Jacksonville Immigration Attorney Blog

USCIS has recently announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been extended for nationals of El Salvador. The extended period is from March 10, 2012 until Sept. 09, 2013, which is an 18 month extension of time.

Current nationals of El Salvador that have TPS have only a 60 day window within which to extend their status. The deadline is through March 12, 2012. USCIS is NOW accepting applications, so please file as soon as possible if this applies to you. TPS applicants will also receive employment authorization as well that will be valid until September 09, 2013.

To re-register, applicants must file form I-821 and I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Both forms must be filed together. People who are extending their status do not need to repay the filing fees for the I-821 form, but they must submit the biometrics fee or fee waiver form if they are over 14 years of age. They also must pay the employment authorization filing fee or a fee waiver form if they are eligible for that fee waiver. The fee waiver form is Form I-912.

All of these forms can be downloaded at www.uscis.gov.

USCIS has just announced that TPS has been extended for Haitians until January 22, 2013. This is an 18 month extension. Haitian applicants that have not filed for TPS may do so immediately. The DEADLINE for filing a TPS application for the first time is November 15, 2011. This deadline can be extended, but as of May 19, 2011, this is the current deadline.

Haitians that currently have TPS must wait to re-file, since USCIS is planning on issuing a notice of instructions for those individuals. However, Haitians who currently have TPS status must be sure to file to extend their TPS status before August 22, 2011.

Any Haitians that enter the U.S. illegally now are not eligible for TPS. Haitian applicants that apply now for TPS need to show they continually resided in the U.S. since January 12, 2011. All individuals who want to file for TPS should file forms I-821 and I-765, as well as any required fees or fee waiver and required documentation including a copy of one's passport, I.D. and a birth certificate with translation if available. Other documents may be required, as determined based on each person's circumstances.