Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Jeh Johnson, recently declared that citizens of the country of Syria may be eligible for an extension of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from October 1, 2016 up to March 31, 2018. This designation is extended to current Syrian nationals or those who have last claimed Syria as their habitual residence.
Syrian nationals may qualify under the following criteria:
- The Syrian national currently has Temporary Protected Status.
- The re-registration period runs from August 1, 2016 until September 30, 2016.
- Syrian nationals and those who have last lived in Syria habitually who have been living in the U.S. continuously since 2016 or have been physically present in the U.S. since October 1, 2016.
- Applicants may apply between August 1, 2016 and up to January 30, 2017.
Those who currently have Temporary Protected Status and must apply within the aforementioned 60-day window, should plan to do so quickly, as the process will require the submission of the Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD will allow the beneficiary to continue being able to work in the U.S., and will keep this authorization valid until March 31, 2018.
What Should I Do if I Am Applying for the First Time?
First--time applicants are Syrian nationals or those who have claimed habitual residence in the country may apply for TPS if they have been living in the U.S. since August 1, 2016 and have been continuously present since October 1, 2016.
The followings forms must be submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
- Form I-821, the Application for Temporary Protected Status and the accompanying fee
- Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization and accompanying fee (excludes those under the age of 14 and aged 66 and up)
- Biometrics services fee, for those aged 14 or older
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