United States: DHS Announces Six-Month Extension of TPS for South Sudan

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudan for six months from May 4, 2025, through November 3, 2025, according to a notice slated for publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

By statute, the Secretary of Homeland Security must make a determination as to whether a country continues to meet the conditions for TPS designation at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the current designation.  Failure to make a determination within this deadline allows the period of TPS designation to be extended automatically for six months. The TPS designation for South Sudan expired on May 3, 2025 and the Secretary did not make a decision regarding continued designation before March 4, 2025; therefore, the TPS designation for South Sudan is extended for an additional six months.

Under this automatic extension, existing TPS beneficiaries who continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements will maintain TPS protection through November 3. DHS recognizes that re-registrants may not have been able to receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expired on May 3, 2025, and is automatically extending, through November 3, 2025, the validity of certain EADs previously issued under the TPS designation of South Sudan. As proof of continued employment authorization through November 3, 2025, TPS beneficiaries can show their EAD with a Category of A12 or C19 and a “Card Expires” date of May 3, 2025, or November 3, 2023. 

Eligible individuals with a pending South Sudan TPS Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or a related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization as of May 6, 2025 do not need to file either application again. If USCIS approves the Form I-821 or Form I-765, USCIS will grant the individual TPS through November 3, 2025 and issue an EAD valid through that same date.