USA Green Card Immigration Blog

It has been recently proclaimed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible EI Salvador nationals will be extended by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS.) The current expiration date of Sept. 9, 2010 has been extended to March 9, 2012.

DHS in collaboration with the Department of State assessed the conditions in EI Salvador last year. The review concluded that the conditions that necessitated the 2001 TPS of EI Salvador as a result of subsequent severe earthquakes still continues. This is temporarily preventing Salvador nationals from returning to their country. Thus Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security has arrived at the conclusion that the existing Salvadoran TPS has to be extended for 18 months.

The extension allows individuals who already have a TPS to re-register and extend their status for an additional 18 months. Around 217,000 EI Salvador nationals are eligible for the re-registration. Salvadoran nationals who entered the US after Feb. 13, 2001 cannot benefit from the Temporary Protected Status extension. The re-registration period is between July 9 and Sept. 7, 2010. Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries are obliged to re-register as soon as the re-registration period begins since USCIS requires time to go ahead with background checking and processing.

Eligible TPS beneficiaries will be issued a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) by USCIS once they re-register and apply for EADs. Also, the validity of existing EADs will automatically be extended for six months until March 9, 2011.

In order to re-register, eligible TPS beneficiaries are required to file the Application for Temporary Protected Status, Form I-821. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization has to be filed along with the processing fee by applicants who seek to extend their Employment Authorization Document. Applicants seeking only to re-register for TPS, should still file Form I-765, but need not pay the filing fee.

It has been recently announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that an additional 180 days will be given to eligible Haitian nationals to apply for their Temporary Protected Status (TPS.) This additional six months is viewed as a response to the earthquake that struck Haiti in the beginning of this year. The new registration closes on January 18, 2011.

USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas said that USCIS has arrived at the conclusion that Haitian nationals need some more time to apply for TPS after hearing from the Haitian community leaders and advocates. By extending the registration period, USCIS lets more eligible Haitian nationals to safely stay back in the United States until the catastrophe settles in Haiti.

Haitian nationals who secure a Temporary Protected Status can remain in the United States and can also get authorized to work there during the course of the program. USCIS has taken up many initiatives to let the Haitians know about the benefits and information about the registration process from the time the program was initiated. USCIS is still in the process of encouraging eligible Haitian nationals to file for TPS before the deadline. Applicants who are unable to pay the application fee can request for fee waivers.

During interaction with the public, USCIS could gather several reasons for eligible individual’s failure to apply for their Temporary Protected Status. Few individuals faced difficulty in gathering documents to be submitted for the TPS registration due to the earthquake. Few others could not afford to pay the application fees.

Commencing January 21, 2010, TPS for Haitian nationals was allotted for an 18-month period by Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary. Haitian nationals who stayed in the United States since January 12, 2010 are only eligible for this designation. Those Haitians who stepped into the United States after Jan. 12, 2010 cannot benefit from this program.

The earthquake in Haiti recently was called “a disaster of historic proportions”. Until now Haiti had not been given temporary protected status. But the earthquake changed it all. The Department of Homeland Security has recently announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. TPS provides temporary immigration status for a specific amount of time to people of a particular nation impacted by extreme events such as wars, earthquakes or hurricanes. Haitian immigrants will be highly benefited from this move as they can stay in U.S. and work here until situations in their country improve.

Haitian communities and immigrant right groups across the USA are finding out more about the program and are encouraging many people to apply. For Haiti, the temporary protected status registration period is open from January 21, 2010 until July 20, 2010. To qualify for TPS you have to be a national of Haiti, resided in U.S. since Jan 12 2010, complete TPS application procedures and have no criminal record. All TPS applicants must file form I-765. If you do not want employment authorization, you will not have to pay a filing fee for Form I-765. The TPS status has been granted for a period of 18 months until Haiti gets back on its feet.

The Department of Homeland Security is supporting Haiti’s recovery by providing temporary refuge to Haitian nationals who are currently in the U.S. If the TPS is not provided the personal safety of Haitian nationals would be endangered by returning to Haiti.

Department of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano has estimated that there are 100,000 to 200,000 Haitian nationals currently in USA illegally. Temporary protected status gives the Haitian immigrants a temporary immigration status. So Haitians living in U.S. can start applying for TPS and get a chance to remain in U.S. and get work permits to work legally. The money they send back home will be highly useful to Haitians who are suffering to rebuild their country.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced recently that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will extend the temporary protected status for nationals of Sudan. The current expiration date of May 2, 2010 will be extended to the new expiration date of Nov 2, 2011.

Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security conducted a review in Sudan last year. It has determined that an 18-month extension is required because of the ongoing armed conflict. Also because the extraordinary and temporary conditions existing in Sudan that prompted the last TPS designation of Sudan on Oct. 7, 2004 persists till now. To bring out a good immigration reform, TPS beneficiaries are being encouraged to apply during the re-registration period from Dec 31, 2009 until Mar 1, 2010.

Approximately 700 nationals of Sudan and individuals who have no nationality, who last resided in Sudan may be eligible for re-registration. TPS does not apply to Sudanese nationals who entered the United States after Oct. 7, 2004. It will be better to apply as soon as the re-registration period opens so that there will be sufficient time for USCIS to complete all routine security checks and further application processing.

Form I-821, Application for temporary protected status must be submitted by TPS beneficiaries to re-register. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization must also be filed by applicants seeking an extension of employment authorization through Nov. 2, 2011. Form I-765 is only needed to be submitted for those individuals seeking to re-register for TPS. Biometric services fee may be required for applicants 14 years and older. Applicants may request a waiver of application fee or biometrics fee by providing a fee waiver request with proper documentation of inability to pay.

This 18-month extension of temporary protected status for Sudan will benefit those individuals who have been granted TPS earlier. Now they will be able to re-register andmaintain their status for additional 18-months.