Temporary Protected Status Registration Period Extended for Haitian Nationals
WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced an extension to the registration period for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Haiti. Initially, the 180-day registration period for nationals of Haiti was from Jan. 21 through July 20, 2010. This registration period is now being extended through Jan. 18, 2011.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously published a Federal Register Notice on Jan. 21, 2010, announcing the TPS designation of Haiti for 18 months, from Jan. 21, 2010 through July 22, 2011. The designation applies only to Haitians who have continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 12, 2010; TPS will not be granted to Haitian nationals who first entered the United States after Jan. 12, 2010.
Haitian nationals eligible for TPS are strongly encouraged to register as soon as possible within the registration period that now ends on Jan. 18, 2011.
TPS applicants must submit both the Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to register. Applicants must pay the Form I-821 fee. Applicants age 14 and older must also submit the biometric service fee. Applicants who are age 14 through 65 who request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) must pay the Form I-765 fee. Applicants under age 14 or over age 65 who request an EAD do not need to pay the Form I-765 fee. If an individual is only seeking to register for TPS, the applicant must still file Form I-765 for data-gathering purposes, but the Form I-765 fee is not required. Applicants who can demonstrate an inability to pay may request a fee waiver for any of these fees. Failure to submit the required applications with any required fees and the biometric fee, or a properly documented fee waiver request, will result in the rejection of the application. For information on TPS fee waivers, please visit the “Questions and Answers: Requesting Waiver of Fees Temporary Protected Status Applicants” webpage.
Further details on the designation of TPS for Haiti, including the application requirements and procedures, are available at www.uscis.gov on the TPS page under Haiti’s designation and in the Federal Register Notices published on Jan. 21, 2010 and today.
TPS forms are available online or by calling the toll-free USCIS Forms line, 1-800-870-3676. For more information on USCIS humanitarian programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call 1-800-375-5283.
- USCIS -
Relevant Agencies:
- US Department of State
- The White House
- Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Services
How to Help Locally
- Elise Joseph Foundation, P.O. Box 12595, Philadelphia PA, 19151
- Haitian Clergy of Philadelphia, P.O. Box 6775, Philadelphia 19120
- Haitian Coalition of Philadelphia, 308 Hedgerow Lane, Wyncote, PA 19095
- Haiti Rescue Fund, P.O. Box 12421, Philadelphia PA 19151
Information on Charitable Contributions:
On Friday, January 22, President Obama signed H.R. 4462 into law. The law allows a 2009 charitable deduction for cash contributions made after Jan. 11, 2010, and before March 1, 2010, for relief of victims in areas affected by the earthquake in Haiti. For all the details, see http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=218645,00.html.
- Anyone wishing to donate or provide assistance in Haiti, is asked to contact the Center for International Disaster Information at:
- InterAction, a coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, has a list of agencies responding and how to donate to them. For the list, go to
- American Red Cross: To donate $10 to the American Red Cross, text HAITI to 90999. The amount will be added to your cell-phone bill. Or go to www.redcrossphilly.org or to Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Red-Cross-Southeastern-Pennsylvania-Chapter/68427744917 or Twitter at http://twitter.com/RedCrossPhilly. To donate by phone, call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
- International Rescue Committee: Go to www.theIRC.org or call toll free 1-877-REFUGEE.
- Oxfam: Go to www.oxfamamerica.org.
- UNICEF: Go to www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or call 1-800-4-UNICEF.
- Doctors Without Borders: Go to www.doctorswithoutborders.org or call 1-212-763-5779.
- American Refugee Committee International: Go to www.arcrelief.org or call 1-800-875-7060.
- American Friends Service Committee: Go to www.afsc.org/give or call 1-888-588-2372, ext. 1.
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: Go to www.jdc.org, or call 1-212-687-6200.
- American Jewish World Service: Go to www.ajws.org, or call 1-212-792-2900.
- Catholic Relief Services: Go to www.crs.org or call 1-877-HELP-CRS.
- Islamic Relief USA: Go to www.IslamicReliefUSA.org or call 1-888-479-4968.
- African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency: Call 1-202-371-8722.
- Adventist Development and Relief Agency International: Go to www.adra.org or call 1-800-424-2372.
- Baptist World Alliance / Baptist World Aid: Go to www.bwanet.org/bwaid or call 1-703-790-8980.
- Lutheran World Relief: Go to www.lwr.org/giving or call 1-800-597-5972.
- Jesuit Refugee Service / USA: www.jrsusa.org or call 1-202-629-5948.
- World Vision, United States: Go to www.worldvision.org or call 1-888-56CHILD.
- Episcopal Relief & Development: Go to www.er-d.org or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129.
- United Way International: Go to www.liveunited.org or call 1-703-836-7112.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Go to www.svdpusa.org.
- Mercy Corps: Go to www.mercycorps.org or call 1-888-256-1900.
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