Richard Maney
Senior Partner
Board Certified Immigration & Nationality Attorney
Homeland Security has granted Temporary Protection Status to the nationals of Syria and four African countries.
These 5 countries are now allowed initial registration periods for TPS.
TPS allows nationals of these countries to register and obtain work permits and permission to remain in the United States for a specified time period.
Two of the current registration countries are added as a result of political instabiltiy. These countries include:
Syria
South Sudan
Three other countries have current registration for health concerns related to the Ebola virus:
Sierra Leone
Liberia
Guinea
TPs grants can also provide travel outside the United States by way of Advance Parole. This benefit is not advised for those individuals who overstayed their visa permission by more than 180 days, as re-entry may be considered barred.
To qualify for TPS, the applicant must:
1. Be a national of a TPS designated country (or habitually resided in a TPS designated country)
2. File dureing the open initial registration or meet the requirements for late filing
3. Have been continually present in the US since the effective date of the most recent registration
4. Have been continually residing in the US since the date specified for each TPS country (with exceptions)
5. Not be convicted of a felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the US
6. Not inadmissable under current US immigration law
7. Not subject to any bar to asylum
Temporary Protected Status is an important immigration benefit that can provide life-changing advantages to those who qualify.
For more information, please call your local Maney & Gordon office.
