TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS / TPS
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD TPS:
Re-registration period for Ukrainians who previously had TPS closed on October 20, 2023. If you failed to file an application for TPS extension before October 20, 2023, you can still do so, but you have to attach an additional letter showing good cause for failing to re-register timely. Good cause may include family and health issues, language barrier, lack of access to legal assistance and other reasons. For more information, see
What To Do If You Missed the October 20 Deadline.
Your EAD is automatically extended for a year, until October 19, 2024, to give you time to apply for and receive a new EAD card.
TPS re-registration application is free, but you have to pay a $30 biometrics fee. An EAD extension costs $470. You may request a fee waiver if you cannot afford the fees.
Step-by-step instruction video on how to re-register (your Good Cause letter must be submitted in addition to the standard TPS re-registration package)
Overview
The Department of Homeland Security has re-designated Ukraine under a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) through April 19, 2025.
You are eligible to apply for TPS if you are a Ukrainian national who arrived in the U.S. on or before August 16, 2023, have lived in the U.S. since and do not have convictions for serious crimes. Ukrainians who arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa, humanitarian parole (including Uniting for Ukraine), or are in the process of removal or seeking asylum can apply for TPS. With the TPS status, you will remain in the US legally and may apply for work authorization and enroll your children in school. You may also travel outside the U.S. and return with a permission of the immigration service (“TPS Travel Authorization”).
Citizens of other countries that are not designated for TPS are NOT eligible for TPS! Even if they are close family members of Ukrainian citizens.
How to Apply
Apply for TPS and EAD as early as possible: the processing of your applications can take up to a year!
The easiest way to apply for TPS and employment authorization document (EAD) based on TPS is to submit both applications together from your USCIS online account. The cost of the initial TPS application is $50 plus $30 biometrics fee. An EAD based on TPS costs $470 when you apply online.
If you want to request for fee waiver based on low income or financial hardship, you must submit the TPS and EAD forms together by mail along with form I-912 – Request for Fee Waiver.
Fill out the necessary forms for each family member who is a Ukrainian citizen:
Fill out an application for TPS
Fill out form I-821 – Application for Temporary Protected Status. The filing fee for the initial application is $50; re-registration is free. Add $30 for biometric services.
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In question “What is your reason for applying?” (question 1 of Part 1 on the paper form), select “Initial application” if this is your first TPS application and “Re-registration application” if you are extending your TPS.
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Low-income persons and families. Low-income persons and families who were paroled before September 30, 2024
may be eligible for Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance, including TANF and SSI programs. To receive that assistance, they must maintain a valid humanitarian parole, which means their I-94 showing “DT” or “UHP” class of admission must be current. Application for re-parole is free for this category of applicants because they qualify for a fee waiver based on the receipt of means-tested benefits.
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In question “Are you also filing a request for employment authorization?” (question 3 in Part 1 of the paper form), select “Yes, I am requesting an Employment Authorization Document” if you want to receive a TPS-based EAD. It is highly recommended to request an EAD together with the TPS application as you will receive it faster than if you apply for it separately.
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In question “What countries did you live in before coming to the United States?” (question 15 in Part 2, “Countries of residence” on the paper form), list all countries where you ever were a resident (lived long-term, worked, paid taxes).
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Skip parts about your spouse, former spouses and children (Parts 4-6 on the paper form) – they are required only for late filings and don’t apply at this time.
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In question “Have you ever traveled to and entered a country other than your country of nationality or last habitual residence before you last entered the United States?” (question 1.c in Part 7 on the paper form), answer “Yes” if you entered any countries between the country of your previous residence and the United States.
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In the next question, list all countries you entered for more the 24 hours and the status you held in each country (e.g. visitor, temporary protected status, etc.). If you are filling out the paper form, use the last sheet or attach additional sheets if the responses about the countries you visited don’t fit. Print the applicant’s name on top of each additional sheet, indicate what section and question it responds to, and sign and date it.
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Carefully read and respond to the questions about immigration violations, affiliations, crimes and moral character (Part 7 of the paper form). If you have answered YES to any question, attach additional sheets with an explanation and a certified translation of all relevant police, court or other documents showing what happened. If you cannot attach official documents, provide a signed explanation of the reasons.
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If you are applying for a child or another family member, indicate yourself as Preparer. Children 14 years old and older must sign their application themselves. A parent may sign for a child younger than 14 years old in the form of “Parent Name for Child Name”.
Attach the following documents (only for initial TPS application):
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A copy of the Ukrainian travel passport (all pages). The passport can be expired. If you are applying for a child who is glued into your passport, attach your passport with the child’s page;
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A copy of I-94 showing your latest date of entry. Print it from the CBP website https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search. If you cannot find your I-94 on the website, it can sometimes be found and printed from the CBP One mobile application. If you have a white paper card you received at the border, scan and attach front and back.
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If you traveled outside the United States on advance parole document after August 16, 2023, attach form I-94 which you received at your last entry into the United States prior to August 16, 2023 and a copy of the advance parole.
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Proof of continuous residence in the U.S.: a rental agreement, a utility bill in your name, the letter from a welfare agency or DMV showing your name and address or any other official documents showing that you currently live in the U.S. For children, you can submit their health insurance and medical records, school records. If you do not yet have any “official” documents, submit a letter explaining the situation and attach what you have: a free housing voucher, the letter from a friend or relative with whom you are staying or your correspondence with the landlord who allowed you to stay at their place;
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If you are signing the form for a child below the age of 14, submit also a certified translation of the child’s birth certificate.
Fill out an application for an EAD
It is highly recommended to request an EAD together with the TPS application (via a concurrent filing) as this way, you will receive the EAD faster than if you apply for it separately.
If the applicant needs permission to work and has not yet applied for employment authorization, fill out form
I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization Document indicating the (A)(12) eligibility category. See instructions for filling out this form in the
Documents section. The filing fee for this form is $470.
Submit the following documents with your I-765 form (if applying by mail together with TPS, you only need to enclose each document once):
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A copy of the Ukrainian travel passport (all pages). The passport can be expired. If you are applying for a child who is glued into your passport, attach your passport with the child’s page;
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A copy of I-94;
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Front and back of your prior EAD (if any) or another valid document ID, such as unexpired passport or driver’s license;
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A passport-type 2×2 photo (if applying via mail, enclose 2 photos);
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If you are signing the form for a child below the age of 14, submit also a certified translation of the child’s birth certificate.
Fill out an application for TPS Travel Authorization
If the applicant wants to be able to travel outside the U.S. while on TPS, submit also form I-131 – Application for Travel Document to receive a TPS Travel Authorization. This form can only be filed by mail. The filing fee for this form is $630. If you cannot afford the fee, you can file it with a request for fee waiver, but USCIS does not always approve fee waivers for this form.
A request for TPS Travel Authorization can ONLY BE FILED BY MAIL.
If you are submitting it together with the TPS application, mail the forms together to the address for the TPS application indicated on the on the
TPS Ukraine page.
If you are submitting a request for TPS Travel Authorization after you have submitted your TPS application, mail it along with the TPS approval notice to receipt notice from your TPS application the address indicated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants on page
https://www.uscis.gov/i-131-addresses.
Fill out a request for Fee Waiver
If the application involves a fee and you cannot afford to pay the fee, you may apply by mail with a fee waiver request. Fill out
I-912 – Request for Fee Waiver. Prepare one Form I-912 for the entire household. Put Form I-912 along with the required evidence in the envelope on top of the applications for all family members for whom you are asking the fee waiver. Evidence for Form I-912 may include:
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a benefits verification letter from the social services showing you are receiving means-tested benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps or cash assistance;
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your last year’s tax return showing income less than 150% of federal poverty level; or
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a detailed explanation of financial hardship with evidence in the form of paychecks, bank statements, proof of monthly expenses, etc.
Mail all documents to the address for your state listed in the Where To File section on the USCIS TPS Ukraine page.
When USCIS receives your application, it will mail you a Receipt Notice. If you have filed the form online, you will typically receive a Receipt notice in the Documents section of your USCIS case within minutes of filing. If you filed the form by mail, you will receive Receipt Notice by mail within 2-4 weeks of filing. If you have not received a Receipt Notice within a month of submitting your application, call USCIS to make sure your application was received.
If you have moved since you filed any applications with USCIS, change your address via your USCIS online account! Include the receipt number for any pending cases with USCIS with your address change request. Otherwise USCIS will mail all correspondence and documents to your old address!
Source: NovaUkraine
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