1 Attachment(s)
EAD / AP Renewal Sample format
Cover Letter Sample
August 7, 2018
To
USCIS
Sub: Renewal Application for Employment Authorization with Pending I-485 (Adjustment of Status)
[A# 231-010-000]
Dear Sir/Madam,
My Adjustment of Status (I-485, Receipt # SRC100000005) application is pending. I am enclosing the following documents in support of my renewal application for EAD:
- Completed form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
- 2 color photographs (with A# at the back)
- Form G-1145 (E-Notification)
- Copy of I-797C, Notice of Action, Receipt of filing I-485
- Copy of Previously approved EAD/AP mailer information (with bar code)
- Copy of previously approved EAD/AP Card (front and back)
- Copy of I-94 arrival/departure card
- Copy of driver's license (North Carolina)
- Copy of passport's biographic pages
Kindly approve the above-mentioned applications with a two-year validity period in accordance with recent USCIS Policy Alert PA-2021-10 issued on June 9, 2021.
Code:
Note: The above wording is a modification of request for 2 year EAD based on recent update to USCIS Policy Manual. The original wording when PD is not FA current is in the PDF file linked to this thread.
If you have any questions or need additional information concerning the above, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for your kind attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
First LAST
1000 Pruce Lane, Concord, NC 28261
Cell 000-100-2001
Email: whatis@who.com
August 7, 2018
To
USCIS
Sub: Renewal Application for Travel Document with Pending I-485 (Adjustment of Status)
[A# 231-010-000]
Dear Sir/Madam,
My Adjustment of Status (I-485, Receipt # SRC100000005) application is pending. I am enclosing the following documents in support of my renewal application for AP:
- Completed form I-131, Application for Travel Document
- 2 color photographs (with A# at the back)
- Form G-1145 (E-Notification)
- Copy of I-797C, Notice of Action, Receipt of filing I-485
- Copy of Previously approved EAD/AP mailer information (with bar code)
- Copy of previously approved EAD/AP Card (front and back)
- Copy of I-94 arrival/departure card
- Copy of driver's license (North Carolina)
- Copy of passport's biographic pages
Kindly approve the above-mentioned applications with a two-year validity period in accordance with recent USCIS Policy Alert PA-2021-10 issued on June 9, 2021.
If you have any questions or need additional information concerning the above, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for your kind attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
First LAST
1000 Pruce Lane, Concord, NC 28261
Cell 000-100-2001
Email: whatis@who.com
AP Travel Description Letter Sample
08/07/2018
Attention: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
Re: Request for Advance Parole
To Whom It May Concern
This is to request Advance Parole to travel to INDIA for visiting family members. The approximate travel will be from June 2019 to July 2019.
I may also need to travel for business purposes to COMPANY headquarters in Karuvelampatti, FRANCE in 2019.
Thank you for your consideration.
First LAST
Here's a PDF of the Sample Letter Above.Attachment 1775
Guide to EAD/AP Card Renewal
I got my first I-485 EAD/AP card. What's next?
- Make sure that you have scanned and stored the I-485 receipt notice. It is like the golden ticket in Willy Wonka. You will need it for all EAD/AP renewals from now onwards. This golden ticket gives you a backup status and makes sure that you stay legal in USA.
- Scan and Save the PDF of the EAD/AP card, front and back. Also scan the mailer letter with barcode that came with EAD/AP card. Mailer barcode is very important and helps to speed up renewal. As a practice, I save the PDF with three pages (front, back and mailer with bar code).
- Go and do Driver's License renewal or update the I-9 form (see below caveats).
- Usually the first EAD/AP card is issued only with 1 year validity. So you need to plan for renewal of EAD/AP in 6 months' time. Update: USCIS Policy Alert PA-2021-10 issued on June 9, 2021 says initial and renewal EADs will be have 2 year validity.
- Save a copy of PERM, I-140 and I-485 application. If you don't have a copy of PERM, request it from HR / law-firm for safe keeping. Although, there is no legal requirement, you will need it to do AC21 (change of job) after 180 days. For "same or similar" justification in I485 Supp J, your chances of approval will increase exponentially when you match the approved PERM as much as possible.
I-9 / Status / Caveats
- If you are on H1B, don't give your EAD/AP to HR. Once you use EAD/AP then you move to "I485 Pending" status and H1B gets dormant till next renewal or amendment. Lots of details and fine print on this topic.
- Once you use EAD/AP to reenter the country, then you move to "AOS / Parolee / DA (District Authority)" status. You are no longer on H1B till next H1B renewal.
How to Plan next EAD/AP renewal?
- Make sure that you have saved the three pages of EAD/AP card (front, back and mailer).
- Calculate the 180th day before expiry of your EAD/AP. Open MS Excel and subtract 180 days from the expiry date. That?s the day that you will mail your renewal package to USCIS. Calculate 1 month (210 days) before the date so that you can start preparing the application.
- Put a calendar activity for the 180th (mail application packet) and 210th days (start preparing application) and share it with your spouse so that you both are aware of the dates.
I am in the 210th day; what should I do?
I am in the 210th day; what should I do?
- Take your passport photo using a cell phone or camera with off-white background. Follow photo guidelines. Do not recycle or reuse old passport photos. You will definitely get a RFE if old photos are used. Photo RFE is the most common RFE for EAD/AP renewals.
- Google "e passport photo". There are a few ?free? websites that can convert your photo to a 4x6 template. No need to pay for anything. Click the "free" option and generate a 4x6 photo sheet. It will have an advertisement in the unused space. You will discard it when you cut out your photos.
- Upload the photo to your favorite photo service (Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, etc.,) and order two (2) 4x6 photos. A sheet will have four 2x2 passport photos. So for USD $0.30 you will get 4 passport photos. I sometimes order two sets of photos from two different shops and pick the best one. I don?t mind spending an additional $1 for myself and my spouse. With pandemic, the photos take a week to arrive by mail. You need two 2x2 photos for EAD and another two for AP. One 4x6 sheet should be sufficient. However I have found that sometimes either the top two or bottom two photos are cut automatically while printing. So I order 2 sheets (additional $0.30).
- Collect the copies of your first EAD/AP application prepared by attorney. Use it to get started.
- Always download the latest version of I-765 and I-131 PDF form from the USCIS website. If you use an older version of form, the application will be rejected.
- Use the covering letter format given above and populate it in a word document (LaTeX if you are one of my friends). You would need two sets one for yourself and another for your spouse.
- Go and complete the forms. Use (c)(9)(P) (Pending adjustment of status under Section 245 of the Act) as the eligibility category for combo card. If this is your first time, it might take 2+ hours. Ask questions in the online forum whenever you have doubts.
- Sign it as 180th day or 179th day. It does not matter as long as it is close to 180th day.
- Write A# using a felt pen on the back of the photos for yourself and your wife. I always take two regular envelopes, seal them blank and cut the sides so that I can create four small pockets for attaching photos to the EAD/AP application. I also write my A# and full name outside the photo mini envelope.
I am in the 180th Day; what should I do?
- Mail it using FedEx or USPS Express with delivery tracking.
- All four packets can be mailed in the same envelope (Husband + wife, EAD+AP). However make sure that you separate each application via binder clips. You will most likely get 4 consecutive receipt notices.
- Always check and confirm the mailing address (lockbox) from USCIS website before mailing. They can change it anytime. If you are applying EAD/AP renewal together you will send to EAD address.
- Make sure that you have signatures at all relevant places. If signatures are missing then your application will be rejected.
- Arrange the supporting documents in order. Do not use staples. Use paper clips so that the lockbox can take them out and digitally scan your application.
- There is no renewal fee for (c) (9) (P) category. This can be confirmed by looking in the I-765 instructions PDF from USCIS website.
- If USCIS receives renewal envelope before 180 days (say 181st day), your application will be rejected. So I try to mail it somewhere between 175th the 179th day. There have been numerous cases where people tried to deliver it on the 180th day and got into trouble because FedEx delivered their packets early.
Common EAD / AP renewal Errors
Common EAD / AP renewal Errors
- Reusing old photos and getting a photo RFE
- Not using the latest version of the EAD / AP forms from USCIS website. Your application will be rejected.
- Not confirming the mailing address from USCIS website before mailing. If you are lucky USCIS will route it to the correct center. However, it will delay approval.
- Forgetting signatures. Application will be rejected.
Advantage of Working on EAD
- The EAD provides unrestricted employment authorization. This means No salary requirement, No specialty position requirement, No specific level of education, No specific location, No duration requirement, etc.,
- With the I-485 pending (AOS Pending), all foreign nationals are considered to be in a period of authorized stay in the United States. You are eligible to extend the EAD as long as the I-485 remains pending. The beauty is that you don't have to pay any USCIS fee at all with a Pending AOS and if you follow the I-765 Do-It-Yourself guide, total expenses for the paperwork are only $25 to $50 (FedEx, printing and photo charges). Attorneys charge anywhere between $500 to $2000 for preparing and submitting a EAD/AP renewal application.
- You can work any number of jobs on EAD whereas H1B is only for a specific position at a specific location of a specific employer.
Disadvantages of Working on EAD
- Max work authorization validity is 1 or 2 years. On the other hand, H1B's are approved for a 3 year period.
- Once the EAD validity expires, you need to stop working immediately. There is no grace period, unless you are eligible for automatic extension of 180 days as explained below (AOS people are eligible).
- Processing time can be as long as 3 to 6 months and there is no premium processing for I-765 form. Filing for renewal timely is a key part of staying and working on EAD.
- Using the EAD and relying upon the I-485, means that there is no underlying non-immigrant status. Thus, if the I-485 is denied for some reason, you will be out of status. If you have an underlying H1B you can fall back to that status. That's why many people still keep renewing H1B although some believe that it is total waste of time and money.
Automatic Extension of EAD
Starting Jan 2017, USCIS introduced a new policy of automatic EAD extension, provided you file a timely renewal. The following are the conditions:
- Properly filed for a renewal EAD before their current EAD expired, and
- Are otherwise eligible for a renewal, which means that: a) Your EAD renewal is under a category that is eligible for an automatic 180-day extension (see the list of categories below); and b) The Category on your current EAD matches the ?Class Requested? listed on this Notice of Action.
Category (c)(9) or Pending AOS is eligible for Automatic Extension. However H4 EAD [(c)(26)] and L2 EAD [(a)(18)] are not eligible for automatic extension.
For complete list of eligible categories visit USCIS site:
https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the...-ead-extension
