What To Do After EAD Arrives: Steps Before Day One

Table of Contents

Introduction

The envelope from USCIS finally shows up. You've been refreshing your case status for weeks, and now the card is in your hand.

Knowing what to do after EAD arrives matters more than most people expect. A few small tasks in the first two weeks decide whether you start work on time or lose a month to paperwork.

You need to check the card for errors, sort out your Social Security number, complete Form I-9 with your employer, meet any reporting deadlines, and put your renewal date on the calendar.

This guide walks through each step in order, with notes on how the rules differ for OPT, STEM OPT, H-4, and adjustment-of-status EADs.

This is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your specific case, talk to your DSO or an immigration attorney.

TL;DR

Check every field on your EAD the day it arrives, and make copies before you mail it anywhere for correction.
If you requested a Social Security number on your Form I-765, watch for it in the mail. If you didn't, apply with the Social Security Administration.
You can start working only when the card is in hand and the "Valid From" date has passed.
OPT and STEM OPT students must report employer details in the SEVP Portal within 10 days and track their unemployment days.
Automatic EAD extensions ended for most renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, so file your renewal as early as the rules allow.

Check your EAD card the day it arrives

Most people glance at the photo and put the card away. Read every line instead. An error you catch in week one is an inconvenience. The same error found during your employer's I-9 review can push back your start date.

What to check on the card

Field on the card	What to confirm	Why it matters
Surname and given name	Matches your passport exactly, including spelling and order	Name mismatches cause I-9 and SSN delays
Date of birth and country of birth	Matches your passport	Needed for SSN and background checks
Category	Correct code for your case, such as (c)(3)(B) for post-completion OPT or (c)(26) for H-4	The category decides what work you can do
Valid From and Card Expires	Dates match what you requested, allowing for processing delays	You can't work before the start date or after expiry
USCIS number and card number	Clearly printed	Employers record these on Form I-9

A note on OPT dates. If USCIS took longer than expected, it may shift your dates later so you still get the full period. That's usually an adjustment, not an error, and your DSO can confirm which it is.

If something on the card is wrong

The fix depends on who caused the error. According to the USCIS Employment Authorization Document page, USCIS corrects its own mistakes at no cost. For a clear typo, you submit a service request online and mail the card back by USPS. USCIS says processing takes about 30 days from the date it receives the card.

If the error came from your own application, you'll need to file a new Form I-765 with the fee.

Before you mail anything, make copies of the front and back. If your employer hasn't reviewed the original for your I-9 yet, ask your DSO or attorney whether to do that first.

Some university offices, including MIT's International Students Office, advise students to finish the I-9, SSN application, and driver's license renewal before sending the card away.

Get your Social Security number sorted

Form I-765 lets you request a Social Security number at the same time as your EAD. Under the Enumeration Beyond Entry process, USCIS shares your information with the Social Security Administration, so you don't have to visit an SSA office.

If you checked that box, the Social Security card arrives separately from the EAD, usually a few weeks later. If it hasn't shown up after a month, or you didn't request one, apply in person with your EAD, passport, and I-94.

You can usually start work before the Social Security card arrives. Your employer can complete Form I-9 without it and add the number to payroll later. Tell HR early so it doesn't hold up your first paycheck.

Know when you can actually start working

Two conditions have to be true. The physical card must be in your possession, and the "Valid From" date must have arrived. An approval notice alone isn't enough.

What you're allowed to do after that depends on your category.

EAD category	Common code	Work restrictions	Reporting duty	Watch out for
Post-completion OPT	(c)(3)(B)	Work must relate directly to your field of study, 20+ hours a week	Report employer in SEVP Portal within 10 days	90-day unemployment limit
STEM OPT extension	(c)(3)(C)	Paid role with an E-Verify employer, with a Form I-983 training plan	Report through your DSO and SEVP Portal	150 total unemployment days across OPT and STEM OPT
H-4 spouse	(c)(26)	Any lawful job, including contract and self-employment	No SEVP reporting	Validity depends on your spouse's H-1B status
Adjustment of status pending	(c)(9)	Any lawful job	No SEVP reporting	Renewal timing, since the green card may take longer than the EAD

For a broader primer on how these categories fit together, see our guide to what work authorization is and how it works in hiring.

Complete Form I-9 with your employer

Your EAD (Form I-766) is a List A document. It proves both your identity and your work authorization on its own, so you don't need a second document for Form I-9.

The timing is fixed. USCIS rules on Form I-9 require you to complete Section 1 by your first day of work. Your employer must complete Section 2 within three business days of your start date. Bring the original card, not a photo.

If you're joining a staffing firm on a contract role, the firm that employs you completes the I-9, not the client where you'll do the work. That surprises some first-time contractors.

Our explanation of W-2, C2C, and 1099 contract types shows who your legal employer is under each arrangement.

One of the delays we see most often when onboarding EAD candidates is a name mismatch across documents. The EAD shows one spelling, the passport another, and the offer letter a third. Fix it before your start date, not after.

OPT and STEM OPT: report your job and track unemployment

If you're on OPT, your F-1 status now depends on employment. After approval, you'll get an email invitation to create your SEVP Portal account. Set it up right away, because it's where you report your employer.

The rules to keep in mind:

Report new employment, and any change to your employer, job title, or address, within 10 days.
You can have no more than 90 days of unemployment on post-completion OPT. STEM OPT adds 60 more, for 150 in total.
If employment isn't reported, those days may count as unemployment even if you're working.
STEM OPT requires an E-Verify employer and a signed Form I-983 before you start.

Temple University's international student office notes that unpaid or volunteer work in your field can count toward the 20-hour weekly requirement, as long as it doesn't violate labor laws. That can help if your job search runs close to the limit.

Planning ahead for H-1B? Our comparison of H-1B and OPT, including cap-gap, explains how the transition works.

Plan your EAD renewal now, not later

This rule changed recently, and many older guides haven't caught up.

The Department of Homeland Security ended automatic EAD extensions for most categories when the renewal is filed on or after October 30, 2025.

Before that, many renewal applicants could keep working for up to 540 days while their case was pending. For most new filings, that safety net is gone.

The receipt notice changed as well. USCIS I-9 Central says a receipt notice for a renewal filed on or after that date is not proof of work authorization, even with an expired EAD. If the new card hasn't arrived by the time the old one expires, you have to stop working.

What that means in practice:

Write your card's expiry date somewhere you'll see it.
Set a reminder for 180 days before expiry, the earliest point USCIS recommends filing.
Tell your recruiter or employer your expiry date on day one, so they can plan for any gap.

For contract workers, a gap in authorization usually means the assignment ends. Recruiters can often line up a new role, but they need to know the timeline months ahead, not two weeks before.

STEM OPT follows its own rules. A timely filed STEM OPT extension can still let you keep working while it's pending, so check with your DSO before relying on any extension.

What to do after EAD arrives: a 30-day plan

Timeframe	Tasks	Done when
Day 1	Check every field, copy both sides, store the original safely	You've confirmed no errors, or started a correction
Days 1 to 3	Send a copy to your DSO (OPT) or attorney (H-4, adjustment), tell your recruiter or employer	Everyone who needs the card details has them
Week 1	Confirm your start date, check SSN status, set up the SEVP Portal if on OPT	Start date is on or after "Valid From"
First day of work	Complete I-9 Section 1 and bring the original EAD	Employer has reviewed the original card
Within 10 days of starting	Report your employer in the SEVP Portal (OPT and STEM OPT)	Employer shows in your SEVIS record
Week 4	Add your renewal reminder and note your unemployment days used, if on OPT	You know your filing window and your margin

Before you travel abroad, check the rules for your category. OPT students generally need proof of a job or job offer to re-enter, among other documents, so talk to your DSO before booking anything.

If you're looking for your first contract role, our guide to contract-to-hire and C2C opportunities explains how those roles work and what recruiters look for.

Final thoughts on what to do after EAD arrives

The card itself is the easy part. What to do after EAD arrives comes down to three dates:

the day the card becomes valid
the deadline for your reporting or I-9 paperwork
the day the card expires

Get those three dates right and you'll avoid most of the problems people run into on an EAD. Write the expiry date down today, and give it to anyone who'll be employing you.

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Key takeaways

Check every field on your EAD the day it arrives. USCIS fixes its own errors at no cost, but you pay to fix yours.
You can work only when the card is physically in hand and the "Valid From" date has arrived.
Your EAD is a List A document for Form I-9. Section 1 is due by your first day, and your employer has three business days for Section 2.
OPT students must report employment within 10 days and stay under the 90-day unemployment limit, or 150 days with STEM OPT.
Most renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025 get no automatic extension, so file up to 180 days before expiry.

FAQs

Can I start working as soon as my EAD arrives?
Only if the "Valid From" date on the card has already passed. The card must also be physically in your possession, because an approval notice alone doesn't authorize work. If the start date is in the future, wait until that date.

What should I do if my EAD card has a mistake on it?
If USCIS caused the error, you can request a free correction through an online service request and mail the card back by USPS. If the mistake came from your own application, you'll need to file a new Form I-765 with the fee. Either way, copy both sides of the card before you mail it.

How long after my EAD arrives will I get my Social Security card?
If you requested an SSN on Form I-765, the card is mailed separately and usually arrives a few weeks after the EAD. If it hasn't come after about a month, contact the Social Security Administration. You can usually start working before it arrives.

Do I need to report my job after my OPT EAD arrives?
Yes. Students on post-completion OPT must report employer information in the SEVP Portal within 10 days of starting a job or changing employers. Unreported employment may count against your 90-day unemployment limit.

Is my I-797C receipt notice proof that I can keep working?
For most EAD renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, no. USCIS says those receipt notices aren't evidence of work authorization, even alongside an expired card. Earlier filings and some categories, such as STEM OPT, follow different rules.

When should I renew my EAD?
USCIS recommends filing up to 180 days before your current card expires. Automatic extensions have ended for most categories, so filing late raises the risk of a gap in which you can't work. Share your expiry date with your employer or recruiter so they can plan around it.