Otherwise known as a work permit, an employment authorization document is a card issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that may allow you to legally and temporarily work in the country. This is different than a green card, which may offer you a path to permanent residency in the U.S. Nonetheless, if your employment authorization is set to expire soon, you may take measures to extend your stay and continue your professional life here. With that being said, please continue reading to learn whether you are qualified to renew your employment authorization document and how an experienced work authorization permit lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you take this initiative proactively.
How do I know if I qualify for employment authorization in the first place?
First of all, you must understand that the USCIS does not grant employment authorization to just anyone, even if it only allows a temporary stay in the country. And so, you may only apply for this work permit if you can relate to any of the following circumstances:
- You are already authorized to work in the United States because of your immigrant status, but you need proof (i.e., asylee, refugee, or U immigrant status).
- You must ask for permission to work because you have a pending permanent residency or adjustment of status application (i.e., Form I-485).
- You must ask for permission to work because you have a pending asylum or withholding of removal application (i.e., Form I-589).
- You must ask for permission to work because you have a non-immigrant status that does not automatically grant this right (i.e., F-1 or M-1 student visa).
How do I apply to renew my employment authorization document?
In short, it is possible to renew your employment authorization document. More specifically, though, this may only be if you are still in a set of circumstances that makes you eligible for this work permit. For example, if you still have an immigration application pending with the USCIS. Or, if you are still present in the country on a student visa.
To do this, you should submit the same petition as you did initially, Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the appropriate filing fee. It is best to file within 180 days of your work permit’s expiration date. This is so the USCIS has enough time to process your request.
Without having room for leniency, you may create a gap in your employment authorization, and more importantly, your legal presence, in the U.S. With this, you may have to go through the hassle of returning to your home country and petitioning for access back into the U.S. once more.
Do not let your legal initiatives stop after reading this blog. The next action you should take is calling us at Sesini Law Group, S.C., and retaining the services of a skilled work authorization permit lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. Rest assured, we will take the reins from here on out.