Release Date: November
20, 2014
WASHINGTON— Due to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in
West Africa, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has announced his
decision to designate Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected
Status (TPS) for 18 months. As a result, eligible nationals of Liberia,
Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are currently residing in the United States may
apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The
Federal Register notices provide details and procedures for applying for TPS
and are available at www.uscis.gov/tps.
The TPS designations for
the three countries are effective Nov. 21, 2014 and will be in effect for 18
months. The designations mean that eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and
Sierra Leone (and people without nationality who last habitually resided in one
of those three countries) will not be removed from the United States and are
authorized to work and obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The
180-day TPS registration period begins Nov. 21, 2014 and runs through May 20,
2015.
To be eligible for TPS,
applicants must demonstrate that they satisfy all eligibility criteria,
including that they have been “continuously residing” in the United States
since Nov. 20, 2014 and “continuously physically present in” the United States
since Nov. 21, 2014. Applicants also undergo thorough security
checks. Individuals with certain criminal records or who pose a threat to
national security are not eligible for TPS. The eligibility requirements are fully
described in the Federal Register notices and on the TPS Web page atwww.uscis.gov/tps
Liberians currently
covered under the two-year extension of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) based
on President Obama’s Sept. 26, 2014
memorandum may apply for TPS. If they do not apply for TPS
within the initial 180-day registration period, they risk being ineligible for
TPS because they will have missed the initial registration period. Liberians
covered by DED who already possess or have applied for an EAD do not need to
also apply for one related to this TPS designation. However, such individuals
who are granted TPS may request a TPS-related EAD at a later date as long as
the TPS designation for Liberia remains in effect.
Applicants may request
that USCIS waive any or all fees based on demonstrated 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 any TPS application that does not
include the required filing fee or a properly documented fee-waiver request.
No comments:
Post a Comment