August 6, 2004
Contact: USCIS, Public Affairs
202-353-8472

Press Release

DHS Announces 12-Month Extension of

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) For

Nationals of Somalia

WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration (DHS) today announced a 12-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Somalia until September 17, 2005. Under this extension, those who have already been granted TPS are eligible to live and work in the United States for an additional year and continue to maintain their status. There are approximately 324 nationals of Somalia (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) who are eligible for re-registration.

The extension of TPS for Somalia is effective September 17, 2004, and will remain in effect until September 17, 2005. Nationals of Somalia who have been granted TPS must re-register for the 12-month extension during the 60-day re-registration period, which begins on August 6, 2004 and will remain in effect until October 5, 2004. USCIS sought to give TPS beneficiaries a full 60 days to re-register. However, those Somalia TPS beneficiaries who are applying for work authorization should do so before their current EAD expires.

Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant TPS to aliens in the United States who are nationals of countries that are subject to ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. On September 16, 1991 and September 4, 2001, the Attorney General (who retained authority over TPS designations prior to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003) designated TPS for Somalia based on extraordinary and temporary conditions resulting from the armed conflict there. TPS for Somalia has been extended annually and the most recent extension expires on September 17, 2004. The U.S. Government continues to examine conditions in Somalia and finds that an extension of TPS is warranted because the extraordinary and temporary conditions that prompted designation persist.

To re-register for TPS under the extension, a TPS applicant must submit Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status) without the filing fee, Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization), two identification photographs (full face frontal, 2"x2") and a $70 biometrics services fee for each applicant age 14 and older to the local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) district office. Both the Form I-765 and I-821 must be submitted for re-registration. If the applicant is only seeking to re-register for TPS and not seeking an extension of employment authorization, there is no filing fee for the Form I-765. However, all applicants seeking an extension of employment authorization until September 17, 2005 must submit a $175 filing fee with Form I-765. Applicants may request a fee waiver in accordance with the regulations. All applicants age 14 and older are required to submit the $70 biometric service fee. Failure to submit the required photographs and filing fees will result in the rejection of the re-registration application.

USCIS has published a revised Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. This form is available on the USCIS web site at www.uscis.gov and will be made available at local USCIS offices. USCIS will continue to accept the former I-821 Form until September 30, 2004. Applications for TPS re-registration submitted after September 30, 2004 must be filed using the revised Form I-821.

More information can be obtained from the USCIS National Customer Service Center toll-free number: 1-800-375-5283. TPS forms are available from the toll-free USCIS Forms line, 1-800-870-3676, or from the USCIS Web site: www.uscis.gov.

-USCIS-

On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) became one of three former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing the integrity of our nation's security.