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March 8, 2001 INS Announces Opening of TPS Application Period for Salvadorans WASHINGTON The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will begin accepting applications on March 9, 2001 for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible Salvadorans. Regulations outlining application procedures will be published tomorrow in the Federal Register. The application period will continue for 18 months beginning March 9, 2001 and will end on September 9, 2002. The TPS designation was made by Attorney General John Ashcroft and is estimated to cover as many as 150,000 potential applicants. Eligible Salvadorans will not be removed from the United States and can apply for permission to work in the United States during the designated period. In order to maximize TPS benefits, applicants are encouraged to apply early since the processing of an employment authorization card may take approximately 90 days. Who is eligible? An alien who is a national of El Salvador (or in the case of an alien having no nationality, a person who last habitually resided in El Salvador) is eligible for TPS benefits if the alien:
Individuals who have been convicted in the United States of either a felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States are not eligible for TPS. Likewise, individuals subject to certain criminal or security-related bars to asylum are ineligible for TPS. How do I obtain the TPS application? TPS Application Form I-821 and Employment Authorization Application Form I-765 are available free of charge. The forms may be obtained by:
What is the procedure to apply for TPS? Applicants for TPS may register during the registration period by submitting:
While a complete application must include the fingerprint fee for every applicant who is 14 years of age or older, applicants should not submit a completed fingerprint card (FD-258, Applicant Card) with the application package. After the INS Service Center receives the application, it will mail an appointment letter with instructions to appear for fingerprinting at an INS-authorized Application Support Center. Information concerning the TPS program may be obtained by contacting the INS Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. FEES: A $50 fee must accompany the Form I-821. If the applicant requests employment authorization, he or she must submit a $100 fee with Form I-765. An applicant who does not seek employment authorization need not submit the $100 fee, but nonetheless must submit the Form I-765. A $25 fingerprint fee must also be submitted for every applicant who is 14 years of age or older. The applicant may request a fee waiver in accordance with the regulations. Where should I file my TPS application and applicable fees? Eligible Salvadorans should submit their completed application and applicable fees to the INS Service Center that has jurisdiction over the applicants place of residence. Please do not go to an INS District Office since they cannot accept TPS applications. If you go to an INS district office, you will be instructed to file your application with the INS Service Center that has jurisdiction over your place of residence. INS has been unable to update the TPS forms filing instructions prior to this announcement. The following are the proper filing instructions for Salvadorans applying for TPS: If you live in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or the U.S. Virgin Islands, mail your application and applicable fees to:
If you live in Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii or Nevada, mail your application and applicable fees to:
If you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee or Texas, mail your application and applicable fees to:
If you live elsewhere in the United States, please mail your application and applicable fees to:
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Last Modified 02/20/2003