Syria Temporary Protected Status Redesignation

Policy effect

DHS redesignated Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), expanding TPS eligibility and work authorization to Syrian nationals and habitual residents continuously residing in the United States since August 1, 2016.

Conditions and exceptions

Applicants must demonstrate continuous residence in the United States since August 1, 2016, continuous physical presence since October 1, 2016, apply during the 180-day initial registration period (August 1, 2016 through January 30, 2017), and satisfy standard statutory TPS eligibility criteria.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

The redesignation of Syria allows additional individuals who have been continuously residing in the United States since August 1, 2016 to obtain TPS, if otherwise eligible. The Secretary has determined that an extension of the current designation and a redesignation of Syria for TPS are warranted because the ongoing armed conflict and other extraordinary and temporary conditions that prompted the 2015 TPS redesignation have not only persisted, but have deteriorated, and because the ongoing armed conflict in Syria and other extraordinary and temporary conditions would pose a serious threat to the personal safety of Syrian nationals if they were required to return to their country. Through this Notice, DHS also sets forth procedures necessary for nationals of Syria (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Syria) either to: (1) Re-register under the extension if they already have TPS and to apply for renewal of their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); or, (2) submit an initial registration application under the redesignation and apply for an EAD.

Review method

Official-source atomic repair with two-pass Gemini 3.8 Flash review and a final cross-record publication gate

Other United States changes operative in 2016

• 2016-01-21Implementation of visa-waiver restrictions for specified nationality and travel histories
• 2016-03-28Three diseases removed from health-related inadmissibility grounds
• 2016-04-01Electronic passports required for Visa Waiver Program travel
• 2016-05-10Improving and Expanding Training Opportunities for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students With STEM Degrees and Cap-Gap Relief for All Eligible F-1 Students
• 2016-06-09BIA Precedent Matter of M-H-Z- (No Duress Exception to Material Support Bar)
• 2016-07-06Extension of TPS and Employment Authorization for Honduras and Nicaragua
• 2016-08-29Expansion of Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers of Inadmissibility
• 2016-09-10Extension of the Designation of El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status
• 2016-10-01Automatic 6-month extension of DED-related EADs for eligible Liberians
• 2016-12-13BIA Binding Precedent on Frivolous Asylum Adjudication and Untimely Applications (Matter of M-S-B-)