What are the benefits of Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?
- Provides temporary permission to stay in the United States.
- Provides temporary work authorization.
- Can apply for a social security number
- Can apply for driver’s license
What are the requirements for TPS?
- You must prove that you are a national of a current TPS designated country and have been in the United States since a required date.You don’t need to prove any persecution in your home country.
- You can’t have been convicted any felony or two more misdemeanors in the U.S. or be a threat to security or public safety.
- You must meet all the requirements for TPS registration or re-registration as specified for the country including filing during the open registration or re-registration period, or meeting the requirements for late initial registration regardless of whether there is currently an open registration or re-registration period.
- Have been continuously present in the U.S. since the effective date of the most recent designation date for your country.
Which countries are currently designated for Temporary Protected Status?
The countries on the TPS list change. Recently they have included:
- El Salvador
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Somalia
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Liberia was previously a TPS designated country, but is no longer. Now Liberians formerly granted TPS may be eligible for Deferred Enforced Departure, which is not an immigration status, but rather a designation in discretion of the President that eligible individuals are not deportable.
