USCIS Grants Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ebola Affected Countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

24 Nov USCIS Grants Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ebola Affected Countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on November 20, 2014 that it will begin granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to certain nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone due to the ongoing outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa.

Temporary Protected Status will allow you to remain in the United States lawfully for 18 months and receive an Employment Authorization Document to lawfully work in the United States.  To be eligible you must:

•        -File an application with USCIS between November 21, 2014 and May 20, 2015 using Forms I-821 and I-765;
•        -Be a national of Liberia, Guinea, or Sierra Leone, or be a person without nationality who last habitually resided in one of these countries;
•       – Have been continuously residing in the United States since November 20, 2014
•        -Have been continuously physically present in the United States since November 21, 2014, except for brief, casual, and innocent departures;
•        -Never have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States;
•        -Not be inadmissible under INA 212(a) including certain criminal and security-related grounds; and
•        -Not be subject to any mandatory bars to asylum, such as participating in the persecution of any person or engaging in or inciting terrorist activity.

USCIS will begin accepting TPS applications from nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone on November 21, 2014.  If eligible, you should submit Forms I-821 and I-765 with all required documentation including:

1.   Evidence of your identity and nationality.  This can include your Biographic Passport Page or Birth Certificate.
2.   Evidence of your date of entry to the United States.  This can include your Passport Pages with entry stamp or I-94 Card.
3.   Evidence of you continuous presence.  This can include your employment records; rent receipts, utility bills, and letters or receipts from companies; school records of you or your children, hospital or medical records of you or your children; and attestations from church, union other organization officials).
4.   Required filing fee in check or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”  The filing fee depends on the age of the applicant, but for most applicants it is $515.

USCIS is only allowing a 180-day window for nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone to apply for TPS.  The last day to apply is May 20, 2015!