Attorney Carlos E. Sandoval Examines Extended TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua Nationals

Attorney Carlos E. Sandoval, founder of Carlos E. Sandoval, P.A., a fully bilingual law firm that focuses on immigration, recently announced that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible Honduras and Nicaragua nationals for an additional 18 months, effective July 6, 2016, through January 5, 2018. “Current TPS Honduras or Nicaragua beneficiaries who want to extend their TPS must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from May 16, 2016, through July 15, 2016, to ensure they continue to be protected by TPS,” said Sandoval.

TPS is a temporary immigration status granted to eligible nationals of designated countries because the country has experienced temporary negative conditions, such as armed conflict or an environmental disaster, that prevent nationals of that country from returning safely or prevent the country from handling their return adequately. USCIS may grant TPS to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries) who are already in the United States.

“To be eligible for TPS, you must be a national of a country designated for TPS, or a person without nationality who last habitually resided in the designated country,” said Sandoval. “Individuals need to file during the open initial registration or re-registration period, or meet the requirements for late initial filing during any extension of your country’s TPS designation.”

Furthermore, individuals have to have been continuously physically present (CPP) in the United States since the effective date of the most recent designation date of their country, and have been continuously residing (CR) in the United States since the date specified for their country. However, the law allows an exception to the CPP and CR requirements for brief, casual and innocent departures from the United States. “When you apply or re-register for TPS, you must inform USCIS of all absences from the United States since the CPP and CR dates, and USCIS will determine whether the exception applies in your case,” said Sandoval.

To re-register for TPS, individuals must file Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. For more information about registering, re-registering or filing a late initial application for TPS, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status.

About Carlos E. Sandoval, Attorney at Law 
Carlos E. Sandoval is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association and the Broward County Bar Association. Carlos, who speaks fluent English and Spanish, is licensed to practice law by the Florida Supreme Court and the Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida. He focuses his practice in all areas of immigration, naturalization and removal. For more information or a consultation, please call (954) 306-6921, or follow him on Facebook. The law office is located at 450 N. Park Road, Suite 803, Hollywood, FL 33021.

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