On October 25, 2011, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has launched a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with enhanced features to strengthen security and deter fraud. The goal of the new EAD is to deter counterfeiting, obstruct tampering, and facilitate quick and accurate authentication of the EAD.
USCIS began issuing the new EADs on October 25. Unexpired EADs currently in circulation remain valid. However, when individuals apply for a new employment authorization document or the replacement of an existing card, they will be issued the EAD with the enhanced security features. A color sample of the new EAD may be viewed in the USCIS press release.