Temporary Protected Status Project

Temporary Protected Status Project

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a temporary immigration status granted by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to individuals who are unable to return home safely due civil war, natural disaster, or other conditions or circumstances preventing their return to their home country.

During the designated TPS period, TPS holders cannot be deported from the United States and cannot be detained by DHS on the basis of their immigration status. TPS holders are eligible for an employment authorization document (EAD) and for travel authorization.

Click here for our general TPS fact sheet.

CLINIC created a fact sheet on general questions on TPS eligibility and the application process.

April 12, 2024 – UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced the extension and redesignation of Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from June 13, 2024, to December 12, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Ethiopia that prevent individuals from safely returning. The corresponding Federal Register notice provides information about registering as a new first-time applicant or current beneficiary for TPS under Ethiopia’s extension and redesignation. 

March 22, 2024 – UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, through Nov. 25, 2025. A Federal Register notice also provides automatic extension of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) of existing beneficiaries of Burma (Myanmar) TPS, through May 25, 2025. 

January 26, 2024 – UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, through Sept. 30 , 2025. A Federal Register notice also automatically extends through March 31, 2025, certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) of existing beneficiaries of Syria TPS.

October 6, 2023 UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced the extension and redesignation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from December 8, 2023, through June 7, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Cameroon that prevent individuals from safely returning. The corresponding Federal Register notice provides information about how to register as a new or current beneficiary for TPS under Cameroon’s extension and redesignation. Secretary Mayorkas made the decision to extend and redesignate TPS for this population in consultation with interagency partners and with careful consideration of conditions.

September 21, 2023 UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced the extension and redesignation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from Nov. 21, 2023, to May 20, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Afghanistan that prevent individuals from safely returning. The corresponding Federal Register notice provides information about how to register for TPS as a new or current beneficiary under Afghanistan’s extension and redesignation.

September 20, 2023 UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela that prevent individuals from safely returning.

The forthcoming Federal Register notice will explain eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures necessary for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew EADs, and for new applicants to submit an initial application under the redesignation and apply for an EAD.

September 8, 2023 UPDATE – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending from 60 days to 18 months the periods to re-register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under the designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan.

The 18-month re-registration period under the designation of:

• El Salvador now runs through March 9, 2025;
• Haiti now runs through Aug. 3, 2024;
• Honduras now runs through July 5, 2025;
• Nepal now runs through June 24, 2025;
• Nicaragua now runs through July 5, 2025; and
• Sudan now runs through April 19, 2025.

This re-registration extension will allow TPS beneficiaries to submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, at any time during the 18-month extensions of the TPS designations of these six countries. 

September 5, 2023 UPDATE – The Department of Homeland Security announced the extension and redesignation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from Nov. 4, 2023, through May 3, 2025. DHS also posted a Federal Register notice for public inspection.

August 18, 2023 UPDATE – On Aug. 18, 2023, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Ukraine for TPS for 18 months. The extension of TPS for Ukraine allows current beneficiaries to retain TPS through April 19, 2025, if they meet eligibility requirements.

Existing beneficiaries of TPS for Ukraine seeking to avoid gaps in their employment authorization documentation may re-register during the 60-day re-registration period which runs from Aug. 21, 2023, through Oct. 20, 2023. The redesignation allows Ukrainian nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine) who have continuously resided in the United States since Aug. 16, 2022, and have been continuously physically present in the United States since Oct. 20, 2023, to file initial applications for TPS, if they are otherwise eligible.

June 21, 2023 UPDATE – On June 21, 2023, DHS published Federal Register notices (FRNs) announcing the rescission of the 2017 and 2018 terminations of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua effective June 9, 2023, and extend the TPS designations of:

• El Salvador for 18 months, from Sept. 10, 2023, through March 9, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from July 12, 2023, through Sept. 10, 2023);
• Honduras for 18 months, from Jan. 6, 2024, through July 5, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Nov. 6, 2023, through Jan. 5, 2024);
• Nepal for 18 months, from Dec. 25, 2023, through June 24, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Oct. 24, 2023, through Dec. 23, 2023); and
• Nicaragua for 18 months, from Jan. 6, 2024, through July 5, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Nov. 6, 2023, through Jan. 5, 2024).

June 13, 2023 UPDATE – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced his decision to rescind the 2017 and 2018 terminations of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua effective June 9, 2023, and extend the TPS designations of:

• El Salvador for 18 months, from Sept. 10, 2023, through March 9, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from July 12, 2023, through Sept. 10, 2023);
• Honduras for 18 months, from Jan. 6, 2024, through July 5, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Nov. 6, 2023, through Jan. 5, 2024);
• Nepal for 18 months, from Dec. 25, 2023, through June 24, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Oct. 24, 2023, through Dec. 23, 2023); and
• Nicaragua for 18 months, from Jan. 6, 2024, through July 5, 2025 (60-day re-registration period from Nov. 6, 2023, through Jan. 5, 2024).

Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period for their country’s designation. Please do not re-register for TPS until the re-registration period for your country begins. USCIS cannot adjudicate your application before the effective date of the extension. For additional information, please see the news release: DHS Rescinds Prior Administration’s Termination of Temporary Protected Status Designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua.

For older updates, visit our TPS history article.

Countries Currently Designated for TPS

For a full and up-to-date list of countries currently qualifying an individual for TPS, please see the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website.