Effective October 5, 2016, USCIS has increased the validity period for initial or renewal Employment Authorization Documents for asylum applicants from one year to two years.
Applicants with pending asylum claims file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, under category (c)(8). This change applies to all (c)(8)-based applications that are pending as of October 5, 2016 and all such applications filed on or after October 5, 2016.
Asylum applicants will be eligible to apply for a work permit after their asylum petition has been pending for more than 150 days. Before October 05, 2016 this work permit was only valid for one year.
If the petitioner doesn’t get a decision on their asylum petition within a year, they will have an option to renew their permit for two years. For more information on asylum petitions, please contact our immigration law firm.