Business Immigration Insights

The Department of Homeland Security designates a country for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) when conditions – such as ongoing armed conflicts or environmental disasters – make it unsafe for those citizens who are in the United States to return home.  Because of the recent Ebola outbreaks in western Africa, DHS designated Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone for TPS in November 2014.

Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced it has extended the initial registration deadline by 120 days:  from May 20, 2015, to August 18, 2015.  Individuals whose initial applications were rejected by USCIS for not meeting the original deadline may now resubmit their applications.  USCIS has warned that the registration deadline is not likely to be extended again.

Additional details on the registration extension, as well as procedural and legal requirements for TPS, may be found at the USCIS website on TPS for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.