2016 Extension of TPS Status for Nicaragua

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended TPS status designation for eligible citizens of Nicaragua and stateless persons who last habitually resided in that country.

The Immigration law of the United States provides that a country may be designated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) if there is armed conflict which would result in serious threat to the personal safety of citizens of that country if returned, or if there is a natural disaster in such a country and hence the country cannot cope with the return of its citizens or if the Attorney General of the US finds extraordinary and temporary conditions preventing the safe return of citizens of such country.

A grant of TPS status also includes a temporary protection from deportation or removal from the United States and a grant of Employment Authorization Document. Nicaragua was designated for TPS since January 5, 1999 and the status designation has been continuously extended over the years. The current extension is for an additional 18 month effective July 6, 2016 through January 5, 2018. Current TPS Nicaragua beneficiaries are required to renew and extend their TPS status by re-registering during the 60 days’ re-registration period that began on May 16th and will end July 15, 2016. The re-registration application is to be filed with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services – USCIS. Applicants are required to apply for a new employment authorization document (EAD) along with their TPS re-registration application.

Upon approval, Nicaragua beneficiaries TPS status will have a new TPS expiration date of January 5th, 2018 along with the approved employment authorization document. The current employment authorization document for Nicaragua TPS beneficiaries have an expiration date of July 5th 2016. This is automatically extended for six months until January 5, 2017 to enable applicants receive their new EAD with the new expiration date of January 5, 2018.

Applications not properly filed will be rejected by USCIS.

For more information on eligibility for the re-registration for TPS and EAD, please visit: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-nicaragua