Nepal TPS Re-Registration Period Opens

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At a glance

• Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal is extended for 12 months, from June 24, 2018, through June 24, 2019.
• Current Nepal TPS beneficiaries will have through July 23, 2018 to re-register to maintain status through June 24, 2019, according to a USCIS notice published today.
• Nepal TPS employment authorization documents with an expiration date of June 24, 2018 will automatically be extended through December 21, 2018.

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The situation

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal for 12 months, through June 24, 2019. Current Nepal TPS beneficiaries will have 60 days, or until July 23, 2018, to request a 12-month extension of status and work authorization while they seek another immigration status or prepare to depart the country, according to a notice published in the Federal Register today.

Re-registering for TPS

• Who may re-register: Re-registration is limited to those who previously registered for and were granted TPS under the designation of Nepal.
• When to re-register: To obtain a 12-month extension of status, current Nepal TPS beneficiaries must submit Form I-821 with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) within the 60-day re-registration period. Applicants need not pay the filing fee but may be required to pay the biometrics fee.
• Extending employment authorization: Beneficiaries who wish to extend their employment authorization for 12 months must also submit a timely Form I-765 application for an employment authorization document (EAD) and the applicable fees (or a fee waiver application).
• Automatic EAD Extensions: DHS recognizes that not all re-registrants will be able to file and receive new EADs before their current employment authorization expires on June 24, 2018. Accordingly, DHS will automatically extend the validity of all EADs issued under the TPS designation of Nepal for 180 days, through December 21, 2018.
• Beneficiaries with pending TPS applications:Applicants who have a Form I-821 or a Form I-765 pending, as of May 22, 2018, need not re-file the pending form. Approved applications will be granted validity dates through June 24, 2019.

I-9 eligibility verification

For Form I-9 employment eligibility verification purposes, through December 21, 2018, employers may accept a TPS-related EAD with a June 24, 2018 expiration date, along with a copy of the May 22, 2018 Federal Register notice or a USCIS Form I-797C receipt notice indicating that the TPS-related EAD is automatically extended through December 21, 2018.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.