DHS Designates Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
Afghanistan has been designated for TPS.
On March 15, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This designation lasts for 18 months from the date the designation is published in the Federal Register.
Are you eligible?
Nationals of Afghanistan residing in the U.S. are eligible for TPS if they meet the following requirements:
You must have continuously resided in the U.S. as of March 15, 2022;
You must file you application for TPS within the registration period;
You must establish that you are otherwise eligible for TPS. There are certain bars to eligibility which an attorney can discuss with you if you are interested in applying for TPS.
If you have questions about your eligibility for TPS, please contact us at www.fourcornerslaw.com or 503.446.3396.
Biden Administration Designates Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
DHS designated Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status.
On March 8, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This designation lasts for 18 months, until September of 2022. By doing this DHS is recognizing the extraordinary but hopefully temporary situation for Venezuelan nationals currently residing in the U.S. DHS found that many factors prevent Venezuelan nationals from returning to Venezuela safely, such as a widespread humanitarian crisis, which has caused starvation, a growing number of non-state armed groups, repression, and a crumbling infrastructure.
The Secretary of DHS stated that, “The living conditions in Venezuela reveal a country in turmoil, unable to protect its own citizens.” In response to this crisis, DHS has designated Venezuela for TPS. If you are granted TPS, you are protected from removal for the period of your TPS and are eligible for employment authorization.
Are you eligible?
Venezuelan citizens residing in the U.S. are eligible for TPS if they meet the following requirements:
You must have continuously resided in the U.S. as of March 8, 2021;
You must file you application for TPS within the 180-day registration period;
You must establish that you are otherwise eligible for TPS. There are certain bars to eligibility which an attorney can discuss with you if you are interested in applying for TPS.
If you have questions about your eligibility for TPS, please contact us at www.fourcornerslaw.com or 503.446.3396.
How Many Biometrics Appointments is USCIS Going to Schedule?
Our clients, as well firms all over the country, have been receiving multiple biometrics notices for the same application. For example, several of our clients have attended a biometrics appointment for an I-765, Application for Employment for Authorization, commonly referred to as a work permit, and, after attending the appointment, clients receive another notice instructing them to attend a second biometrics appointment. These notices offer no explanation as to why the second notice was issued. This is annoying and burdensome for clients, particularly for clients who do not reside close to the office where the biometrics are collected.
When this happens, the first question that clients ask is, “Why did this happen?” There are many possible answers to that question. However, the most likely answer is that USCIS made a mistake and issued the second notice in error. There is also a possibility that there was a problem with the collection or readability of your fingerprints. In any case, we are advising clients to attend these appointments even though it is both annoying and burdensome for them. The main reason we advise clients to attend is to avoid a potential wrongful denial based on abandonment. It is easier to attend a technically unnecessary biometrics appointment than it is to get USCIS to rescind a wrongful denial.
If you receive a biometrics notice and you are unable to attend, you need to let your attorney know immediately, so she can reschedule the appointment. If you do not have an attorney, follow the instructions for rescheduling on the biometrics notice to reschedule your appointment.
Work Permits and Travel Permits No Longer Bundled with Adjustment of Status Applications
As you know from our prior article, USCIS is raising their fees on October 3, 2020. For more information on the fee increase, please click here. What many applicants do not know is that this will have a severe impact on many adjustment of status applications, also known as I-485s. Prior to the fee increase, adjustment applicants were allowed to file applications for work and travel authorization at no extra cost. This amounted to a savings of almost $1000 in filing fees. Also, you could renew your work and travel permits with no filing fees as long as your green card application was pending.
This is changing on October 3, 2020. As of October 3, 2020, USCIS will require filings fees for work permit and travel applications, even if they are filed with an I-485. Applicants who wish to apply for work and travel permits will now have to pay an additional $550 for a work permit and an additional $590 for a travel permit.
Helpful Tips: If you are currently eligible to file an adjustment of status application, we highly recommend doing so before October 3, 2020. As long as your application is postmarked by October 2, 2020, you will not be subject to the fee increase. If you have a work or travel permit that is expiring within 120 days, you should consider filing your renewal applications before October 3, 2020. Again, as long as your application is postmarked by or before October 2, 2020, you will not be subject to the fee increase.
Have Questions? Feel free to call or email us!