document (EAD) and advance parole (AP) “combo card” and
sending out separate EAD and AP documents in an effort to expedite
EAD processing times. The EAD and AP are typically requested along
with the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Status or
Adjust Status, when applying for permanent residency in the United
States. The EAD provides employment authorization and the AP
provides travel authorization while an adjustment-of-status
application is pending.

Current EAD processing times have increased dramatically during
the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas Service Center and the Nebraska
Service Center are currently reporting processing times of between 11.5 to 13.5 months
for EADs based on a pending adjustment of status application.
During a recent USCIS webinar, agency officials stated that USCIS
has been trying to work through the EAD backlog to avoid a gap in
employment authorization for foreign nationals relying on the EAD
for employment.

An EAD card that does not have the notation “Serves as
I-512 Advance Parole” is valid only for employment and may not
be used for travel. A separate AP document will be required for
international travel. USCIS will issue the stand-alone AP approval
notice separately.

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