Nepal Receives Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Designation, DHS & USCIS Announce

Nepal has just been designated for Temporary Protected Status for 18 months effective today, June 24, 2015.

This decision, which was officially announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, has been made due to the devastation caused by the 7.8 earthquake that impacted Nepal back in April of this year.

What is a TPS Designation?

TPS is a specific type of designation that can be granted temporarily to certain foreign nationals when conditions in their home country prevent them from safely return or when the home county is not able to handle the return of its nationals.

Granted by the Secretary of Homeland Security, TPS is commonly made available after natural disasters (like the Nepal earthquake), as well as when countries are engaged in ongoing armed conflict or when other extraordinary conditions apply.

When TPS has been granted, the people who are approved as TPS beneficiaries can enjoy various benefits, including (but not limited to):

• Protection from removal from the U.S.
• Authorization to work in the U.S.
• Travel authorization.

TPS Designation for Nepal: What You Should Know

• Effective period – The TPS designation for Nepal is effective from June 24, 2015 through December 24, 2016. The registration period for nationals of Nepal (and other eligible people) will only be open for 180 days, closing on December 21, 2015.
• Eligibility criteria – Nepal nationals (as well as people without a nationality who were last residing in Nepal) must prove that they meet all of the eligibility criteria to be granted TPS. In particular, they will need to prove that they have been both “continuously physical present” and “continuously residing” in the U.S. since June 24, 2015. They must also pass thorough security checks.
• Bars for TPS – Applicants who have certain types of criminal records or pose a threat to national security will not be eligible for TPS.

We’ll explain the steps to take to apply for TPS in some upcoming blogs – so be sure to stay posted and check them out.

In the meantime, post your opinions and comments about this new designation for Nepal on our Facebook & Google+ pages.

LA Immigration Lawyers at the Hanlon Law Group, P.C.

Do you need help filing for Temporary Protected Status? Or do you need assistance resolving any immigration issues?

If so, you can turn to the LA immigration lawyers at the Hanlon Law Group, P.C. For more than 15 years, our lawyers have been successfully representing clients in various types of immigration cases, including those that involve the most basic immigration applications to those associated with extremely complicated federal court litigation.

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