On November 4, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) published a new Federal Register Notice (“FRN”), extending the validity of Haiti TPS work permits and documents again, this time to January 4, 2021.

The Federal Register is the U.S. Government’s official publication; its notices have the force of law. Importantly, no Haitian with TPS needs to pay or do anything to benefit from this extension, which is automatic. You do NOT need to re-register or file anything; just inform your employer or the DMV about this new FRN.

As it states, “DHS is automatically extending the validity of TPS-related documentation for beneficiaries under the TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan, as specified in this notice. Such TPS-related documentation will remain in effect through January 4, 2021, from the current expiration dates of [January 2, 2020.]”

As with USCIS’s similar FRNs of October 31, 2018 and March 1, 2019, it published this one to comply with its legal obligations.  See USCIS’s thorough explanation at Update on Ramos v. Nielsen.

For more information, contact Steve Forester, IJDH Immigration Policy Coordinator, steveforester@aol.com, 786 877 6999

(Importantly, the U.S. Government also agreed in Ramos that those Haitians who used to have TPS, but who no longer have it because they didn’t re-register for it in 2017 or 2018, may now be able to successfully re-register for it for good cause!  Anyone to whom this applies is advised to consult a competent attorney experienced in immigration law about whether re-registering would or would not be wise for you, since each person’s legal situation is different. But, if you had TPS but didn’t re-register under Trump, you are strongly advised to consult an experienced attorney to see if re-registering for TPS now may be possible for you!)