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August 30, 2000 Temporary Protected Status for Bosnia-Herzegovina to End WASHINGTON The Attorney General is terminating the designation of Bosnia-Herzegovina under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program after a final six-month extension. The Attorney General made this decision after reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate government agencies. However, in order to comply with statutory timeframes, designation of Bosnia-Herzegovina will be extended for a final six months, until February 10, 2001, before it can be terminated. After that date, aliens with TPS who are nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina (and aliens having no nationality who most recently resided in Bosnia-Herzegovina) will no longer have that status. If I currently have TPS, how do I register for the six-month extension? Persons currently registered under TPS who desire an extension must re-register by filing both the TPS application (Form I-821) and an application for employment authorization (Form I-765) with their local INS District Office. Applications for re-registration must be received no later than September 30, 2000. For re-registration, there is no fee for Form I-821. However, a $100 fee must accompany Form I-765 if an applicant requests employment authorization. If the applicant does not require employment authorization or already has employment authorization, Form I-765 is still required but no fee is necessary. These forms are available from the toll-free INS Forms line, 1-800-870-3676, and from the INS Web site, www.ins.usdoj.gov. An applicant may request a waiver of TPS-related application fees by submitting proper documentation of inability to pay. What can I do if I feel that my return to Bosnia-Herzegovina is unsafe? The Attorney General has terminated the designation of Bosnia-Herzegovina under the TPS program after February 10, 2001. There may be other avenues of immigration relief available to aliens who are nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Bosnia-Herzegovina) in the United States who believe that their particular circumstances make return to Bosnia-Herzegovina unsafe. Such avenues may include, but are not limited to, asylum or withholding of removal. In addition, these nationals may also apply for any non-immigrant or immigrant visa for which they qualify. Can people with TPS travel outside of the country? TPS registrants who need to travel outside the United States during the final six months must receive advance parole from their INS office prior to departing the United States. Failure to do so may jeopardize their ability to return to the United States. Advance parole, which is issued on a case-by-case basis, allows an individual to travel abroad and return to the United States. Individuals who are granted TPS may apply for advance parole by filing Form I-131 at their local INS district office. How does the termination of TPS affect former TPS beneficiaries? After the designation of Bosnia-Herzegovina for TPS is terminated on February 10, 2001, aliens who are nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Bosnia-Herzegovina) will revert back to the immigration status they had prior to TPS, unless they have been granted another immigration status. The stay of removal and eligibility for employment authorization due to the designation of Bosnia-Herzegovina under the TPS program will no longer be available. However, the termination of the TPS designation for Bosnia-Herzegovina will not affect any pending applications for other forms of immigration relief. Those persons who received TPS under the Bosnia-Herzegovina designation will begin to accrue unlawful presence as of February 10, 2001, if they have not been granted any other immigration benefit or have no application for such a benefit pending. Under the 1996 Immigration Act, aliens who accrue 180 days to 364 days of unlawful presence may be barred from admission to the United States for a period of three years. Aliens who accrue 365 days or more of unlawful presence may be barred from admission to the United States for a period of 10 years. Does this notice affect people granted TPS from the Kosovo Province? No, this only affects those people who were granted TPS under the Bosnia-Herzegovina designation. The TPS designation for the Kosovo Province will continue until December 6, 2000 as previously announced in the Federal Register. INS |
Last Modified 02/20/2003