Temporary Protected Status Attorneys in Corpus Christi & Dallas, Texas

For many people living in the United States who were not born here, their birth country may always be “home” to them. However, some people may not be able to return to their home countries for one reason or another.

If your country is on the list of countries designated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by the Department of Homeland Security, you may want to apply for TPS right away. It can provide you with legal status for being in the United States and allow you to work while you are here.

The Torres Attorneys help citizens from TPS countries apply for protected status. The process is not always easy for people, even if they qualify, so we are here to help. If you live in Corpus Christi, Dallas, or Fort Worth, Texas, call The Torres Law Firm to get started.

Can You Explain Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) can keep you from being removed from the U.S. due to your immigration status, allow you to work here, and even allow you the opportunity to travel outside the U.S. The status protects your legal standing here until conditions change in your home country that would make it possible for you to return.

TPS countries are designated by the Department of Homeland Security. Those on the list appear because of such safety issues as ongoing war and armed conflict, devastation from natural disasters, health pandemics, or other conditions that make your return unsafe.

Such conditions may also prevent the government of your country from being able to accommodate your safe return. Your country may be included on the TPS list until conditions make it possible for you to return home.

Which Countries Are Designated for TPS?

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) maintains a list of countries designated for TPS. Of course, the list of countries changes as circumstances change, but there are currently 12 countries designated for TPS: Burma (Myanmar), Yemen, El Salvador, Venezuela, Haiti, Syria, Honduras, South Sudan, Nepal, Sudan, Somalia, and Nicaragua.

Who Is Eligible for TPS?

The USCIS also lists the eligibility requirements for TPS. First, you must be a national of the TPS country or a non-national citizen who resided there for a period of time. Other eligibility requirements include:

• Filing during the open initial registration or re-registration period, although there are some exceptions for late registration;

• Refiling for TPS upon the extension of your country’s TPS designation; and,

• Continuous physical presence and continuous residency in the U.S. since the most recent date of your country’s designation for TPS.

Who Is Not Eligible for TPS?

Even if you were previously approved for TPS, the USCIS details some circumstances which can render you ineligible for protected status, including:

• A felony conviction or convictions for two or more misdemeanors in the U.S.;

• A finding of inadmissibility for immigration status due to non-waivable and security-related grounds;

• A finding that you engaged in the persecution of another person or engaged in or incited terrorist activity;

• A failure to meet the requirements of continuous physical presence and continuous residency; or,

• A failure to meet the registration and re-registration deadlines and requirements.

Am I Also Eligible for A Work Permit?

Eligibility for an employment authorization to work in the U.S. is concurrent with the TPS approval process. If you are approved for TPS, you may also obtain a work permit for the duration of the approved TPS period.