USCIS Issuing Updated I-797C for Certain Operation Allies Welcome Parolees

During Operation Allies Welcome, many Afghans who arrived as part of the evacuation efforts were paroled into the United States. Many applied for and received Form I-766, Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Certain EADs with a validity period of less than 2 years are now being automatically extended to align with the parole period shown on the beneficiary's Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.  Affected beneficiaries will receive an I-797C, Notice of Action, indicating that DHS is extending that individual's EAD to align with the parole period shown on their Form I-94. For more information about Form I-94, see the Form I-94 Website.

 How to Complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for a New Employee

Employees may choose to present their EADs with the I-797C indicating their new validity date. This combination is acceptable for Form I-9 purposes and is considered a List A document. The I-797C will contain the new "valid until" date for the employee's employment authorization.

 In Section 1, new employees presenting an EAD with an I-797C indicating an extension of employment authorization must:

• Select "An alien authorized to work until"; and
• Enter the "valid until" date provided on the I-797C as the expiration date of employment authorization.

In Section 2, the employer must:

• Enter EAD in the Document Title field;
• Enter the document number from the EAD; and
• Enter the "valid until" date provided on the I-797C as the document expiration date.

How to Update Form I-9 for a Current Employee

Your employee may present their EAD with an I-797C containing language that extends their EAD and employment authorization. You must update Form I-9 to indicate the new EAD validity date.

In Section 2, the employer must:

• Enter the updated "valid until" date from the employee's I-797C in the Section 2 Additional Information field.

For more information about Form I-9 completion and acceptable documents, see I-9 Central or the Handbook for Employers (M-274).