By: Patricia Gannon, Esq. and Marcela Bermudez, Esq.
Effective December 15, 2025, the U.S. State Department will expand its online presence review to include H-1B specialty occupation workers and H-4 dependents, in addition to F, M, and J visa applicants.
Applicants must set all social media profiles to public for review. Consular officers will examine social media activity and other online content for indicators of security concerns. If derogatory information is found, applicants may face additional screening, delays, or visa refusal.
Employers and foreign nationals should anticipate longer processing times and plan travel accordingly.
Read the full policy update here.
USCIS Reduces Employment Authorization Document Validity
Effective December 5, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has shortened the maximum validity period for certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to enhance security and fraud prevention.
Key changes include:
- Refugees, asylees, and related categories: EAD validity reduced from five years to 18 months.
- TPS, parole, and related categories: EAD validity limited to one year or the end of authorized status, whichever is shorter.
These updates apply to pending or new Form I-765 applications filed on or after the effective dates. Employers and applicants should plan for more frequent renewals and vetting.
Read the full USCIS policy update here.
The maximum validity period for initial and renewal EADs will be changed from five years back to 18 months for several categories of aliens:
- Aliens admitted as refugees;
- Aliens granted asylum;
- Aliens granted withholding of deportation or removal;
- Aliens with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal;
- Aliens with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245; and
- Aliens with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.
This change affects aliens with applications for employment authorization that are pending or filed on or after Dec. 5, 2025, and based on any of the above categories.
As required by H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Public Law 119-21, 139 Stat. 72, (H.R. 1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, the validity period for initial and renewal employment authorization documents will be one year or the end date of the authorized parole period or duration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), whichever is shorter for the following categories:
- Aliens paroled as refugees;
- Aliens granted TPS;
- Aliens granted parole;
- Aliens with a pending TPS application; and
- Alien spouse of entrepreneur parole.
On July 22, 2025, USCIS published a Federal Register notice and issued an announced implementation of H.R. 1. These validity period requirements apply to any Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025.
