Temporary Protected Status

What is TPS

The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country's nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. USCIS may grant TPS to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries), who are already in the United States. Eligible individuals without nationality who last resided in the designated country may also be granted TPS.

The Secretary may designate a country for TPS due to the following temporary conditions in the country:

Ongoing armed conflict (such as civil war)
An environmental disaster (such as earthquake or hurricane), or an epidemic
Other extraordinary and temporary conditions

During a designated period, individuals who are TPS beneficiaries or who are found preliminarily eligible for TPS upon initial review of their cases (prima facie eligible):

Are not removable from the United States
Can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD)
May be granted travel authorization

Once granted TPS, an individual also cannot be detained by DHS on the basis of his or her immigration status in the United States.

TPS is a temporary benefit that does not lead to lawful permanent resident status or give any other immigration status. However, registration for TPS does not prevent you from:

Applying for nonimmigrant status
Filing for adjustment of status based on an immigrant petition
Applying for any other immigration benefit or protection for which you may be eligible

PLEASE NOTE: To be granted any other immigration benefit you must still meet all the eligibility requirements for that particular benefit. An application for TPS does not affect an application for asylum or any other immigration benefit and vice versa. Denial of an application for asylum or any other immigration benefit does not affect your ability to register for TPS, although the grounds of denial of that application may also lead to denial of TPS.

Countries Currently Designated for TPS

Select the country link for additional specific country information.

Designated Country	Most Recent Designation Date	Current Expiration Date	Current Re-Registration Period	Current Initial Registration Period	Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Automatically Extended Through
El Salvador	March 9, 2001	March 9, 2015	May 30, 2013 through July 29, 2013	N/A	March 9, 2014
Haiti	July 23, 2011	July 22, 2014	October 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012	N/A	July 22, 2013
Honduras	January 5, 1999	January 5, 2015	April 3, 2013 through June 3, 2013	N/A	January 5, 2014
Nicaragua	January 5, 1999	January 5, 2015	April 3, 2013 through June 3, 2013	N/A	January 5, 2014
Somalia	September 18, 2012	March 17, 2014	May 1, 2012 through July 2, 2012	May 1, 2012 through October 29, 2012	NO Automatic Extension* *Sufficient time was deemed available to issue new EADs.
Sudan	May 3, 2013	November 2, 2014	January 9, 2013 through March 11, 2013	January 9, 2013 through July 8, 2013	NO Automatic Extension* *Sufficient time was deemed available to issue new EADs.
South Sudan	May 3, 2013	November 2, 2014	January 9, 2013 through March 11, 2013	January 9, 2013 through July 8, 2013	NO Automatic Extension* *Sufficient time was deemed available to issue new EADs.
Syria	March 29, 2012	September 30, 2013	N/A	March 29, 2012 through September 25, 2012	N/A

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for TPS, you must:

Be a national of a country designated for TPS, or a person without nationality who last habitually resided in the designated country;
File during the open initial registration or re-registration period, or you meet the requirements for late initial filing during any extension of your country’s TPS designation (Late initial filers see ‘Filing Late’ section below);
Have been continuously physically present (CPP) in the United States since the effective date of the most recent designation date of your country; and
Have been continuously residing (CR) in the United States since the date specified for your country. (See your country’s TPS Web page to the left). The law allows an exception to the continuous physical presence and continuous residence requirements for brief, casual and innocent departures from the United States. When you apply or re-register for TPS, you must inform USCIS of all absences from the United States since the CPP and CR dates. USCIS will determine whether the exception applies in your case.

You may NOT be eligible for TPS or to maintain your existing TPS if you:

Have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States;
Are found inadmissible as an immigrant under applicable grounds in INA section 212(a), including non-waivable criminal and security-related grounds;
Are subject to any of the mandatory bars to asylum. These include, but are not limited to, participating in the persecution of another individual or engaging in or inciting terrorist activity;
Fail to meet the continuous physical presence and continuous residence in the United States requirements;
Fail to meet initial or late initial TPS registration requirements; or
If granted TPS, you fail to re-register for TPS, as required, without good cause.

What to File

You must include the necessary forms, evidence, fees or fee waiver when filing your TPS application. Below is information about what you must include in your TPS package. Please also check your country’s specific TPS page to the left to see if there are any special filing instructions specific to your TPS designated country.

Forms

To register or re-register for TPS you must file:

PLEASE NOTE: Both I-821 and I-765 forms must be filed even if you do not want an Employment Authorization Document.

If you are aware when you apply that a relevant ground of inadmissibility applies to you and you need a waiver to obtain TPS, please include a Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, and fee or fee waiver request, with your TPS application package. However, you do not need to file a new Form I-601 for an incident that USCIS has already waived with a prior TPS application. USCIS may grant a waiver of certain inadmissibility grounds for humanitarian purposes, to assure family unity, or when it is in the public interest.

These forms are free and available on the forms section of the USCIS website at:www.uscis.gov/forms or by calling the toll-free USCIS Forms Hotline at 1-800-870-3676. Please look below at the fee chart to see what fees you must pay (a properly documented fee waiver request may be submitted. If you do not pay the proper fees (or submit a proper fee waiver request), your application will be rejected.

Evidence

When filing an initial TPS application, you must submit:

Identity and Nationality Evidence: to demonstrate your identity and that you are a national of a country designated for TPS (or that you have no nationality and you last habitually resided in a country designated for TPS)
Date of Entry Evidence: to demonstrate when you entered the United States
Continuously Residing (CR) Evidence: to demonstrate that you have been in the United States since the CR date specified for your country (See your country’s TPS Web page to the left)

Any document that is not in English must be accompanied by a complete English translation. The translator must certify that:

He or she is competent both in English and the foreign language used in the original document; and
the translation is true and correct to the best of his or her ability, knowledge and belief.

Identity and Nationality Evidence
We encourage you to submit primary evidence, if available. If USCIS does not find that the documents you submit with your application are sufficient, we will send you a request for additional evidence. If you cannot submit primary evidence of your identity and nationality, you may submit the secondary evidence listed below with your application.

The following table explains the different types of evidence you can provide.

Primary Evidence

A copy of your passport
A copy of your birth certificate, accompanied by photo identification
Any national identity document bearing your photograph or fingerprint (or both) issued by your country, including such documents issued by your country’s Embassy or Consulate in the United States. Such as a national ID card or naturalization certificate

No Primary Evidence

If you do not have any of the primary evidence listed above, you must submit an affidavit with:

Proof of your unsuccessful efforts to obtain such documents; and
An explanation why the consular process for your country was unavailable to you, and affirming that you are a national of your country.

USCIS will interview you regarding your identity and nationality, and you may also submit additional evidence of your nationality and identity then if available.

Secondary Evidence

Nationality documentation, such as a naturalization certificate, even if it does not have your photograph and fingerprint
Your baptismal certificate if it indicates your nationality or a parent’s nationality
Copies of your school or medical records if they have information supporting your claim that you are a national from a country designated for TPS
Copies of other immigration documents showing your nationality and identity
Affidavits from friends or family members who have close personal knowledge of the date and place of your birth and your parents' nationality. The person making the affidavit should include information about how he or she knows you or is related to you, and how he or she knows the details of the date and place of your birth and the nationality of your parents. The nationality of your parents is of importance if you are from a country where nationality is derived from a parent.

You may also provide any other document or information that you believe helps show your nationality.

PLEASE NOTE: Birth in a TPS designated country does not always mean you are a national from that country. Please see your TPS designated country’s nationality laws for further information.

Date of Entry Evidence

A copy of your passport
I-94 Arrival/Departure Record
Copies of documents specified in the ‘Continuous Residing Evidence’ section below

Continuously Residing (CR) Evidence

Employment Records
Rent receipts, utility bills, receipts or letters from companies
School records from the schools that you or your children have attended in the U.S.
Hospital or medial records concerning treatment or hospitalization of you or your children
Attestations by church, union or other organization officials who know you and where you have been residing

Please see the I-821 Form Instructions for more details on acceptable evidence.

Fees for Registering for TPS for the First Time

Applicant Age	Form I-821 Fee	Biometrics Fee	Requesting EAD	Form I-765	Total
under 14	$50	$0	Yes	$0	$50
under 14	$50	$0	No (You still must file the I-765)	$0	$50
14-65 (inclusive)	$50	$85	Yes	$380	$515
14-65 (inclusive)	$50	$85	No (You still must file the I-765)	$0	$135
66+	$50	$85	Yes	$0	$135
66+	$50	$85	No (You still must file the I-765)	$0	$135

NOTE: If you do not want an EAD, do not check any of the three boxes at the top of Form I-765 where it states “I am applying for:”; leave all three boxes blank. Only check one of these boxes if you want an EAD (and then look to the above chart for proper fee).

Fees for Re-registering for TPS

If you are re-registering for TPS you must include the following fees:

A biometric services fee of $85 (if you are 14 years of age or older)
The Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization fee of $380, if you wish to receive an EAD

If you are not seeking an EAD, you must still submit Form I-765 without fee (and do not check any of the three boxes at the top of Form I-765 where it states “I am applying for:”; leave all three boxes blank). There is no fee required to submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status.

Please check your country’s specific TPS page to see if there is any special fee information specific to your TPS designated country.

Fee Waiver

If you cannot afford the costs associated with filing, please make sure to include a fee waiver request on Form I-912, Application for Fee Waiver (or other written request). For more information about filing a fee waiver request, visit the Fee Waiver Guidance Web page.

If you are filing an initial application and USCIS denies your fee waiver request on or before the registration deadline, you may re-file and pay the correct fees either before the registration deadline or within 45 days of the date on the fee waiver denial notice, whichever is later. For more information see http://www.uscis.gov/feewaiverin the TPS section.

If you are filing a re-registration application and USCIS denies your fee waiver request on or before the re-registration deadline, you are urged to re-file and pay the correct fees before the re-registration deadline or within 45 days of the date of the fee waiver denial notice, whichever is later. If you are unable to file before the re-registration deadline, you may still re-file after the deadline and this will be reviewed under good cause for late re-registration.

When and Where to File

For information about when and where you must file your TPS application, please see the country specific pages to the left.

Application Process

Step 1: File Your Petition
Once you have prepared your TPS package with the forms, evidence and filing fees (or request for a fee waiver), you will need to send it to the address indicated on your TPS country page to the left. Please make sure you sign your application and include the correct fee amount (or fee waiver request). These are the two of the most common mistakes USCIS receives on TPS applications. Please look above at the fee chart to see what fees you must pay (a properly documented fee waiver request may be submitted). If you do not pay the proper fees (or submit a proper fee waiver request), your application will be rejected.

Step 2: USCIS Receives Your Application
When USCIS receives your application, we will review it for completeness and for the proper fees or a properly documented fee waiver request. If your case meets the basic acceptance criteria, your application will be entered into our system and we will send you a receipt notice. At the top of this notice you will find a receipt number which can be used to check the status of your caseonline.

If you do not receive your receipt notice within three weeks of filing, you can call Customer Service at 1-800-375-5283 to request assistance. If your application is rejected at the initial review stage, you may re-file within the registration period after correcting the problems described in the USCIS notification.

If your application was rejected because we determined you were not eligible for a fee waiver, you may submit a new TPS package. Go to the ‘Fee Waiver’ section above for more information.

Step 3: USCIS Contacts You
If USCIS needs to collect your photograph, signature, and/or fingerprints (these are called biometrics), USCIS will send you an appointment notice to have your biometrics captured at an Application Support Center (ASC). Every TPS applicant over 14 years old must have their biometrics collected. Biometrics are required for identity verification, background checks and the production of an EAD, if one has been requested.

In certain situations, such as when it’s impossible to take a fingerprint, USCIS can waive the collection of biometrics. In some cases, we may be able to reuse the biometrics previously collected in association with your previous TPS application. Even if you do not need to attend an ASC appointment, you still need to pay the biometrics fee (if required) to help cover costs associated with reusing your biometrics.

Step 4: Go to the ASC
When you report to an ASC, you must bring:

Evidence of nationality and identity with a photograph of you, such as a passport
Your receipt notice
Your ASC appointment notice
Your current EAD, if you already have one

If you cannot make your scheduled appointment, you may reschedule. To reschedule an ASC appointment, make a copy of your appointment notice to retain for your records, then mail the original notice with your rescheduling request to the ASC address listed on the notice. You should submit your request for rescheduling as soon as you know you have an unavoidable conflict on your scheduled ASC date. A new appointment notice will be sent to you by mail. Please note that rescheduling a biometrics appointment may cause the adjudication of your application to be delayed.

If you need an accommodation due to a disability that affects your ability to go to the ASC, please go to the Requesting Accommodations for Disabilities webpage for more information.

WARNING: If you fail to appear for your ASC appointment without rescheduling, or if you repeatedly miss scheduled ASC appointments, your TPS application could be denied for abandonment.

If there is an emergency need for you to travel abroad for humanitarian reasons, you may request expedited processing on your advance parole application (Form I-131) after you have appeared at an ASC for your biometrics appointment. Please see the travel section below for more information.

Step 5: USCIS Determines Work Eligibility
If you are not seeking an employment authorization document (EAD), skip to Step 6.

If you are ...

Then...

Applying for TPS for the first time and seeking an EAD

USCIS will review your case to determine whether you are eligible to work before we make a final decision on your TPS application. If you are found to be eligible upon initial review of your TPS application (prima facie eligible) you will receive an EAD.

Note: If your application is denied and you choose to appeal to the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) or request review of your application by an immigration judge, your EAD will be extended while you are waiting for a decision. If your EAD expires, to request an extension of your EAD, you must file a Form I-765 along with evidence of your appeal to the AAO or that you have requested an immigration judge to review your TPS application.

Re-Registering for TPS and seeking an EAD

You will receive your new EAD when your entire TPS package is adjudicated.

USCIS makes every effort to avoid backlogs at this step, but we urge you to remember that USCIS may experience a higher volume of applications in the first few months of a registration period.

Step 6: USCIS Adjudicates the Application
During this phase, we may ask you for additional documents to establish your eligibility for TPS. If you receive a request for evidence (RFE) or a notice of intent to deny, it is extremely important that you respond immediately to avoid processing delays and possible denial for failure to timely respond. Upon completion of your case, USCIS will notify you if your request for TPS is granted or denied. If one of the waivable grounds of inadmissibility applies to you, USCIS will give you an opportunity to submit a Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility if you did not include this with your TPS package. Please submit this form within the time frame specified in the USCIS notice, or your case will be denied.

Step 7: USCIS Approves or Denies the Application

If your application for TPS is…	Then…
Approved and you filed an initial application	USCIS will send you an approval notice and an EAD, if you requested one and haven’t received it before this step.
Approved and you filed a re-registration application	USCIS will send you an approval notice if you do not request an EAD. USCIS will send you a new EAD if you do request one.
Denied	USCIS will send you a letter indicating the reason for your denial and, if applicable, provide you with the opportunity to appeal the denial.

Maintaining TPS

Once you are granted TPS, you must re-register during each re-registration period to maintain TPS benefits. This applies to all TPS beneficiaries, including those who were initially granted by USCIS, an Immigration Judge, or the BIA. Follow the instructions above to apply for re-registration.

Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Extension

Sometimes DHS must issue a blanket automatic extension of the expiring EADs for TPS beneficiaries of a specific country in order to allow time for EADs with new validity dates to be issued. If your country’s EADs have been automatically extended, it will be indicated on your country specific pages to the left.

Filing Late

Late Re-Registration for TPS
USCIS may accept a late re-registration application if you have good cause for filing after the end of the re-registration period of your country. You must submit a letter that explains your reason for filing late with your re-registration application.
If you file your TPS re-registration application late, processing may be delayed and can lead to gaps in your work authorization.

Late Initial Filing for TPS
You can apply for TPS for the first time during an extension of your country’s TPS designation period. If you qualify to file your initial TPS application late, you must still independently meet all the TPS eligibility requirements listed in the Eligibility section above.

To qualify to file your initial TPS application late, you must meet at least one of the late initial filing conditions below:

During either the initial registration period of your country’s designation or during any subsequent initial registration period if your country was re-designated you met one of the following conditions, and you register while the condition still exists or within a 60-day period immediately following the expiration or termination of such condition
- You were a nonimmigrant, were granted voluntary departure status, or any relief from removal
- You had an application for change of status, adjustment of status, asylum, voluntary departure, or any relief from removal which was pending or subject to further review or appeal
- You were a parolee or had a pending request for re-parole
- You are a spouse of an individual who is currently eligible for TPS

During either the initial registration period of your country’s designation or during any subsequent initial registration period if your country was re-designated you were a child of an individual who is currently eligible for TPS. There is no time limitation on filing if you meet this condition. So if your parent is currently eligible for TPS and you were his or her child (unmarried and under 21 years old) at any time during a TPS initial registration period for your country, you may still be eligible for late initial filing even if you are now over 21 years old or married. You may file during an extension of your TPS designated country.

Please check your country-specific Web page for the dates of the initial registration period or periods that apply for late initial filing.

PLEASE NOTE: You cannot obtain TPS as a derivative because your parent or child has TPS.

Travel

If you have TPS and wish to travel outside the United States, you must apply for a travel authorization. Travel authorization for TPS is issued as an advance parole document if USCIS determines it is appropriate to approve your request. This document gives you permission to leave the United States and return during a specified period of time. To apply for advance parole, you must file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (see form on right). If you leave the United States without requesting advance parole, you may lose TPS and you may not be permitted to re-enter the United States.

If USCIS is still adjudicating your TPS application, you may miss important USCIS notices, such as Requests for Additional Evidence, while you are outside the U.S. Failure to respond to these requests may result in the denial of your application.

We encourage you to read and understand the travel warning on Form I-131 before requesting advance parole, even if you have been granted TPS. If you have been unlawfully present in the U.S. for any period of time, you may want to seek legal advice before requesting advance parole for travel.

Change of Address

If your address changes after you file your application, you must notify USCIS immediately. For information about how to notify USCIS go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange.

Help Filing an Application

Please be aware that some unauthorized practitioners may try to take advantage of you by claiming they can file TPS forms. These same individuals may ask that you pay them to file such forms. We want to ensure that all potential TPS applicants know how to obtain legitimate, accurate legal advice and assistance. A list of accredited representatives and free or low-cost legal providers is available on the USCIS website on the finding legal advice Web page.

TPS Granted by an Immigration Judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals

Step 1: If an Immigration Judge (IJ) or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) granted you TPS, you must provide USCIS with proof of the TPS grant (such as a final order from the IJ or final decision from the BIA) when you file for your first TPS benefit (such as an EAD, travel authorization, or with your first TPS re-registration application filed with USCIS). You should also submit a copy of the I-821 TPS application that the IJ or the BIA approved.

Step 2: See the table below for filing information based on the first TPS benefit you are requesting after an IJ or BIA granted you TPS.

If the first TPS benefit you are requesting is...	Then you must...	And...
Your first EAD,	File Form I-765 only with required fee(s) or fee waiver request. You must also submit a cover sheet that states "DO NOT REJECT - TPS GRANTED BY IJ/BIA."	Send your Form I-765 to the mailing address on your country specific page to the left.
Travel Authorization	Form I-131 with required fee	Send your Form I-131 to the mailing address in the form instructions.
Your first re-registration NOTE: Even if you were granted TPS by an IJ or the BIA, you must re-register with USCIS during each future extension period for your country.	File Form I-821 and Form I-765 with required fee(s) or a fee waiver request. See re-registration instructions above.	Send your TPS package to the mailing address on your country specific page to the left.

Step 3: USCIS will send you a receipt notice. Once you get the receipt notice, immediately send an email to the TPS IJ grant email box at the Service Center processing your application.
When emailing the appropriate TPS IJ grant email box, please include the following information:

Your name
Your date of birth
The receipt number for your application
Your A-number
The date the IJ or BIA finally granted you TPS (Note: To be final, your IJ order granting TPS must not be subject to further appeal, or your BIA decision granting TPS must not be subject to further review.)

If your receipt number starts with…	Send your email to…
EAC	TPSijgrant.vsc@uscis.dhs.gov
WAC	TPSijgrant.csc@uscis.dhs.gov
LIN	TPSijgrant.nsc@uscis.dhs.gov

These email addresses are only for individuals granted TPS by an IJ or the BIA who are requesting their first EADs, travel authorization, or re-registration. The email address is not for individual case status inquires.

Appealing a Denial

If USCIS denies your application, you will be informed in the denial notice whether you have 30 days to appeal to the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). In some cases, such as when TPS is denied on certain mandatory criminal or security grounds, you may not have AAO appeal rights, although you can request an immigration judge to review your TPS request if you are in removal proceedings (see below).

You may also choose to file a motion to reconsider with the Service Center that adjudicated your TPS application by submitting:

A Notice of Appeal or Motion, Form I-290B
$630 filing fee, or Form I-912, Application for Fee Waiver (or written request) if you are unable to pay

If USCIS denies your TPS application, we recommend that you consult with an accredited legal representative to determine whether you should pursue an appeal or motion. If you have been placed in removal proceedings, you may request that the immigration judge adjudicate your TPS application. If an immigration judge denies your request for TPS, you may file an appeal with the BIA.