Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows foreigners from TPS-designated countries a chance to reside in the United States temporarily. TPS-designated countries are generally defined as having (a) an armed conflict, (b) an environmental disaster, (c) other extraordinary conditions.
The current TPS-designated countries are:
– El Salvador
– Haiti
– Honduras
– Nepal
– Nicaragua
– Somalia
– South Sudan
– Sudan
– Syria
– Yemen
1. Must be from a TPS-designated country
2. Must have been continuously present in the US since the designation date
3. Must have been residing in the US since a specific date
4. Not be inadmissible or barred from asylum due to criminal/security reasons
Main Form: The applicant must fill out Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. He/she may also submit Form I-765, Request for Employment Authorization, to work.
Evidence: The applicant must provide evidence of (a) Identity and Nationality, (b) Date of Entry into the US, and (c) Continuous Residence in the US.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services may ask the applicant to take a biometrics exam at an Application Support Center if he/she is over 14.
If the USCIS reviews the application favorably, the applicant will get temporary residence in the United States. This status will typically last from 6 months to 18 months, and may be renewed if the native country’s war/disaster/etc. continues.