C10 immigration status is the work-authorization category on an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued to someone with a pending application for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or NACARA special rule cancellation of removal. The code comes from 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(10), and it lets the holder work legally in the United States while that underlying case is decided.1eCFR. 8 CFR 274a.12 – Classes of Aliens Authorized to Accept Employment C10 is not a green card and not a lawful immigration status of its own; it is permission to work tied to a case that is still open.
Most people who hold C10 EADs today are NACARA applicants, though the same code is used for the two other groups.
Who Qualifies for C10
The category is open to anyone whose properly filed application for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or special rule cancellation of removal has been accepted and is pending with USCIS or the Executive Office for Immigration Review.1eCFR. 8 CFR 274a.12 – Classes of Aliens Authorized to Accept Employment Intending to file is not enough. There has to be a live application on file.
The three qualifying case types are:
- Suspension of deportation under the immigration law in effect before April 1, 1997.
- Cancellation of removal under INA Section 240A, which generally requires ten years of continuous physical presence, good moral character, and a showing that removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative.
- Special rule cancellation of removal under Section 203 of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA), which has its own nationality-based rules and a more forgiving hardship standard.
NACARA 203 Eligibility
NACARA 203 was written for specific groups swept up in the civil conflicts of the 1980s and early 1990s. Whether a person qualifies depends on nationality, when they first entered the country, and whether older registration or asylum deadlines were met.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) 203 – Eligibility to Apply with USCIS
- Salvadoran nationals must have first entered on or before September 19, 1990; registered under the American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh (ABC) settlement or applied for Temporary Protected Status on or before October 31, 1991; applied for asylum on or before February 16, 1996; and not been apprehended at entry after December 19, 1990.
- Guatemalan nationals must have first entered on or before October 1, 1990; registered for ABC benefits on or before December 31, 1991; applied for asylum on or before January 3, 1995; and not been apprehended at entry after December 19, 1990.
- Former Soviet bloc nationals must have entered on or before December 31, 1990, and filed an asylum application on or before December 31, 1991. Qualifying countries include the former Soviet Union, Russia, and any former Soviet republic, as well as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Albania, East Germany, Yugoslavia, and any state of the former Yugoslavia.
Every NACARA 203 applicant also has to show seven years of continuous physical presence in the United States immediately before filing, good moral character during those seven years, and that removal would cause extreme hardship to the applicant or a qualifying relative.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) 203 – Eligibility to Apply with USCIS “Extreme hardship” is a lower bar than the “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” required for general cancellation of removal.
Continuous Presence and Criminal Bars
Continuous physical presence is not broken by every trip abroad, but a single absence of more than 90 days, or absences totaling more than 180 days, will break it. Keep records of every departure and return.
An aggravated felony conviction is an absolute bar to NACARA 203 relief.3eCFR. 8 CFR Part 240 Subpart H – Applications for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule Cancellation of Removal Controlled substance offenses, crimes involving moral turpitude, document fraud, and security-related offenses can also disqualify an applicant, though the regulations create a separate track with added requirements for some criminal grounds short of an aggravated felony. Anyone with a record should have the case reviewed by an immigration attorney before filing.
Family Members
The spouse or child of someone granted suspension of deportation or special rule cancellation of removal can receive derivative benefits, provided the relationship existed when the primary applicant was granted relief.3eCFR. 8 CFR Part 240 Subpart H – Applications for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule Cancellation of Removal Unmarried sons and daughters who are 21 or older when the parent’s case is decided can also qualify, but only if they themselves entered the United States on or before October 1, 1990. That entry-date rule does not apply to spouses or minor children. For a derivative to file with USCIS, the primary applicant’s Form I-881 must already be pending with the agency or the primary applicant must already have been granted relief.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) 203 – Eligibility to Apply with USCIS
How to Get the C10 Work Permit
The work permit is applied for on Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the eligibility category entered as (c)(10).4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Employment Authorization Putting the wrong code causes delays or rejection.
The package needs proof that the underlying case is pending. For NACARA applicants, that is a copy of the Form I-881 receipt notice or a court order showing the case is active.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-881 Application for Suspension of Deportation or Special Rule Cancellation of Removal For non-NACARA cancellation applicants, the equivalent is proof that Form EOIR-42B (or EOIR-42A for permanent residents) is pending before the immigration court. Two passport-style photos and a copy of a government-issued photo ID go with the application. A birth certificate with a certified English translation helps.
Fees change, so check the current fee schedule on the USCIS site before filing. Applicants who cannot afford the fee may request a fee waiver on Form I-912.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver The correct mailing address depends on whether you are a NACARA applicant (Form I-881) or a non-NACARA applicant (EOIR-42A or EOIR-42B); USCIS maintains separate lockbox charts for each group.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Validity and Renewal Under the 2025 Changes
As of December 4, 2025, USCIS reduced the maximum validity period for newly issued C10 EADs from five years to 18 months. The change applies to initial and renewal applications pending or filed on or after December 5, 2025. EADs already issued with a five-year validity before that date remain valid until their printed expiration date.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Reduced Validity Periods for Newly Issued Employment Authorization Documents
With a shorter card, filing renewals early matters more than it used to. The renewal follows the same process as the initial application and requires proof the underlying case is still pending. If USCIS or the immigration court has issued a final decision, the basis for C10 authorization ends.
The C10 category was previously eligible for an automatic renewal extension of up to 540 days, but USCIS limited that automatic extension to renewal applications filed before October 30, 2025.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization For renewals filed after that date, there is no automatic bridge, and a gap in work authorization is possible if processing runs past the current card’s expiration. File as early as USCIS will allow.
Traveling While Your Case Is Pending
C10 status does not authorize international travel, and leaving the country while your case is pending is risky. USCIS generally will not issue advance parole to someone in deportation or removal proceedings; any request based on compelling circumstances has to go through Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Departing while subject to an outstanding removal order can be treated as executing that order, and departing without advance parole essentially abandons the underlying application. Talk to an attorney before making any plans to travel.
What Happens When the Case Is Decided
If suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal is granted, the applicant is adjusted to lawful permanent resident status. A NACARA 203 grant produces a green card, and the C10 work permit becomes unnecessary because permanent residents can work without restriction. Derivative family members linked to the approved case may also be adjusted if they meet the eligibility rules described above.
If the case is denied, C10 work authorization ends. The applicant may be placed in or returned to removal proceedings depending on the procedural posture. An appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals is possible and may preserve work authorization during the appeal period, but that depends on the specifics of the case and should be worked out with an attorney.