• The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible nationals of designated countries. Countries may be designated that are suffering the effects of an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions within a country.
  
  
• TPS beneficiaries may remain in the United States and obtain work authorization during the period for which a country is designated under the TPS program.
  

• On May 29, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formally announced a eighteen-month extension of the TPS designation for Honduras and Nicaragua from July 5, 2007, to January 5, 2009. Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for eligible Honduran and Nicaraguan TPS recipients have been automatically extended through January 5, 2008, by DHS. Further, new EADs with a January 5, 2009, expiration date will be issued to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely apply.

• Who is eligible to receive an automatic six-month extension of his or her EAD from July 5, 2007, to January 5, 2008?
  

  To receive an automatic six-month extension of an EAD, an individual must be a national of Honduras or Nicaragua (or an alien having no nationality who last habitually resided in Honduras or Nicaragua) who has applied for and received an EAD under the designation of Honduras or Nicaragua for TPS and who has not had TPS withdrawn or denied. This automatic extension is limited to:

  1) EADs issued on Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document, bearing expiration date of July 5, 2006, on the face AND that have a July 2007 DHS-issued extension sticker on the back of the card; and

  2) EADs issued on Form I-766 bearing an expiration date of July 31, 2007.

  These EADs must also bear the notation ''A-12'' or ''C-19'' on the face of the card under ''Category.''

  Please note that DHS will not issue new EADs or extension stickers showing the January 5, 2008, expiration date of the six-month automatic extension. Employers should not request proof of Honduran or Nicaraguan citizenship.

Employers should accept an EAD as a valid "List A'' document and not ask for additional Form I-9, employment eligibility verification documentation if presented with an EAD that has been extended pursuant to DHS's May 29, 2007, Federal Register Notice, and the EAD reasonably appears on its face to be genuine and to relate to the employee. This does not affect the right of an applicant for employment or an employee to present any legally acceptable document as proof of identity and eligibility for employment.

Employers are reminded that the laws requiring employment eligibility verification and prohibiting unfair immigration-related employment practices remain in full force.

• For complete information about the May 29, 2007, extension of TPS designations and the automatic six-month extension of EADs, please see the Federal Register Notices.
  Honduran Notice and Nicaraguan Notice.

For detailed TPS information on the DHS website, please click Honduras or Nicaragua.

El Salvador

• On August 21, 2007, through a Federal Register notice the USCIS formally announced an eighteen-month extension of TPS for eligible Salvadoran nationals from September 10, 2007, to March 9, 2009. EADs for eligible Salvadoran TPS recipients have been automatically extended six months via the Federal Register Notice through March 9, 2008.

• Who is eligible to receive an automatic extension of his or her EAD from September 9, 2007 to March 9, 2008?

  To receive an automatic extension of an EAD, an individual must be a national of El Salvador (or an alien having no nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) who has applied for and received an EAD under the designation of El Salvador for TPS and who has not had TPS withdrawn or denied. This automatic extension is limited to:
  (1) EADs issued on Form 1-766, Employment Authorization Document, bearing an expiration date of either July 5, 2006, or September 9, 2006, on the face AND that have a September 2007 DHS-issued extension sticker on the back of the card; and
  (2) EADs issued on Form 1-766, Employment Authorization Document, bearing an expiration date of September 30, 2007. These EADs must also bear the notation "A-12" or "C-19" on the face card under "Category."

  New EADs or extension stickers showing the March 9, 2008, expiration date of the six-month automatic extension will not be issued. Employers should not request proof of Salvadoran citizenship. For complete information on the August 21, 2007, extension of TPS designation for Salvadoran Nationals and the automatic six-month extension please see the Federal Register Notice.

• Employers should accept an EAD as a valid "List A" document and not ask for additional Form 1-9, Employment Eligibility Verification documentation if presented with an EAD that has been extended pursuant to the August 21, 2007 Federal Register Notice, and the EAD reasonably appears on its face to be genuine and to relate to the employee. This does not affect the right of an applicant for employment or an employee to present any legally acceptable document as proof of identity and eligibility for employment.

• Employers are reminded that the laws requiring employment eligibility verification and prohibiting unfair immigration-related employment practices remain in full force.

  For detailed TPS information on the DHS website, please click El Salvador.

Burundi

• On October 29, 2007, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the termination of TPS for eligible Burundi nationals effective May 2, 2009. Employment Authorization Documents with a November 2, 2007 expiration date have been automatically extended via the Federal Register notice until May 2, 2008. For detailed information, please click Burundi.

• On August 14, 2008, the USCIS announced an extension of TPS for eligible Sudan nationals for eighteen months, through May 2, 2010. Eligible Sudanese are required to re-register with USCIS by October 14, 2008. USCIS also automatically extended the validity of employment authorization documents (EADs) held by Sudanese nationals in current TPS status from Nov. 2, 2008 to May 2, 2009. This six-month extension will allow sufficient time for eligible TPS beneficiaries to receive their new EADs without a lapse in their work authorization. For detailed information, please click Sudan.

Somalia

• On March 12, 2008, the USCIS announced through a Federal Register notice an extension of TPS for eligible Somalian nationals for eighteen months through September 17, 2009. DHS also automatically extended the validity of EADs held by Somali TPS beneficiaries. Their EADs have been extended from March 17, 2008, the date the EADs were originally set to expire, for an additional six months through September 17, 2008. DHS will issue new EADs to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely reregister by May 12, 2008, and apply for a new EAD. For detailed information, please click Somalia.

Liberia

• On September 12, 2007, President George W. Bush issued a Memorandum directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, to defer the enforced departure ("DED") for 18 months, through March 31, 2009, of any qualified Liberian national (or person without nationality last habitually resided in Liberia) who is under TPS as of September 30, 2007.

• Who is eligible to receive an automatic extension of his or her EAD from September 30, 2007 to March 31, 2009?

  Liberian TPS recipients issued EADs on a form I-776 and that bear an expiration date of September 30, 2007, are automatically extended to March 31, 2009.

• What documents may a qualified individual show to his or her employer as proof of employment authorization and identity when completing Form I-9?

  Through March 31, 2009, Liberians (and persons having no nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia) who are eligible for DED, may present a copy of the Federal Register Notice regarding the automatic extension of employment authorization documentation, along with their Form I-766 (EAD) bearing the notation ``A-12'' or ``C-19'' on the face of the card under ``Category,'' and having an expiration date of September 30, 2007, on the face of the card. In the alternative, any legally acceptable document or combination of documents listed in List A, List B, or List C of the Form I-9 may be presented as proof of identity and employment eligibility.
  

For detailed information on the DHS website regarding the Liberian DED, please see the Liberia Fact Sheet and the DED for Certain Liberians Questions & Answers.

For detailed information regarding Liberian TPS, please click Liberia.