The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released an advance copy of its notice extending the designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, beginning on March 11, 2024, and ending on September 10, 2025. Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through September 10, 2025, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period, which runs from January 10, 2024, through March 10, 2024. DHS also released information about Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for Venezuela TPS beneficiaries.

DHS is also redesignating Venezuela for TPS. DHS explained that the redesignation of Venezuela allows additional Venezuelan nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela) who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 31, 2023, to apply for TPS for the first time during the initial registration period, which begins on October 3, 2023, and will remain in effect through April 2, 2025. In addition to demonstrating continuous residence in the United States since July 31, 2023, and meeting other eligibility criteria, initial applicants for TPS under this designation must demonstrate that they have been continuously physically present in the United States since October 3, 2023.

Employment Authorization Documents. DHS said re-registrants should timely re-register during the registration period and not wait until their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) expire. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on September 29, 2023, that it has automatically extended the validity of EADs previously issued under the TPS Venezuela designation. USCIS noted:

EADs covered by this extension are valid through March 10, 2025, as evidence of permission to work, and will list:

  1. An expiration date of March 10, 2024, or September 9, 2022, on the EAD, and
  2. A category code of A-12 or C-19.

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