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USCIS Extends Somali Nationals Temporary Protected Status By Oluwaseyi Oduyela The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Somalia through September 17, 2009. Under this extension, those who have already been granted TPS are eligible to live and work in the United States for an additional 18 months and continue to maintain their status. DHS also automatically extended the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) held by eligible Somalis for an additional six months from March 17, 2008 through September 17, 2008. This will allow sufficient time for eligible TPS beneficiaries to receive their new EAD without any lapse in employment. There are approximately 300 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 March 17, 2008 and will remain in effect through September 17, 2009. Nationals of Somalia who have been granted TPS must re-register for the 18-month extension during the 60-day re-registration period beginning March 12, 2008 and remaining in effect until May 12, 2008. Somali TPS beneficiaries are encouraged to apply as soon as possible following the start of the 60-day re-registration period. According to the DHS also re-registration applications from Somali nationals will not be accepted by USCIS until the re-registration period opens on March 12, 2008. Details on where, when and how to file under each designation will soon be published in the Federal Register and additional information will be provided online on the USCIS website. To re-register for TPS under this extension, a TPS beneficiary must submit Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status) without the application fee and Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization). If the applicant is only seeking to re-register for TPS and not seeking an extension of employment authorization, he or she must submit Form I-765 for data-gathering purposes only, and is not required to submit the I-765 filing fee. All applicants seeking an extension of employment authorization through September 17, 2009 must submit the required application filing fee with Form I-765. The biometric service fee must be submitted by all re-registrants age 14 and older, as well as re-registrants under age 14 who are requesting an EAD. Applicants may request a fee waiver for any of the application or biometric service fees in accordance with the regulations. Failure to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee waiver request will result in the rejection of the re-registration application. 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.
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