TPS for Syria Extended and Available to First-Time Applicants
Updated 8/1/2022
On July 29, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an 18-month extension of Syrian Temporary Protected Status (TPS), until March 31, 2024. DHS also allowed Syrians living in the U.S. since July 28, 2022 to apply for TPS for the first time.
This means that more than 6,400 Syrians can apply for permission to continue working and living in the United States through March 31, 2024. It also provides TPS protection and work permission to nearly 1,000 first-time Syrian TPS applicants who have lived in the U.S. since July 28, 2022.
What is TPS?
TPS offers temporary protection and work authorization to people from specific countries who the Secretary of DHS decides are unable to return home safely due to civil war, environmental disasters or other extreme circumstances in their home countries.
Am I eligible for an Extension of TPS?
Syrians who received TPS previously must apply for this TPS extension and work authorization between August 1, 2022 and September 30, 2022.
What if my TPS extension application is pending after my Employment Authorization Document (EAD) expires?
DHS will automatically extend the validity of certain EADs previously issued for Syrian TPS holders through September 30, 2023.
What if I applied during the last TPS application period and my application is still pending?
Syrians who previously filed for TPS and whose applications are pending as of August 1, 2022 do not need to file another TPS extension and work authorization application. When USCIS grants the pending applications for TPS and work permission, the approval will be through March 31, 2024.
What do I show my employer to prove my EAD was automatically extended?
You should show your current EAD card. If your employer asks you, you may show this Federal Register notice showing that USCIS has automatically extended your EAD through September 30, 2023. But you are not required to show this notice to your employer.
Am I Eligible to Apply for TPS for the First Time and When Can I Apply?
Syrians who have lived in the U.S. since July 28, 2022, and who have been present in the U.S. continuously since October 1, 2022 are eligible to apply for TPS for the first time. The application period for first-time Syrian TPS applicants is from August 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024. You can apply even before the October 1, 2022 continuous presence date.
Can I travel outside the U.S.?
TPS holders can ask for permission to travel outside the U.S. by requesting for advance parole. The request for advance parole must be filed on Form I-131 and granted before you take a trip outside the U.S. Remember, it’s important not to travel outside the U.S. without first receiving advance parole.
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Don’t forget, filing an application for an extension of TPS and your work authorization now may allow you to take advantage of other immigration benefits in the future and preserve your ability to file for future TPS extensions.