Work Permit and Employment Authorization Attorney in San Antonio, Texas
Work Authorization
The Work Permit: Employment Authorization While Your Case Is Pending
For many immigrants, the ability to work legally cannot wait until a green card is approved. The Employment Authorization Document, or EAD, is the work permit that lets eligible applicants earn a living, obtain a Social Security number, and often use the card as valid identification while their larger case moves forward. It is requested on Form I-765, and small errors or timing mistakes can leave a gap in your right to work.
At Lozano Law Firm, our bilingual team files work permit applications for clients across San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo, guided by Board-Certified immigration attorney Alfredo Lozano. Start with a free consultation to confirm your eligibility.
A Work Permit Is Not Immigration Status by Itself
An Employment Authorization Document lets you work legally, but it does not by itself grant or extend immigration status. Your right to remain in the United States comes from the underlying category, such as a pending adjustment of status or asylum application, and that case must stay alive for the work permit to keep its meaning. Letting the underlying matter lapse can end the authorization even if the card still shows a future date. We help clients across Texas keep both the work permit and the case behind it on track together.
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Gracias por el excelente trabajo y por la tranquilidad que me han dado durante este proceso. Sin duda los recomendaría a familiares y amigos que necesiten un abogado de inmigración.
Who Can Get a Work Permit
Not everyone needs a separate work permit, and not everyone qualifies for one. Eligibility depends on the immigration category you are in.
Adjustment of Status Applicants
People with a pending adjustment of status application are among the most common EAD applicants. The work permit is usually filed together with the green card application at no extra filing fee, and it lets you work for any employer while you wait.
Other Eligible Categories
Many other categories qualify, including certain applicants for humanitarian relief, people with pending asylum applications, recipients of Temporary Protected Status, fiancés who have entered on a K-1, and various others. Each category has its own code and its own rules, and we make sure your application lists the correct one.
Automatic Extensions
Some categories qualify for an automatic extension of an expiring EAD when a timely renewal is filed, which can prevent a gap in work authorization. The rules on how long the extension lasts change from time to time, so we confirm the current policy for your category before your card expires.
More Than a Work Permit
The EAD does more than authorize work. It serves as a valid form of identification, it lets you obtain a Social Security number, and for adjustment applicants it is often combined on a single card with an advance parole travel document, which we cover on our advance parole page.
Our Process
What to Expect
Free Case Evaluation
We start with a no-cost consultation to review your situation, explain your options, and identify the strongest path forward for your family.
Case Preparation
Our team assembles your petition with the documentation and evidence USCIS expects, prepared accurately the first time to avoid delays.
Filing & Follow-Through
We file, track deadlines, respond to USCIS, and prepare you for every interview until your case is resolved.
What to Expect From the Process
After we file Form I-765, USCIS issues a receipt notice and, for many applicants, schedules biometrics. When the application is approved, the EAD card is mailed to you, and you can begin or continue working for any employer right away.
Timing matters most at renewal. Filing early, and understanding whether your category qualifies for an automatic extension, is how you avoid a gap that could interrupt your job. We calendar renewal windows for our clients and file well ahead so work authorization stays continuous. Processing times shift, so we track current estimates and plan around them.
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Lozano Law Firm
Hire a Board-Certified Immigration Attorney
Attorney Alfredo Lozano is Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and since founding the firm in 2006 he has brought a Marine Corps veteran's discipline, more than 20 years of immigration experience, and a fully bilingual team to every case the firm handles.
Our approach combines personalized counsel with the documentation rigor these cases demand, so your petition is prepared correctly the first time. Board Certification means the state has independently verified his experience, tested his knowledge, and confirmed his standing among peers, which is the kind of assurance that matters when your family's future is on the line.
Meet
Our Team
Our team includes experienced attorneys, legal professionals, and client-care specialists who share a common commitment: making the immigration process as clear and manageable as possible for every family we serve.
Alfredo Lozano
Managing Attorney
Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law and a Marine Corps veteran who leads every case strategy.
Linda Hamilton
Attorney
Guides families and employers through petitions, waivers, and interviews with steady, detailed advocacy.
Minerva Gonzalez
Legal Assistant
Prepares documentation and keeps every case organized, accurate, and moving forward.
Mayra Juarez
Legal Administrator
Coordinates case management and client communication across our three Texas offices.
Download Our Free E-Book
How to Obtain Residency If You Are in the U.S. Illegally
Entering the country without inspection does not always close the door to a green card. Our free guide walks through the options that may apply, from Section 245(i) and Military Parole in Place to the I-601A provisional waiver, in plain language.
Download the guide to understand the paths that could be available to your family, then contact us for advice on your specific situation.
Work Permit Help in San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and San Angelo
We prepare EAD applications for clients across South and West Texas, in English and Spanish, and we connect the work permit to your larger immigration goal rather than treating it as a standalone form. Whether you are adjusting status, awaiting a humanitarian decision, or renewing an existing card, we help keep your authorization current. Every case begins with a free consultation.
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Request Your Free Consultation
Tell us about your family's situation and our bilingual team will reach out to schedule your free case evaluation.
Work Permit and EAD FAQs
Who qualifies for a work permit?
Eligibility depends on your immigration category. Common examples include people with a pending adjustment of status application, pending asylum applicants, TPS holders, K-1 fiancés, and several humanitarian categories. Permanent residents and U.S. citizens do not need an EAD because their status already allows work.
How long does it take to get an EAD?
Processing times vary by category and change over time, commonly running several months. Filing a complete application and, for renewals, filing early are the best ways to get your card without an interruption in your ability to work.
Can I keep working while I renew my EAD?
Sometimes yes. Certain categories qualify for an automatic extension of an expiring EAD when you file the renewal on time, which lets you keep working past the printed expiration date. Because the length and the eligible categories change, we confirm the current rule for your situation before your card expires.
Can I work while my green card application is pending?
Yes, once your EAD is approved. Adjustment of status applicants usually file the work permit together with the green card application, and after approval you can work for any employer while the green card case continues.
Is the work permit the same as a green card?
No. The EAD authorizes you to work while a case is pending, but it is not permanent resident status and does not by itself lead to a green card. It is a temporary benefit tied to your underlying application, which is the case that actually determines your future status.
Lozano Law Firm
Cases We Do Not Handle
Lozano Law Firm focuses exclusively on the practice areas listed above. We do not handle asylum or criminal immigration cases. When clients come to us with needs outside our scope, we refer them to trusted colleagues who specialize in those areas. Our referral network includes attorneys who handle asylum claims and criminal immigration consequences, so every person who contacts us receives direction toward the right help.
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Start Your Journey Today
Immigration goals should not wait. Whether you are exploring your options for the first time or ready to move forward with a case, our team is here to help. Contact Lozano Law Firm for a free case evaluation and let us put our Board-Certified expertise to work for you.
Schedule your free case evaluation today.
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