DHS Announces 18-Month Redesignation and Extension of Temporary Protected Status for South Sudan
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WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has redesignated South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and extended the existing TPS designation for that country from May 3, 2016, through November 2, 2017, due to the ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in South Sudan that prevent its nationals from safely returning. These actions will allow eligible nationals of South Sudan (or persons without nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) to register or re-register for TPS in accordance with the notice published today in the Federal Register.
Who Is Eligible | Current TPS Status | When to File |
|---|---|---|
Current TPS beneficiaries from South Sudan | Have TPS | To extend your TPS, you must re-register during a 60-day re-registration period that runs from January 25, 2016, through March 25, 2016. |
South Sudanese nationals and persons without nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan, who have:
| Do Not Have TPS | To obtain TPS, you may apply for TPS during a 180-day initial registration period that runs from January 25, 2016, through July 25, 2016. |
Individuals re-registering for TPS:
Current beneficiaries under South Sudan’s TPS designation seeking to extend their TPS status must re-register during a 60-day period that runs from January 25, 2016 through March 25, 2016. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to re-register as soon as possible.
The 18-month extension also allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Eligible South Sudan TPS beneficiaries who re-register during the 60-day period and request a new EAD will receive one with an expiration date of November 2, 2017. USCIS recognizes that some re-registrants may not receive their new EADs until after their current work permits expire. Therefore, USCIS is automatically extending current TPS South Sudan EADs bearing a May 2, 2016, expiration date for an additional six months. These existing EADs are now valid through November 2, 2016.
To re-register, current beneficiaries must submit:
- Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status (re-registrants do not need to pay the Form I-821 application fee);
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, regardless of whether they want an EAD;
- The Form I-765 application fee, only if they want an EAD. If the re-registrant does not want an EAD, no application fee is required; and
- The biometric services fee if they are age 14 or older.
Individuals applying for TPS for the first time:
For South Sudanese nationals (and persons having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) who do not currently have TPS, the TPS redesignation allows them to apply for TPS if they have continuously resided in the United States since January 25, 2016, and have been continuously physically present in the United States since May 3, 2016. Applicants must meet all other TPS eligibility and filing requirements.
To apply for the first time, individuals must submit:
- Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status;
- The Form I-821 application fee;
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, regardless of whether they want an EAD;
- The Form I-765 application fee, but only if they want an EAD and are 14 to 65 years old (those under 14 or 66 and older do not need to pay the I-765 fee with their initial TPS application); and
- The biometric services fee if they are 14 or older.
Individuals who still have a pending initial TPS South Sudan application do not need to submit a new Form I-821. However, if they currently have a TPS-related EAD and want a new EAD, they should submit:
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization;
- The Form I-765 application fee, regardless of their age; and
- A copy of the receipt notice for the initial Form I-821 that is still pending.
Applicants may request that USCIS waive any fees based on an inability to pay by filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or by submitting a written request. Fee-waiver requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation. USCIS will reject the TPS application of any applicant who fails to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee-waiver request.
Additional information about TPS for South Sudan—including guidance on eligibility, the application process and where to file—is available at uscis.gov/tps. The Federal Register notice published today contains further details about this extension and redesignation of South Sudan for TPS, including application requirements and procedures, and the six month auto-extension of current TPS South Sudan EADs.
Applicants seeking information about the status of their cases can check My Case Status Online or call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.