Temporary Protected Status Extended for Hondurans, Nicaraguans

The Department of Homeland Security has extended temporary protected status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Honduras and Nicaragua for an additional 18 months, beginning July 6, 2013, and ending January 5, 2015.

Current Honduran and Nicaraguan beneficiaries seeking to extend their TPS status must re-register by June 3, 2013. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to register as soon as possible. 

The 18-month extension also allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new employment authorization document (EAD). Eligible Honduran and Nicaraguan TPS beneficiaries who request an EAD and meet the re-registration deadline will receive a new EAD with an expiration date of January 5, 2015. USCIS recognizes that some re-registrants may not receive their new EADs until after their current EADs expire. Therefore, USCIS is automatically extending current TPS Honduras EADs that have a July 5, 2013, expiration date for an additional six months. These existing EADs are now valid through January 5, 2014.

To re-register, current TPS beneficiaries must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. TPS re-registrants must also submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, but no application fee is required if the re-registrant does not want an EAD. Re-registrants do not need to pay the I-821 application fee, but they must submit the biometric services fee, or a fee waiver request, if they are 14 years of age or older. All TPS re-registrants applying for an EAD must submit the I-765 application fee, or a fee waiver request.

TPS applicants may request that USCIS waive any fees by filing a Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or by submitting a personal letter asking that these fees be waived. Failure to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee waiver request will result in rejection of the entire TPS application, USCIS said.

See also:

• Additional information on TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua, including guidance on the application process and eligibility
• Further details on this extension of TPS for Honduras, including the application requirements and procedures, appeared in a Federal Register notice published on April 3, 2013, (PDF)
• The USCIS announcement for Honduras
• The Federal Register notice for Nicaragua (PDF)
• The USCIS announcement for Nicaragua