TPS renewals in 2026.

Temporary Protected Status under INA 244 allows nationals of designated countries to remain in the US when conditions in their home country make safe return impossible. Designations are based on armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary conditions. TPS is not a path to permanent residence.

Approximately 16 countries maintain active TPS designations in 2026. Each requires filing Form I-821 and Form I-765 during specific re-registration periods announced in Federal Register notices. Check the USCIS country-specific page before filing.

Temporary Protected Status re-registration requires submitting Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the designated re-registration period for the applicant's country. The re-registration period is announced in a Federal Register notice published by the Department of Homeland Security. The notice specifies the exact start and end dates of the re-registration period, the fee amounts required, the edition of Form I-821 to use, and the filing address based on the applicant's location. Re-registration periods are typically open for 60 to 180 days, and filing outside this window without good cause results in loss of TPS.

In addition to Form I-821, applicants who need employment authorization must file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the required fee. Some country designations bundle the I-765 fee with the I-821 fee, while others require separate payments. The Federal Register notice for each country specifies the fee structure. Applicants who cannot afford the fee may file Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with supporting evidence of financial hardship. Fee waivers are discretionary, and applicants should provide thorough documentation of their financial situation.

TPS re-registration requires proof of continuous physical presence in the United States since the date of the most recent designation for the applicant's country. Supporting documents include lease agreements, utility bills, bank statements, school records, employment records, and medical records showing the applicant's presence during the relevant period. The burden is on the applicant to establish continuous physical presence by a preponderance of the evidence. If the applicant has not maintained continuous physical presence, they must demonstrate that any absence was brief, casual, and innocent. Absences without advance parole are presumptively not authorized and may break the continuous presence requirement.

Each TPS designation has its own re-registration calendar. Venezuela's designation runs through September 2026 with a re-registration period that typically opens 60 days before the expiration date. Haiti's designation was extended through August 2026 following the most recent Federal Register notice. Ukraine's designation, granted after the 2022 invasion, has been extended multiple times and the current re-registration period runs through early 2027 for beneficiaries who registered during the initial designation or a previous extension. Burma and Cameroon both have designations that extend into 2027, but the re-registration periods for each country are announced separately and may not align with the designation end date.

Country designations change frequently due to litigation, new Federal Register notices, and changes in home country conditions. Applicants should verify their country's current designation status on the USCIS TPS page rather than relying on previous renewal notices or guidance from prior years. A TPS designation can be terminated by the Secretary of Homeland Security at any time if the conditions that justified the designation no longer exist. When a designation is terminated, beneficiaries receive a wind-down period of at least 120 days to prepare for departure or seek alternative immigration status. During the wind-down period, beneficiaries retain their TPS status and work authorization until the termination date specified in the Federal Register notice.

Elena is a Venezuelan national who has held TPS since the initial Venezuela designation. Her current TPS EAD expires on September 10, 2026. In May 2026, USCIS publishes a Federal Register notice announcing a 120-day re-registration period for Venezuela TPS beginning June 1. Elena files Form I-821 and Form I-765 together on June 15, including her current EAD copy, previous TPS approval notice, passport bio page, evidence of continuous residence since the designation date, and the combined filing fee. She files the fee waiver request because her income has dropped since she lost her job. USCIS sends a receipt notice confirming the filings are accepted, and because Elena filed within the re-registration period, her TPS and EAD are automatically extended for 540 days while the application is pending. She provides her employer with the I-797 receipt notice as proof of continued work authorization.

Filing outside the designated re-registration period without good cause results in automatic termination of TPS status. Late initial registration is permitted only during the first 18 months of a new designation. For re-registrations, late filing is accepted only if the applicant can demonstrate that the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, such as serious illness, incapacity, or ineffective assistance of counsel. The applicant must explain the reasons for the late filing in a written statement and provide supporting evidence. USCIS has discretion to accept or reject late re-registrations on a case-by-case basis.

• Form I-821: Complete application with all required fields, using the edition specified in the Federal Register notice.
• Form I-765: Employment authorization application if you need a renewed EAD card.
• Proof of identity and nationality: Valid or expired passport from the designated country, or birth certificate with photo ID.
• Prior TPS approval notice: Copy of the most recent I-797 approval notice confirming TPS grant.
• Current EAD: Photocopy of both sides of the expiring EAD card.
• Continuous residence evidence: Lease agreements, utility bills, bank statements, school records, or employer letters covering the period since the last designation.
• Address history: List of all US addresses for the past 5 years with dates of residency.
• Fee or fee waiver request: Filing fee per the Federal Register notice, or Form I-912 with supporting financial evidence.

The asylum I-589 guide covers alternative humanitarian protection for applicants who fear persecution. The DACA renewal guide explains the separate deferred action process. The ITIN application guide covers obtaining a taxpayer ID for those without SSN eligibility who need to file taxes on US income.