Big news for Indians! Auto-extensions will no longer be available on work permit visas in the US

The US has ended the automatic renewal of work permits. There will now be a fresh scrutiny each time, and auto-extensions will no longer be available. This rule will impact Indian employees and spouses of H-1B visa holders.

There’s some big news for Indians and other immigrants working in the United States. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended the automatic renewal of work permits, also known as Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).

Those with pending work permit renewals will no longer be able to continue working. This new rule comes into effect on October 30, 2025. This sudden decision has raised concerns among expatriate communities, legal experts, and companies.

According to experts, this move will impact the US workforce, as the EAD renewal process already takes several months. This will directly impact the employment of immigrants who are legally working in the US.

This will have the greatest impact on Indian workers. A significant number of Indian workers are spouses of H-1B visa holders working in the US through EAD. They will now face the greatest difficulty, as the auto-extension facility will end and they will have to submit a new application and verification each time.

Indian students working after their studies under the OPT program will also be affected by this change. However, green card holders, primary H-1B applicants, L-1 and O-1 visa holders will not be affected as they do not require an EAD.

Under the new rule, each EAD renewal will require a new scrutiny, eliminating the benefit of automatic extensions. DHS has stated this step to enhance security and prevent fraud. The agency claims this process will help identify potentially dangerous individuals and make the migrant workforce more transparent.

However, this sudden rule has also drawn criticism. Immigration experts and legal organizations say that the unannounced rule change has left thousands of skilled migrants and their employers in a quandary.

The post Big news for Indians! Auto-extensions will no longer be available on work permit visas in the US first appeared on informalnewz.

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