DHS Extends and Redesignates Yemen and Somalia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Yemen

On December 30, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the extension of TPS for Yemen for 18 months, from March 4, 2023 through September 3, 2024, allowing existing TPS beneficiaries to retain TPS through September 3, 2024 as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

Existing Yemeni TPS beneficiaries wishing to extend their status must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period that goes from January 3, 2023 until March 4, 2023. In addition, because DHS is redesignating Yemen for TPS, more Yemeni nationals and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen can apply for an initial grant of TPS by registering between January 3, 2023 and September 4, 2024. New applicants must have been continuously residing in the United States since December 29, 2022. For more information on how to re-register for TPS or on how to apply for an initial grant of TPS and an Employment Authorization Document, applicants can visit USCIS’s principal TPS webpage as well as Yemen’s specific TPS USCIS webpage.

Somalia

On January 12, 2023, DHS announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia for 18 months, from March 18, 2023 through September 17, 2024. Existing Somalian TPS beneficiaries can retain TPS through September 17, 2024 as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

In addition, DHS is also redesignating Somalia for TPS. This means that more Somalian nationals as well as individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia will be able to apply for an initial grant of TPS and an Employment Authorization Document. New applicants must have been continuously residing in the United States since January 11, 2023.

The 18-month extension and redesignation of TPS for Somalia will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for both extensions and initial grants of TPS and an Employment Authorization Document. Applicants are also encouraged to visit USCIS’s principal TPS webpage as well as Somalia’s specific TPS USCIS webpage.

DHS Designates Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Only individuals who are already residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, will be eligible for TPS.

The designation is based on ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent the country’s nationals from returning in safety, including armed conflict as the Taliban seeks to impose control in all areas of the country, attacks against civilians by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), a collapsing public sector, a worsening economic crisis, drought, food and water insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, and internal displacement.

TPS will apply only to those individuals who are already residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, and meet all other requirements, including undergoing security and background checks. Afghan nationals who arrived as part of the Operation Allies Welcome evacuation effort and were paroled into the United States may also be eligible for TPS. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after March 15, 2022, will not be eligible for TPS.

The 18-month designation of TPS for Afghanistan will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document.

DHS Designates Sudan and Re-Designates South Sudan for TPS

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a new 18-month designation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that will become effective upon publication of an upcoming Federal Register Notice (FRN). DHS also announced the extension and redesignation of South Sudan for TPS for 18 months, effective May 3, 2022, through November 3, 2023. An FRN providing further information on TPS for South Sudan was posted for public inspection today.

The new TPS designation enables nationals of Sudan and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan, and who have continuously resided in the U.S. since March 1, 2022, to file initial applications for TPS. This designation also allows nationals of Sudan whose TPS is currently continued under the TPS-related court orders to file an initial application under this new designation, which will ensure those eligible avoid losing TPS or experiencing a gap in coverage.

The extension and redesignation of South Sudan for TPS allows current beneficiaries to retain TPS through November 3, 2023, as long as they meet TPS eligibility requirements. The redesignation of TPS for South Sudan allows South Sudanese nationals and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan, and who have been continuously residing in the U.S. since March 1, 2022, to file an initial application to obtain TPS, if they are otherwise eligible.

The FRNs explain the procedures necessary to submit an initial registration or re-registration application and to apply for an Employment Authorization Document.