NYC Immigration Law Firm » TPS

18-Month Extension and Re-designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:31:46 +0000

On May 17, 2011, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced the re-designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and extended the country’s current TPS designation for 18 months—through January 22, 2013.

Secretary Napolitano first announced that she was designating Haiti for TPS on Jan. 15, 2010, after major earthquakes devastated the country. Following consultations with other federal agencies, Secretary Napolitano has determined that current conditions in Haiti support extending the designation period for current TPS beneficiaries and re-designating Haiti for TPS in order to re-establish the continuous residence date as Jan. 12, 2011.

Under the 2010 designation, TPS applicants needed to show that they had continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 12, 2010. Under the new re-designation, eligible individuals who arrived up to one year after the earthquake in Haiti may now apply for TPS. Many of these individuals were authorized to enter the United States immediately after the earthquake on temporary visas, humanitarian parole and other measures.

Later this week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will post a Federal Register notice and provide additional guidance on:

How to register or re-register for TPS;
What individuals with pending TPS applications should do; and
When to begin filing TPS applications.

For more information, visit the USCIS website or check back on our blog for updated information as it becomes available.

Source: USCIS

USCIS Reminds Haitians to Register for Temporary Protected Status

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:22:55 +0000

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds Haitian nationals that the registration deadline for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is Jan. 18, 2011.

Haitian nationals who have continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 12, 2010, and who meet other TPS eligibility requirements, must file their applications for TPS no later than Jan. 18, 2011. The TPS designation for Haiti will remain in effect through July 22, 2011.

USCIS advises Haitian nationals to review their TPS application packages carefully. Details and procedures for applying for TPS are provided on the USCIS website and in the Federal Register notice announcing TPS for Haiti.

TPS forms are available on the USCIS website or by calling toll-free 1-800-870-3676. For additional information, applicants may also contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Source: USCIS

18-Month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Somalia

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:25:23 +0000

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on November 2, 2010, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Somalia from the current expiration of March 17, 2011, through the new expiration date of September 17, 2012.

This extension comes in light of country conditions in Somalia, which prompted the 2001 re-designation of TPS for Somalia. Click here to read the current country conditions report on Somalia issued by the U.S. Department of State.

Under the extension, individuals who have been granted TPS are eligible to re-register and maintain their status for an additional 18 months.

TPS does not apply to Somali nationals who first entered the United States after September 4, 2001.

USCIS will issue a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely re-register and apply for EADs.

TPS beneficiaries must submit an Application for Temporary Protected Status (Form I-821) to re-register. Applicants seeking an extension of employment authorization must file an Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765) with the required fee. If an individual does not want employment authorization, the applicant must still file Form I-765 for data-gathering purposes; the filing fee is not required.

18-Month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Honduras

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:01:44 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) will extend Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for 18 months, through Jan. 5, 2012, to eligible nationals of Honduras and people having no nationality who last habitually resided in Honduras.

This extension does not apply to Hondurans who entered the United States after Dec. 30, 1998.

Certain nationals of Honduras who have not previously applied for TPS may be able to register under the late initial registration provisions.

Click here to read frequently asked questions and answers about this TPS extension.

Video on How to Apply for Haitian TPS

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:13:40 +0000

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has posted a video on its website for those interested in watching how to apply for Haitian Temporary Protected Status.

USCIS Warns of Immigration Scams Targeting Haitian Applicants for Temporary Protected Status

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:26:32 +0000

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) warns Haitians applying for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS) to be aware of immigration scams.

USCIS has a dedicated website providing guidance on its response to Haiti.

Read the Fact Sheet provided by the USCIS to see how you or your loved one can avoid falling victim to fraud during TPS registration period.

Haitian TPS Factsheet

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:59:37 +0000

Here is some good information about the recently enacted Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for Haitian nationals following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. This fact sheet provides information about who is eligible to apply for TPS from Haiti and what the basic requirements are.

The registration period to apply for TPS is now open.

18-Month Temporary Protected Status Granted for Haiti

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:42:09 +0000

On January 15,2010, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010.

The U.S. government already extends temporary protected status to nationals from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia and Sudan under a law that is intended to provide relief to countries torn by war, natural disaster or political upheaval.

Immigrants must pay a fee to apply and are eligible only if they do not have a criminal record. The government can extend the program as conditions warrant.

The Obama administration will allow 100,000 to 200,000 Haitians living in the United States illegally to stay for 18 months because of Tuesday’s earthquake but warned that Haitians who are newly caught trying to enter the country will be deported.

The U.S. government announced this week that it was temporarily halting deportations of Haitians, including those in detention.

Click here to learn more about how to apply for TPS.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan Extended

Thaker Berowitz LLP — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:34:48 +0000

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Sudan from the current expiration of May 2, 2010 to the new expiration date of Nov. 2, 2011.

Click here to read Q&A on the Sudan TPS.