The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) grant for Afghanistan will go into effect on May 20, 2022, with publication of the notice in the Federal Register with instructions on how to apply for TPS and for Employment Authorization.
In March 2022, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Afghanistan was added to the list of countries eligible for TPS. This would benefit approximately 75,000 individuals and provide temporary employment authorization. The 18-month initial grant and registration period became effective on March 20, 2022, and runs through November 20, 2023.
To be eligible, individuals must demonstrate their continuous residence in the United States since March 15, 2022, and their continuous physical presence in the United States since March 20, 2022. Any nationals or residents of Afghanistan who are not currently residing in the United States or who arrived after March 15, 2022, will not be eligible for this TPS designation.
Eligible individuals must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the 18-month initial registration period. They may also submit a request for an Employment Authorization Document using Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The applications may be submitted together and may be submitted online.
Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States through the evacuation effort, Operation Allies Welcome, received humanitarian parole and work authorization for a period of two years. Those individuals may also be eligible for TPS.
DHS has also announced that F-1 students from Afghanistan experiencing severe economic hardship due to the situation in Afghanistan will be eligible for work authorization, increased permittable work hours, and a reduction in their course load as an accommodation.
Jackson Lewis attorneys are available to assist with TPS applications and advise on employment authorization verification requirements for Afghan nationals and residents.