Hong Kong residents who are eligible can apply for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) until February 5, 2025.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today published a notice in the Federal Register concerning the extension and broadening of eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for individuals residing in Hong Kong. The notice also gives instructions for eligible Hong Kong residents on how to apply for EADs.
President Biden issued a directive on January 26, 2023, which expanded and extended the DED for certain Hong Kong residents for a period of 24 months. Hong Kong residents who are eligible and were covered under DED as of January 26, 2023, are permitted to stay in the U.S. until February 5, 2025, and are authorized to work in the U.S.
No application is needed for DED. It covers Hong Kong residents based on the stipulations in the President’s directive. Eligible Hong Kong residents can apply for an EAD by submitting Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
The directive also instructs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend work permits for Hong Kong residents covered under DED and to expedite the issue of new or replacement documents when needed. The USCIS is extending the validity of Hong Kong DED-based EADs until February 5, 2025, for those already possessing an EAD with an A-11 category code and an expiration date of February 5, 2023. These EADs continue to be valid, despite the card’s expiration date having passed. No application for a new EAD is necessary to take advantage of this automatic EAD extension. However, individuals desiring a new DED-based EAD with a “Card Expires” date of February 5, 2025, must submit Form I-765.
The DHS may grant travel authorization at its discretion to those covered under DED for Hong Kong. Individuals wanting to travel outside of the U.S. based on DED must submit Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to request advance parole.
For further information on USCIS and its programs, visit uscis.gov.
If you need assistance or have any questions about this process please call our office at:
- Freehold, NJ: (732) 780-3090
- Somerville, NJ: (908) 707-4560
