USCIS Expands myProgress to Forms I-485 and I-821
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On November 21, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is expanding myProgress (formerly known as personalized processing times) to Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. myProgress will initially only be available for family-based or Afghan special immigrant I-485 applicants.
USCIS explained that myProgress “provides applicants with access, in their online account, to personalized estimates of their wait time for major milestones and actions on their case, including their final case decision. While estimates are based on case type and historical patterns, they are not a guarantee of timing, and cannot take into consideration all possible unique application processing factors.” Milestones include confirmation that the application was received, movement of the application through pre-processing and adjudicative steps, and the case decision.
In addition to Form I-485 and Form I-821, myProgress is available for applicants with a USCIS online account who file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; Form I-131, Application for Travel Document; Form N-400, Application for Naturalization; Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card; or Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
Applicants still need to visit the public Check Case Processing Times webpage to determine whether they are eligible to file an Outside of Normal Processing Times service request, USCIS noted.

​

In September 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced both the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela. The detailed instructions are now available in the Federal Register.
The 18-month extension of TPS and employment authorization for those who already have TPS runs from March 11, 2024, until September 10, 2025.
The redesignation, on the other hand, runs from October 3, 2023, until April 2, 2024.

The timing for applying for the extension and the redesignation are different.

Venezuelans who are already in TPS and have employment authorization must apply for the extensions during the 60-day registration period that runs from January 10, 2024, until March 10, 2024. Failure to re-register could result in a withdrawal of status.

Because DHS recognizes that there may be a gap in employment authorization even for those who timely apply, Venezuelan TPS-based Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) with expiration dates of March 10, 2024, or September 9, 2022, will be automatically extended until March 10, 2025. Once new EADs are issued, they will have an expiration date of April 2, 2025.

Individuals who are taking advantage of the redesignation may make initial TPS and EAD applications between October 3, 2023, and April 2, 2025, when the redesignation will expire. As with those seeking extensions, individuals must meet all the general eligibility requirements, but they also must show:

• Continuous residence in the United States since July 31, 2023; and
• Continuous physical presence in the United States since October 3, 2023.

Individuals making initial applications must have a valid EAD to show work authorization. The automatic extensions would not apply.

Extension for Certain Ukrainians Paroled into the United States.

Certain Ukrainian nationals and immediate family members were paroled into the United States last year, on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons, during an approximate eight-week period after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and before the Uniting for Ukraine process was available. Such individuals were generally paroled for a period of one year, while participants in Uniting for Ukrainereceived a two-year period of parole.

With hostilities in Ukraine entering their second year, DHS assesses that there remain urgent humanitarian reasons, as well as a significant public benefit, for extending the parole of certain Ukrainians who arrived prior to Uniting for Ukraine. DHS will consider Ukrainian nationals and immediate family members who were paroled, on a case-by-case basis, before Uniting for Ukraine for an extension of the parole period and employment authorization, if applicable.

Specifically, individuals paroled into the United States at a port of entry between February 24, 2022 and April 25, 2022 will be considered for an extension. DHS is in the process of considering these individuals, on a case-by-case basis, for a one-year extension of their period of parole to align with the two-year parole period provided under Uniting for Ukraine. DHS estimates it will take approximately four weeks to consider and vet all the individuals in the group and will review cases based on the date of parole.

If an individual’s parole period is extended, DHS will proactively make available online an updated Form I-94 with the extended parole period. The period of parole will be extended from the current expiration date without a gap. Individuals can retrieve and download an updated Form I-94 as evidence of their extended parole period by visiting CBP’s Form I-94 website.

Those who have their period of parole extended will also be eligible to receive employment authorization for the additional year. Individuals who have Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) based on their parole and whose parole period is extended for an additional year will receive a Form I-797C from USCIS that can be used to demonstrate continued employment authorization through the extended parole period.  The Form I-797C will be mailed to the address on file with USCIS.  If you need to change your address, please change your address online through your existing USCIS online account or using the Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card, online using the Change of Addresspage.

• If you are part of this group but do not see an updated Form I-94 online by early April 2023, please submit an inquiry to Ask Us a Question (cbp.gov)
  • Please select Topic: Traveler Compliance then the subtopic: Ukrainians Paroled U.S. - Russia Invasion
• If you are part of this group and hold a valid EAD based on your parole but do not receive Form I-797C by the end of April, please reach out to UkrainianEADExtensions@uscis.dhs.gov.
• If you do not currently have an EAD but would like to apply for one based on your parole, you may file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with USCIS. Ukrainian parolees are exempt from fees for first time applicants.

Ukrainian parolees may pursue multiple immigration pathways at the same time and this process does not impact other benefit requests including those who have applied for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), been granted TPS, or applied for asylum.

However, parole will terminate automatically upon departure from the United States. Individuals with parole who plan to depart the United States and wish to return must first apply for advance parole in order to be considered for reentry into the United States.


https://www.dhs.gov/ukraine?mibextid=Zxz2cZ


Briefly in Russian:

​Продление пароля на один год относится только к тем украинцам, которыео въехали в США в феврале, марте и по 25 апреля 2022 года через Мексиканскую границу и получил гуманитарный пароль на один год. Это не относится к тем, кто приехал после 25 апреля по программе Uniting for Ukraine.

Пароль должен быть автоматически продлен еще на один год. Вам ничего не нужно делать. Только  проверять форму i-94 на сайте CBP,

CBP опубликует новые форма 94 с новыми датами. 

Дополнительно до конца апреля 2023 вам придет по почте письмо продляющее разрешение на работу на один год с даты истечения старого (то есть у вас не будет перерыва). Письмо придет по вашему почтовому адресу, который был указан в заявлении на разрешение на работу I-765.. Если вы переехали, срочно подайте форму AR-11 online и сделайте это правильно.

Остальных граждан Украины это не касается - тех кто приехал по туристическим и другим визам, и тех кто посил ПУ   политическое убежище после 25 апреля 2022 на границе с Мексикой, или тех у кого парольт на два года по прошрамме U4U..​

Если вы не получили продление к концу апреля, обратитесь с вопросом по адресу TCCPMO@cbp.dhs.gov.

А если не пришло продление разрешения на работу – по адресу UkrainianEADExtensions@uscis.dhs.gov.

Если у вас нет разрешения на работу, вы можете его подать I-765 в USCIS. Украинцы по гуманитарному паролю не платят за первое заявление.

Пока не совмесм понятно будут ли продлевать пароль тем, кто уже подался на TPS или получил TPS.

По закону украинцы могут использовать несколько путей иммиграции одновременно, и это не влияет на то, подали ли вы на получение временной защиты (TPS), получили статус TPS или подали прошение о предоставлении убежища.

Запись на консультацию с адвокатом по адресу.


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​

​Avoid Scams – Uniting for Ukraine and Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans

Uniting for Ukraine and the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, provide pathways for nationals of these countries and their immediate family members to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2-year period of parole.

USCIS is asking potential supporters and beneficiaries of these parole processes to be cautious of scams and rumors. There has been an increase in scams and predatory behavior targeting individuals from these countries who may be considered for parole under these processes. Scammers and other bad actors exploit their victims by creating uncertainty and misinformation. Find more information on scams and legal services on the USCIS Avoid Scams webpage.
​
Some common scams and misleading offers to be aware of include:

• Government impersonators: Look out for scammers posing as USCIS officials. USCIS will only contact you through official government channels and will not contact you through your personal social media accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).
• Misleading offers of support: Look out for individuals who attempt to contact you online or through your social media accounts to offer to be your supporter or connect you to a supporter in exchange for a fee or your biographic information, such as your passport number or date of birth. Supporters should be able to provide financial support to beneficiaries for up to a 2-year period of parole. Beneficiaries are not obligated to repay, reimburse, work for, serve, marry, or otherwise compensate their supporter in exchange for the potential supporter submitting Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, on their behalf or for providing financial support while they are in the United States. Find more information on potential exploitation and abuse in the Understand Your Rights guide.
• Scam websites: Some websites claim to be affiliated with USCIS and offer step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application, petition, or request. Make sure your information is from uscis.gov, dhs.gov, or is affiliated with uscis.gov. Make sure the website address ends with .gov.
• Payments by phone or email: USCIS will never ask you to transfer money to an individual. We do not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, or gift cards as payment for immigration fees. In addition, we will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email.
• Notarios Públicos and unauthorized practitioners of immigration law: In the United States, a notario público is not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration benefits.
  
  ​Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice (DOJ)-recognized organization can give you legal advice. 

To schedule an appointment with an attorney, please email us.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today posted a Federal Register notice on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. The notice provides information about how to register or re-register for TPS under Haiti’s extension and redesignation for an additional 18 months, from February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024. Last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the 18-month extension and redesignation of Haiti for TPS.

The registration process begins on January 26, 2023. All individuals who want to request TPS under the designation of Haiti must file an application.

The extension of TPS for Haiti allows approximately 107,000 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through August 3, 2024, if they continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements. It is estimated that approximately 105,000 additional individuals in the United States may be eligible for TPS under the redesignation of Haiti. Only individuals who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022, are eligible for TPS under Haiti’s redesignation.

Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status to August 3, 2024, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period from January 26, 2023, through March 27, 2023, to ensure they keep their TPS and employment authorization without a gap. DHS recognizes that not all re-registrants may receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire on February 3, 2023, and is automatically extending through February 3, 2024, the validity of EADs previously issued under the TPS designation of Haiti.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will continue to process pending applications filed under Haiti’s initial TPS designation. Individuals with a pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or a related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, do not need to file either application again.

New applicants for TPS under the redesignation of Haiti must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the initial registration period that runs from January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024. Haiti TPS applicants may file Form I-821 online. When filing a TPS application, applicants can also request an EAD by submitting Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, either with their Form I-821 or separately at a later date. Applicants may also submit Form I-765 online.

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

Generally, being a dual national (having two or more citizenships, one of which in a TPS-designated country) does not prohibit an applicant from applying for TPS.

However, a dual national applicant should very carefully consider his or her "operative nationality" and "firm resettlement" issues before applying for TPS.

It is advisable to consult an attorney before applying.

Operative Nationality

Although US law recognizes dual nationality, a person may claim only one nationality at a time for immigration matters within the United States. This singular “operative nationality” becomes the crucial first test in assessing whether the dual national may qualify for TPS.

USCIS generally looks at how the applicant entered the US in order to determine operative nationality. For example, what passport they used to travel to the United States, and when applying for extension or change of status, how did they identify their nationality on forms and applications?

If you entered with a passport from a TPS-designated country and that country is shown on the I-94, it’s safe to say you have met the operative nationality test. If so, move to the next analysis.
 
Firm Resettlement

Even if the dual national passes the operative nationality test, the USCIS officer may still challenge by issuing a request for additional evidence (RFE) and assess whether the dual national may have firmly resettled in another country.

The law state that a noncitizen is “considered to be firmly resettled if, prior to arrival in the United States, he or she entered into another country with, or while in that country, received, an offer of permanent resident status, citizenship, or some other type of permanent resettlement”.

Under the firm resettlement analysis, simply having a passport from the non-TPS country without living in that non-TPS-country should not give rise to a firm resettlement finding. However, ask an advise from an attorney before applying.
Even if the dual national did enter the non-TPS-country, the applicant may still establish that they are not subject to the firm settlement bar by showing that there were no significant ties or there were restrictive conditions in the non-TPS-country.

USCIS explained these factors in a March 29, 2021 Questions and Answers on “Designation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status,” by stating the following:
"TPS applicants may submit evidence regarding when and how they obtained their non-TPS citizenship, the nature of their family and other ties to the non-TPS country, whether they have lived in the other country, when and how long they lived in that country, dates of visits to the non-TPS country of citizenship, and any other information that the applicant believes may be relevant to the firm resettlement issue. ".

More information on TPS is here.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for TPS, you must:

• Be a national of a country designated for TPS, or a person without nationality who last habitually resided in the designated country;
• File during the open initial registration or re-registration period, or you meet the requirements for late initial filing during any extension of your country’s TPS designation (Late initial filers see ‘Filing Late’ section below);
• Have been continuously physically present (CPP) in the United States since the effective date of the most recent designation date of your country; and
• Have been continuously residing (CR) in the United States since the date specified for your country. (See your country’s TPS web page to the left). The law allows an exception to the continuous physical presence and continuous residence requirements for brief, casual and innocent departures from the United States. When you apply or re-register for TPS, you must inform USCIS of all absences from the United States since the CPP and CR dates. USCIS will determine whether the exception applies in your case.

You may NOT be eligible for TPS or to maintain your existing TPS if you:

• Have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States;
• Are found inadmissible as an immigrant under applicable grounds in INA section 212(a), including non-waivable criminal and security-related grounds;
• Are subject to any of the mandatory bars to asylum. These include, but are not limited to, participating in the persecution of another individual or engaging in or inciting terrorist activity;
• Fail to meet the continuous physical presence and continuous residence in the United States requirements;
• Fail to meet initial or late initial TPS registration requirements; or
• If granted TPS, you fail to re-register for TPS, as required, without good cause.

Briefly in Russian:

Нередко человек, подающий на TPS, имеет два или более гражданства.

В каких ситуациях USCIS утверждает TPS таким лицам с двойным гражданством, у которых потенциально есть безопасная страна?

1) Вначале проводится анализ по какому паспорту человек въехал в США, какое гражданство было заявлено при въезде.

2) Если это гражданство страны, где TPS статус был объявлен, то второй элемент теста - проживал ли человек в безопасной стране своего второго гражданства, какая связь с этой страной? 

Нередки случаи, коглда именно по этому пункту USCIS присылает RFE или запрос на дополнительные документы, и отказы по этому сонованию также бывают.

Если вы сомневаетесь, лучше проконсультироваться с адвокатом перед подачей заявления на TPS.

(1) New program similar to Uniting for Ukraine was announced today for Venezuela.

​Details to follow soon at. https://www.uscis.gov/venezuela

The Biden administration agreed to accept up to 24,000 Venezuelan migrants at U.S. airports, similar to how Ukrainians have been admitted since Russia’s invasion, while Mexico has agreed to take back Venezuelans who come to the U.S. illegally over land, the U.S. and Mexico said Wednesday.

To be eligible, Venezuelans must:

have a supporter in the United States who will provide financial and other support;
pass rigorous biometric and biographic national security and public safety screening and vetting; and
complete vaccinations and other public health requirements.

*** Venezuelans are ineligible if they:

have been ordered removed from the United States in the previous five years;
have crossed without authorization between ports of entry after the date of announcement;
have irregularly entered Mexico or Panama after the date of announcement, or are a permanent resident or dual national of any country other than Venezuela, or currently hold refugee status in any country; or
have not completed vaccinations and other public health requirements.

Venezuelans approved via this process will be authorized on a case-by-case basis to travel to the United States by air directly to an interior port of entry, thus relieving pressure at the border. Once in the United States, they will be eligible to apply for work authorization.


(2)  DHS Announces Extension of Temporary Protected Status TPS for Venezuela Until March 10, 2024.

Release Date: July 11, 2022
WASHINGTON--Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas is extending the designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. 

The 18-month extension of TPS for Venezuela will be effective from September 10, 2022, through March 10, 2024. Only beneficiaries under Venezuela’s existing designation, and who were already residing in the United States as of March 8, 2021, are eligible to re-register for TPS under this extension. Venezuelans who arrived in the United States after March 8, 2021, are not eligible for TPS. Approximately 343,000 individuals are estimated to be eligible for TPS under the existing designation of Venezuela. 
The forthcoming Federal Register notice will provide instructions for re-registering for TPS and applying for the renewal of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Venezuelans who are currently eligible for TPS under the existing designation but may have not yet applied with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should file their applications prior to the September 9, 2022, application deadline, including those Venezuelans who are covered under the January 2021 grant of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Venezuela’s DED is set to expire July 20, 2022. 

​Read more here.

TPS for Ukraine Updates: Новости по ТПС для Украины.

Today, on July 14, 2022, I attended a conference call with the USCIS headquarters, and they provided important updates about TPS for Ukraine. Below are some of the talking points in English and Russian.

Cегодня 14 июля 2022 USCIS ответили на многие вопросы по ТПС для Украины во время конференции с адвокатами, которую я посетила.

1) USCIS is expecting that the processing time for TPS for Ukraine will be about 6 months. Soon, the processing times will be available at USCIS website. Ожидается, что сроки рассмотрения ТПС для Украины будут 6 месяцев. Скоро даты будут опубликованы онлайн на сайте USCIS.

2) Some TPS applications will be denied. The reasons for denial are inadmissibility grounds, criminal, frivolous asylum application (it is important!), reinstatement of a prior deportation order, etc. Некоторые заявления на ТПС получат отказ. Например, если у вас открыто решение по депортации, вы подавали фривольное заявление на полит убежище в прошлом, у вас есть судимости и другие основания для признания вас невъездным в США. Проконсультируйтесь с адвокатом.

3) Application for TPS can be filed online. However, if you are requesting a fee waiver, currently, it can be only filed by mail. However, USCIS is working on making a Fee Waiver request available for online filing soon. Заявление на ТПС может быть подано как онлайн так и по почте. Если вы хотите подать бесплатно - только по почте. USCIS планируют скоро поменять правила - и разрешить подачу бесплатно онлайн (подать заявление на fee waiver).

4) Be careful preparing your application and what documents you are submitting with your application.
Внимательно готовьте свое заявление и документы для подачи.

5) Avoid immigration scams. Consult licensed attorneys, not notarios or someone says that they are a "paralegal" or "immigration consultant". USCIS sees a lot of fraudulent activity.
Избегайте иммиграционного мошенничества. Многие нотариусы, паралигалы и так называемые "иммиграционные консультанты" на самом деле не являются адвокатами, не имеют права давать юридический совет, но занимаются иммиграционными услугами. Обращайтесь за помощью к адвокату. USCIS видит много нарушений и мошенничества по делам ТПС.

6) If your application is pending too long or you didn't receive a Receipt Notice, form I-797, they might be investigating your case more closely. Consult an attorney. Если ваше заявление слишком долго ждет решения или вы даже не получили письмо с номером дела, возможно какие-то проблемы именно с вашим заявлением, и оно требует больше времени. Проконсультируйтесь с адвокатом.

7) You can travel to Ukraine and return back to the USA if you have an advance parole (if TPS is pending) or travel authorization (if TPS is granted). Вы можете путешествовать в Украину и обратно в США, если у вас есть travel document. А именно, advance parole (если ТПС все еще на рассмотрении) или travel authorization (если ТПС уже утвержден). Помните, что это требует особого заявления, госпошлины и времени для получения.

8) If you applied for TPS online and made a mistake that you noticed too late, there is a way to correct it through your online account.
Если вы сделали ошибки в своем заявлении онлайн, то есть способы их исправить через ваш аккаунт онлайн.

9) YES, you can have another valid Non-immigrant status while in TPS. However, you must maintain that status. There are rules to follow. Да, вы можете одновременно с ТПС поддерживать другой неиммиграционный статус. Помните, что важно не нарушать это второй статус, чтобы его не потерять (например, студенческий).

10) If you left Ukraine in a hurry and do not have some important documents, there is a way to submit "secondary evidence", and if accepted, it could be used instead of the missing documents from Ukraine.
Если вы оставили на Украине какие-то важные документы и у вас их нет с собой, их можно заменить другими документами. Проконсультируйтесь с адвокатом.

11) In some instances, people without Ukrainian citizenship could be granted TPS. В некоторых ситуациях человек не являющийся гражданином Украины может получить статус ТПС для Украины. Это узкие исключения.

12) TPS is issued individually to each applicant (to parents and children separately). You need to submit an application for each family member. There is no "derivative" TPS status. Статус ТПС это не семейный статус. Он не выдается на всю семью. Каждый должен подать индивидуальное заявление, включая детей. Кому-то могут отказать, не взирая на родственные связи, если они не соответствуют требованиям ТПС.

Для консультации с адвокатом, пишите по адресу.attorney@law-visa-usa.com  ​

​Beginning July 1, 2022, USCIS will issue a new travel authorization document to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries: Form I-512T, Authorization for Travel by a Noncitizen to the United States. USCIS will no longer issue advance parole documents to a TPS beneficiary’s for travel outside the United States.

If you are a TPS beneficiary (TPS was approved) with an existing, unexpired advance parole document, you may continue to use it for travel outside the United States through the period of validity printed on it.

If you are a TPS beneficiary applying for a new travel authorization document, you should continue to use Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.

If you have a pending Form I-131, you do not need to file a new application.

USCIS will continue issuing advance parole documents to noncitizens with pending applications for TPS (Form I-821).

Recently we published very important related news on our blog.

Briefly in Russian:

С 1 июля 2022 USCIS начал выдавать новый документ для поездок за пределы США лицам в статусе TPS..

Мы недавно опубликовали на нашем блоге важные новости по этому вопросу и будущей возможности получить грин карту.

Форма заявления - таже форма I-131.

Если заявлние I-821 TPS все еще находится на рассмотрении, то по прежнему USCIS будет выдавать advance parole.

To schedule a consultation, please email us to schedule.

Information about TPS from USCIS. 

USCIS announced today that they are extending the designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for another 18 months.
​
The 18-month extension of TPS for Venezuela will be effective from September 10, 2022, through March 10, 2024. Only beneficiaries under Venezuela’s existing designation, and who were already residing in the United States as of March 8, 2021, are eligible to re-register for TPS under this extension.

Venezuelans who arrived in the United States after March 8, 2021, are not eligible for TPS.

Approximately 343,000 individuals are estimated to be eligible for TPS under the existing designation of Venezuela.

​TPS for Venezuela page at USCIS is here.

​Extensión del TPS de VenezuelaEl Departamento de Seguridad Nacional anunció la extensión del Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) de Venezuela por 18 meses, desde el 10 de septiembre de 2022 hasta el 10 de marzo de 2024.
La extensión del TPS de Venezuela por 18 meses entrará en vigor el 10 de septiembre de 2022. DHS publicará una notificación en el Registro Federal que explicará cómo reinscribirse bajo la designación de Venezuela y solicitar un Documento de Autorización de Empleo (EAD). Se estima que aproximadamente 343,000 personas estar elegibles para TPS bajo la designación existente de Venezuela. 
USCIS continuará con el procesamiento de las solicitudes pendientes. Los solicitantes que tengan un Formulario I-821, Solicitud de Autorización de Empleo o el Formulario I-765, Solicitud de Autorización de Empleo, no tienen que presentar la solicitud nuevamente. Si USCIS aprueba su Formulario I-821 pendiente presentado durante la designación inicial de TPS para Venezuela, USCIS le otorgará al solicitante TPS hasta el 10 de marzo de 2024. De manera similar, si USCIS aprueba un Formulario I-765 pendiente relacionado con TPS para un solicitante inicial, emitirá un nuevo EAD válido hasta el 10 de marzo de 2024.
Mas Información
DHS planificará y coordinará oportunidades de enlace comunitario con respecto a la extensión y redesignación de TPS para Venezuela para brindar información y responder preguntas del público.
Para obtener la información más actualizada relacionada con el Estatus de Protección Temporal, visite nuestra página de TPS.

Big news for TPS:

On July 1, 2022, USCIS updated its policy regarding eligibility for adjustment of status of certain recipients of TPS.  USCIS clarified that TPS beneficiaries who travel abroad temporarily, with the prior consent of the USCIS (new travel authorization form I-512T), and who return to the USA in accordance with that prior authorization, may be inspected and admitted into TPS upon return, with certain exceptions. TPS beneficiaries whom DHS has inspected and admitted into TPS after such authorized travel are considered “inspected and admitted” and therefore eligible to apply for a green card through a process known as adjustment of status under INA 245(a) and INA 245(k). This is true even if the TPS beneficiary was present without admission or parole when initially granted TPS. USCIS  introducув a new form, TPS Travel Authorization (Form I-512T) for authorizing such travel. A TPS applicant has to be eligible to apply for a green card, in one if the categories, this didn't change.

Briefly in Russian:

1 июля 2022 USCIS опубликовал официальный меморандум, который изменил стырые правила по ТПС. Теперь человек в статусе ТПС, может получить разрешение на поездки за границу, новую форму, которую вводят специально для ТПС, и по возвращении в США, ему или ей будет разрешен официальный въезд в США на основании инспекции офицером на границе. С этим официальным разрешением на въезд, человек сможет подать на грин карту через процесс известный как adjustment of status, даже если до этого они въехали без визы и проживали нелегально в США. Естественно, человек должен иметь основания для подачи на грин карту, в соответствии с законом.

To be eligible for adjustment of status under INA 245(a), a noncitizen must have been inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled into the United States, unless exempt from this requirement. On June 7, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the interpretation that a noncitizen who enters the United States without having been inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled, and who is subsequently granted TPS, generally does not meet this requirement.1 USCIS is updating its guidance to reflect the decision of the Supreme Court. USCIS is also updating the effect of authorized travel by a TPS beneficiary on eligibility for adjustment of status under INA 245(a). On August 20, 2020, USCIS adopted a decision by the Administrative Appeals Office in Matter of Z-R-Z-C- as agency policy.

Matter of Z-R-Z-C- held that treating TPS beneficiaries who were paroled upon returning from travel authorized under INA 244(f)(3) as parolees for purposes of eligibility for adjustment of status under INA 245(a) was contrary to the language of the statute, as such noncitizens should not be considered to have been paroled, despite the issuance and use of parole documents for reentry into the United States. The adoption of this holding as the agency’s policy position significantly changed the agency’s position on the effect of authorized travel and return to the United States by TPS recipients. Matter of Z-R-ZC- also held that being “inspected and admitted” after TPS-authorized travel does not constitute being inspected and admitted for purposes of adjustment of status under INA 245(a).  

USCIS has reviewed its interpretation of the relevant statutory authority3 and the effect of TPS authorized travel on eligibility for adjustment of status, and on July 1, 2022, rescinded its designation of Matter of Z-R-Z-C- as an adopted decision.

USCIS is updating its guidance to clarify that TPS beneficiaries who travel abroad temporarily, with the prior consent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and who return in accordance with that prior authorization, may be inspected and admitted into TPS upon return, with certain exceptions. TPS beneficiaries whom DHS has inspected and admitted into TPS after such authorized travel are “inspected and admitted” for purposes of adjustment of status under INA 245(a) and INA 245(k).

This is true even if the TPS beneficiary was present without admission or parole when initially granted TPS.

USCIS is also updating its guidance relating to how it authorizes TPS beneficiaries to travel pursuant to the Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Nationality Amendments of 1991 (MTINA).

USCIS is introducing a new form, TPS Travel Authorization (Form I-512T) for authorizing such travel and will no longer be using Authorization for Parole of an Alien Into the United States (Form I512L) for this population. Presenting with a valid Form I-512T allows a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a port-of-entry to admit the named bearer into TPS.

USCIS is also removing guidance and reserving the affected Policy Manual section regarding the effect of TPS and TPS-authorized travel on whether a naturalization applicant was lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as required under INA 318.

The removed guidance did not reflect the 2021 Supreme Court decision that conferral of TPS was not an admission, and it applied the rescinded policy in Matter of Z-R-Z-C- to TPS beneficiaries who returned from authorized travel. Guidance reflecting these changes will be issued subsequently. USCIS is also updating its guidance relating to when adjustment of status applications are in the jurisdiction of USCIS, as opposed to the jurisdiction of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

The update also clarifies that jurisdiction is based on whether or not DHS places a noncitizen into removal proceedings as an “arriving alien.” This guidance, contained in Volume 7 of the Policy Manual, is effective immediately and applies prospectively to applications adjudicated on or after July 1, 2022. The guidance in Part B, Chapter 2, Section A, Subsection 5, Temporary Protected Status, also applies retroactively to past travel in all cases arising under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit under the recent decision Duarte v. Mayorkas, 27 F.4th 1044 (5th Cir. 2022), as well as in individual cases arising elsewhere where USCIS has determined that retroactive application is appropriate, as explained in the guidance. The guidance contained in the Policy Manual is controlling and supersedes Adjudicators Field Manual Chapter 54.4(a)(3)(A), TPS Advance Parole Procedures, and any other related prior guidance on the topic.

Policy Highlights:

• Incorporates the Supreme Court’s decision in Sanchez v. Mayorkas.

• Reflects the rescission of Matter of Z-R-Z-C- as an adopted decision.

• Clarifies that if a TPS beneficiary is inspected and admitted into TPS following a return from authorized travel, this meets the requirements of INA 245(a) and 245(k) for adjustment of status.

• Provides that USCIS may deem past travel under advance parole to have been an admission into TPS in certain cases.

• Clarifies the circumstances under which USCIS or EOIR have jurisdiction over adjustment of status applications following a TPS beneficiary’s inspection and admission into TPS after a return from authorized travel.

• Clarifies that jurisdiction over an adjustment application by a noncitizen in removal proceedings is based on whether or not DHS placed the noncitizen into those proceedings as an “arriving alien.”

• Removes and reserves guidance discussing TPS when considering whether a naturalization applicant was lawfully admitted as a permanent resident as required under INA 318. Summary of Changes Affected Section: Volume 7 > Part A > Chapter 3 > Section D, Jurisdiction

• Makes revisions throughout to clarify basis for jurisdiction and to incorporate new policy on effect of TPS-authorized travel. Affected Section: Volume 7 > Part B > Chapter 2 > Section A, “Inspected and Admitted” or “Inspected and Paroled” • Revises Subsection 5 (Temporary Protected Status), in its entirety. Affected Section: Volume 12 > Part D > Chapter 2 > Section C, Effect of Change in Law 

• Removes text under Subsection 2 (Case Law), Temporary Protected Status and Admission or Parole into the United States for Adjustment of Status, and reserves section.

Citation

​Volume 7: Adjustment of Status, Part A, Adjustment of Status Policies and Procedures, Chapter 3, Filing Instructions [7 USCIS-PM A.3]; Part B, 245(a) Adjustment, Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements [7 USCIS-PM B.2]. Volume 12: Citizenship and Naturalization, Part D, General Naturalization Requirements, Chapter 2, Lawful Permanent Resident Admission for Naturalization [12 USCIS-PM D.2]. 

USCIS Memo, dated July 1, 2022.

Read another post on this topic here - I-512T Travel Authorization for TPS Beneficiary v. Advance Parole for I-821 pending.

Designation of Afghanistan for TPS: for a period from May 20, 2022 to November 20, 2023. Must be present and continuously residing in the USA since March 15, 2022.

On May 19, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security posted for public inspection a Federal Register notice (FRN) designating Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months from May 20, 2022, through Nov. 20, 2023.

This designation allows Afghan nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan) who have continuously resided in the United States since March 15, 2022, to file initial applications for TPS. The FRN provides instructions for applying for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

TPS applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and undergo security and background checks.

Afghanistan’s 18-month TPS designation will go into effect on May 20, 2022, and individuals must also prove their continuous physical presence in the United States since the designation date. The FRN explains the procedures necessary for an individual to submit an initial registration application under the designation and to apply for an EAD.

​Read more at USCIS website.

To schedule consultation with an immigration attorney, please email us or visit our website at www.law-visa-usa.com
​

Ukraine
The TPS designation of Ukraine enables nationals of Ukraine and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine, and who have continuously resided in the United States since April 11, 2022, to file initial applications for TPS. The FRN provides instructions for applying for TPS and an EAD. TPS applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and undergo security and background checks.
TPS designation for Ukraine will go into effect on April 19, 2022, and individuals must also prove their continuous physical presence in the United States since the designation date. The FRNs explain the procedures necessary for an individual to submit an initial registration application under the designations and to apply for an EAD or an Employment Authorization.

C 19 апреля 2022 года украинские граждане находящиеся в США на 11 апреля 2022 могут подавать на временный защищённый статус или TPS. Начиная с 19 апреля заявление на TPS и на разрешение на работу могут быть поданы или онлайн или по почте. Если вы решите подать прошение о бесплатной подаче заявлений, то вы сможете подать только по почте. Если вы будете оплачивать госпошлины, то сможете подать онлайн. Подача онлайн уже открыта!

The official rule was published in the Federal Register on April 19, 2022: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/04/19/2022-08390/designation-of-ukraine-for-temporary-protected-status 

Filing InformationUSCIS offers the option to applicants for TPS under Ukraine's designation to file Form I-821 and related requests for EADs online or by mail. When filing a TPS application, applicants can also request an EAD by submitting a completed Form I-765, Request for Employment Authorization, with their Form I-821.
Online filing: Form I-821 and I-765 are available for concurrent filing online.[50] To file these forms online, you must first create a USCIS online account.[51]
Mail filing: Mail your application for TPS to the proper address in Table 1.
Table 1—Mailing Addresses

Mail your completed Application for Form I-821, Temporary Protected Status and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, if applicable, and supporting documentation to the proper address in Table 1.TravelTPS beneficiaries may also apply for and be granted travel authorization as a matter of discretion. You must file for travel authorization if you wish to travel outside the United States. If granted, travel authorization gives you permission to leave the United States and return during a specific period. To request travel authorization, you must file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, available at www.uscis.gov/​i-131. You may file Form I-131 together with your Form I-821 or separately. When filing the Form I-131, you must:

• Select Item Number 1.d. in Part 2 on the Form I-131; and
• Submit the fee for the Form I-131, or request a fee waiver, which you may submit on Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.

If you are filing Form I-131 together with Form I-821, send your forms to the address listed in Table 1. If you are filing Form I-131 separately based on a pending or approved Form I-821, send your form to the address listed in Table 2 and include a copy of Form I-797 for the approved or pending Form I-821.Biometric Services Fee for TPSBiometrics (such as fingerprints) are required for all applicants 14 years of age and older. Those applicants must submit a biometric services fee. As previously stated, if you are unable to pay the biometric services fee, you may request a fee waiver, which you may submit on Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. For more information on the application forms and fees for TPS, please visit the USCIS TPS web page at uscis.gov/tps. If necessary, you may be required to visit an Application Support Center to have your biometrics captured. For additional information on the USCIS biometric screening process, please see the USCIS Customer Profile Management Service Privacy Impact Assessment, available at dhs.gov/privacy.
General Employment-Related Information for TPS Applicants and Their EmployersHow can I obtain information on the status of my TPS application and EAD request?

To get case status information about your TPS application, as well as the status of your TPS-based EAD request, you can check Case Status Online at uscis.gov , or visit the USCIS Contact Center at uscis.gov/contactcenter. If your Form I-765 has been pending for more than 90 days, and you still need assistance, you may ask a question about your case online at egov.uscis.gov/e-request/Intro.do or call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agreed to restore a path to permanent residency for many Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries blocked by then-acting USCIS Director Ken Cuccinelli—an illegally appointed Trump official. ​. Because of today’s agreement, TPS beneficiaries impacted by this policy will be able to reopen and dismiss their removal orders and apply to adjust their status to become permanent residents—eliminating the threat of deportation if their TPS protections are revoked in the future.
The agreement is the result of a new settlement in CARECEN v. Cuccinelli, a lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Montagut & Sobral, PC, and Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP in August 2020. Seven Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries and the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) sued the Trump administration for unlawfully denying tens of thousands of TPS beneficiaries the opportunity to take steps to adjust their immigration status and become permanent residents. In the lawsuit, the seven current TPS holders shared their stories. Now, each one now has the opportunity to obtain permanent residence.
The December 2019 policy change, disguised as a mere clarification, was one of the Trump administration’s many efforts to eliminate TPS protections for tens of thousands of beneficiaries. The groups’ lawsuit alleged the change violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act; was motivated by the Trump administration’s racial and anti-immigrant bias; and was unlawfully authorized by Ken Cuccinelli, whose appointment was deemed illegal by a federal court in March 2020 in response to a separate lawsuit brought by Democracy Forward, CLINIC, RAICES, and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. 
“Today’s agreement will allow TPS beneficiaries—many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades and built deep roots in their communities—to once again seek permanent residency and extinguish the threat of deportation if their TPS protections are revoked,” said Democracy Forward Senior Counsel John Lewis. “The Trump administration’s policy illegally sought to destabilize the lives of tens of thousands with TPS protections. We’re proud to have helped restore protections that ensure our neighbors have a path to pursue permanent residency.”

Learn more about the lawsuit here.

В результате судебного иска USCIS согласилось опять изменить правила и разрешать тем, кто в США на статусе TPS подавать на грин карту через процесс adjustment of status.

Украинцы находящиеся в США смогут получить временные статус TPS на 18 месяцев. Только что было объявлено USCIS. Это относится только к тем украинцам, кто находился на территории США на 1 марта 2022 года. Если вы приехала после 1 марта, то этот TPS статус вы получить не сможете.
DHS также объявили сегодня, что приостанавливается депортация украинцев (с ордерами о депортации) в Украину.

DHS Designates Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.

A country may be designated for TPS when conditions in the country fall into one or more of the three statutory bases for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. This designation is based on both ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Ukraine that prevent Ukrainian nationals, and those of no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine, from returning to Ukraine safely. These conditions result from the full-scale Russian military invasion into Ukraine, which marks the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II. This invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis with significant numbers of individuals fleeing and damage to civilian infrastructure that has left many without electricity or water or access to food, basic supplies, shelter, and emergency medical services.

Individuals eligible for TPS under this designation must have continuously resided in the United States since March 1, 2022. Individuals who attempt to travel to the United States after March 1, 2022 will not be eligible for TPS. Ukraine’s 18-month designation will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). TPS applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and undergo security and background checks.

TPS status. 

Affirming the district court's summary judgment, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that under INA §244(f)(4), a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipient is deemed to be in lawful status as a nonimmigrant—and has thereby satisfied the requirements for becoming a nonimmigrant, including inspection and admission--for purposes of adjustment of status under INA §245(a).

The 9th Circuit court of appeals decision means that a person in TPS status (even the person who came to the U.S. without a visa, EWI) is eligible to obtain lawful permanent residence through adjustment of status application. 

The court's decision published on March 31, 2017 is here.