U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is automatically extending the validity of employment authorization documents (EADs) for certain temporary protected status (TPS) beneficiaries from Haiti and Yemen.

Haiti. USCIS said EADs issued under Haitian TPS are automatically extended through January 17, 2019, for certain beneficiaries with an EAD based on that TPS status. EADs under Haitian TPS may now be valid through January 17, 2019, if the EAD includes a category code of A12 or C19, the beneficiary has not yet received his or her new EAD, and:

  • The EAD expired on January 22, 2018, and the beneficiary applied for a new EAD during the last re-registration period; or
  • The EAD expired on July 22, 2017, and the beneficiary applied for a new EAD on or after May 24, 2017.

Affected beneficiaries may continue to use their current EADs as evidence of work authorization through January 17, 2019, USCIS said. Because they have pending EAD applications, USCIS is mailing them an individual Notice of Continued Evidence of Work Authorization that provides additional evidence of this automatic extension to show to employers Those who have not yet received the Notice of Continued Evidence of Work Authorization should contact USCIS at 202-272-8377 or 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833). USCIS says affected beneficiaries “may provide your employer with this notice until you receive your Notice of Continued Evidence of Work Authorization.” If USCIS approves the TPS re-registration application and the beneficiary applied for a new EAD, he or she should receive a new EAD with the expiration date of July 22, 2019.

Yemen. USCIS also has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under Yemen TPS with an original expiration date of September 3, 2018, for 180 days, through March 2, 2019. Individuals who have EADs with an expiration date of March 3, 2017, and who applied for a new EAD during the last re-registration period for Yemen but have not yet received their new EADs are covered by this automatic EAD extension. USCIS had recently announced an extension of the designation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from September 4, 2018, through March 3, 2020.

Those whose EADs are covered by this automatic extension may continue to use their existing EADs through March 2, 2019, as evidence that they are authorized to work. To prove that they are eligible to continue working legally, USCIS said such beneficiaries may show the following documentation to their employers. Government agencies may also accept these documents if they need to determine their immigration status:

  • The TPS-related EAD with a September 3, 2018, expiration date; or
  • The TPS-related EAD with a March 3, 2017, expiration date and the EAD application receipt (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) that notes the application was received on or after January 4, 2017

Honduras, Syria, Nepal. The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program released the following reminders in its July 2018 newsletter:

  • TPS for Honduras will terminate January 5, 2020. EADs are automatically extended through January 1, 2019.
  • TPS for Syria is designated through September 30, 2019. EADs are automatically extended through September 27, 2018.
  • TPS for Nepal will terminate June 24, 2019. EADs are automatically extended through December 21, 2018.

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