Due to ongoing civil war and unsafe country conditions in Yemen, the Department of Homeland Security has announced the extension and redesignation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) to September 3, 2024. TPS for nationals of Yemen was previously set to expire on March 3, 2023.  Yemeni nationals in the United States who currently benefit from TPS will be able to re-register for TPS and extend their work authorization through September 3, 2024.  USCIS estimates that approximately 1,700 Yemeni nationals in the US presently benefit from TPS. 

The redesignation of Yemen will allow Yemeni nationals currently in the United States who do not have TPS to submit initial applications for TPS and work authorization if they have resided in the United States since December 29, 2022, and will remain physically present in the United States through March 4, 2023, to file applications to obtain TPS.  USCIS estimates that an additional 1,200 Yemeni nationals will stand to benefit from the redesignation of Yemen for TPS. 

The 18-month designation of Yemen will go into effect on March 4, 2023. The Federal Register Notice explains the procedures necessary for an individual to re-register for TPS or submit a first-time registration application under the redesignation and to apply for employment authorization. Applicants can submit applications online here. 

By way of background, the US government grants TPS to nationals of a country if the following temporary conditions exist in their home country: 1) ongoing armed conflict (such as civil war); 2) an environmental disaster (such as an earthquake or hurricane) or epidemic; or 3) other extraordinary and temporary conditions.  According to USCIS, the protracted civil war in Yemen has killed at least 377,700 people to date and caused unsafe humanitarian conditions and large-scale public health crises. 

TPS beneficiaries are given work authorization, protection from removal, and may obtain travel permission.

This alert is for informational purposes only. Please contact us if you would like to discuss these developments further.