DHS Designates Yemen for Temporary Protected Status
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated Yemen for temporary protected status (TPS) for 18 months due to the ongoing armed conflict within the country. Eligible nationals of Yemen residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The 180-day TPS registration period began on September 3, 2015, and runs through March 1, 2016. The TPS designation for Yemen is effective September 3, 2015, through March 3, 2017.
DHS noted that Yemen “is experiencing widespread conflict and a resulting severe humanitarian emergency, and requiring Yemeni nationals in the United States to return to Yemen would pose a serious threat to their personal safety.” The designation means that during the designated period, eligible nationals of Yemen (and people without nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen) who are approved for TPS will not be removed from the United States and may receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
To be eligible for TPS, applicants must demonstrate that they satisfy all eligibility criteria, including that they have been both “continuously physically present” and “continuously residing” in the United States since September 3, 2015. Applicants will also undergo thorough security checks. Those with certain criminal records or who pose a threat to national security are not eligible for TPS.
The USCIS announcement is at here in English and here (in Arabic). The Federal Register notice designating Yemen for TPS, and providing additional details about registering and eligibility, is available here.
