Temporary Protected Status for Syrian Nationals

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that they will be designating Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The TPS will be specifically for Syrians in the Unites States on or before March 29, 2012. The TPS will remain valid for 18 months and will expire, unless DHS renews it, on September 30, 2013.

This most recent TPS designation is due to the “deteriorating conditions in Syria” and Syrian nationals inside the United States would face extreme danger if they were to return to their country.

What is TPS?

Temporary protected status is a form of humanitarian protection that the Secretary of Homeland Security is able to designate to a foreign country due to temporary conditions that prevent citizens of that country to return without high safety concerns or the country is unable to adequately handle their return.

TPS is granted only to people who are nationals of a country designated for TPS and have been continuously present in the United States since the current designation date of their country. People who have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors are not eligible

TPS is a temporary benefit and it does not lead to a person receiving permanent residency. A TPS beneficiary is able, however, to seek out other immigration options he or she may qualify for.

To learn more about TPS, click here or here to learn more about immigration law in general.