DHS Announces Redesignations and 18-Month Extensions of Temporary Protected Status for Sudan and South Sudan

Registration and Re-registration Periods Open Jan. 9, 2013

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today redesignated Sudan and South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and extended the existing TPS designations for the two countries from May 3, 2013, through Nov. 2, 2014. This allows eligible nationals of the two countries to register or re-register for TPS in accordance with notices for Sudan and South Sudan published today in the Federal Register. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages eligible individuals to register or re-register as soon as possible. 

The extensions and redesignations of Sudan and South Sudan for TPS are based on ongoing armed conflict in that region and the continuation of extraordinary and temporary conditions that led to the TPS designations of Sudan in 2004 and South Sudan in 2011. Secretary Napolitano determined that extending the existing TPS designations, as well as redesignating the two countries for TPS, is warranted based on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State reviews of country conditions conducted during the past year.

The Secretary has further determined that it is appropriate to designate Jan. 9, 2013, as the date by which Sudan and South Sudan TPS applicants must show they have continuously resided in the United States (i.e., the "continuous residence date").

DHS anticipates that approximately 300 individuals will be eligible to re-register for TPS under the existing designations of Sudan and South Sudan, and fewer than 4,000 additional individuals will be eligible for TPS under the redesignations.

Individuals applying for TPS for the first time must submit:

• Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status;
• The Form I-821 application fee;
• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, regardless of whether they want an Employment Authorization Document (EAD);
• The Form I-765 application fee, but only if they want an EAD and are 14 to 65 years old. Those under age 14 or age 66 and older do not need to pay the I-765 fee with their initial TPS application; and
• The biometrics services fee if they are age 14 or older.

Individuals re-registering for TPS must submit:

• Form I-821;
• Form I-765, regardless of whether they want an EAD;
• The Form I-765 application fee, but only if they want an EAD. All individuals re-registering for TPS who want an EAD must pay the I-765 fee, regardless of their age; and
• The biometric services fee if they are age 14 or older.

Individuals who still have a pending initial TPS application under Sudan or South Sudan do not need to submit a new Form I-821. However, if such individuals currently have a TPS-related EAD and want a new EAD, they should submit:

• Form I-765;
• The Form I-765 application fee, regardless of their age; and
• A copy of the receipt notice for the initial Form I-821 that is still pending.

Applicants may request that USCIS waive any or all fees based on 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. Failure to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee-waiver request will result in the rejection of the TPS application.

All USCIS forms are free. Applicants can download these forms from the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/forms or request them by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.

More information on TPS for Sudan and South Sudan - including guidance on eligibility, the application process and where to file - is available online at www.uscis.gov/tps. Further details on the extensions and redesignations of Sudan and South Sudan for TPS, including application requirements and procedures, are available in the Federal Register notices published today for Sudan and South Sudan, respectively.                                                             

Applicants seeking information about the status of their individual cases can check My Case Status Online or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.