Information on the application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Who qualifies to apply?

If you are a citizen of a TPS-designated country (Haiti, Venezuela, etc.) living in the US and do not have permanent immigration status, you may be eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This would allow you to legally live and work in the US and apply for a Social Security Number as long as your home country is designated as a TPS country. It is valid for 18 months at a time.

The TPS registration period for Haitian citizens is open from July 29, 2021 to February 3, 2023. If you are from Haiti, you would not be eligible for TPS if:

1. You have voluntarily returned to Haiti or to a country in which you last habitual resided outside of the U.S.
2. You have not continuously resided in the U.S. since July 29, 2021
3. You have been convicted of any felony or 2 or more misdemeanors committed in the U.S. if you have ever been arrested, cited, or convicted of a crime, you must obtain a Certificate of Disposition for each matter and must speak to an expert on immigration law before applying for TPS.

The TPS registration period for Venezuela citizens is open from March 9, 2021 to September 9, 2022. If you are from Venezuela, you would not be eligible for TPS if:

1. You have voluntarily returned to Venezuela or to a country in which you last habitual resided outside of the U.S.
2. You have not continuously resided in the U.S. since March 8, 2021
3. You have been convicted of any felony or 2 or more misdemeanors committed in the U.S. if you have ever been arrested, cited, or convicted of a crime, you must obtain a Certificate of Disposition for each matter and must speak to an expert on immigration law before applying for TPS.

What documents and forms will be needed to apply for TPS?

To apply for TPS, you will need to show three things:

1. You are from a TPS-designated country (Venezuela, Haiti, etc.)
2. You resided in the U.S. on July 29, 2021 for Haitian TPS or March 8, 2021 for Venezuelan TPS. 
3. You have been continuously residing in the U.S. ever since.

To apply for TPS, you will need:

1. Proof of nationality: Passport, birth certificate with photo identification, or a national identity document from your home country with a photo and / or fingerprint.
2. Proof of your date of entry into the US: Passport entry stamp, I-94 arrival / departure record, or other documents proving your entry into the US on or before July 29, 2021.
3. Proof of your continuous residence from July 29, 2021 or earlier to the present:
   •  Employment records (pay stubs, W-2 forms, IRS tax transcripts, state verification of state tax filing, letters from your employer, statements from banks you have done business with).
   • Rent receipts, utility bills (gas, electricity, phone, etc.), receipts or letters from companies showing the dates you received service.
   • School records (report cards, letters, etc.) from the schools you or your children attended in the US, showing the names of the schools and dates of attendance.
   • Hospital or medical records of the treatment you or your children received, showing the name of the medical or medical facility and the dates of treatment or hospitalization.
   • Statements from churches, unions, or other organizations relative to your residence and that identify you by name.
   • Other miscellaneous documents, such as birth certificates of your children born here, dated bank transfers and transactions, letters, US Social Security card, driver's license, Selective Service card, contracts, mortgages, insurance policies, etc.

If you have an asylum case or a court case:

We advise that you seek the help of an attorney regarding your case, https://www.ailalawyer.com/

If you have ever interacted with the police you will need to obtain any records related to the interaction. You will also need to speak with an attorney to confirm that you are not disqualified from applying for TPS and / or if you need to obtain a waiver.