On August 21, 2023, the US Immigration Service extended until April 19, 2025 the Temporary protective status (TPS) for Ukrainian citizens who lived in Ukraine before arriving in the United States. Also USCIS added the opportunity to apply for the first time for TPS for those Ukrainians who arrived in the USA after April 2022 and were (and are now) in America on August 16, 2023.
Those who have already received TPS must re-register between August 21 and October 20, 2023. You must also submit a new form for a new work permit (current permits will be automatically extended until October 19, 2024 while new petitions are pending).
Ukrainians who have not yet applied for TPS can apply for this status between August 21 and April 19, 2025.
Ukrainians, whose TPS petitions are still pending, do not need to do anything. If they are approved, the status will be valid until April 19, 2025.
In addition, Ukrainians who arrived in the USA after April 2022 and permanently resided in the USA on August 16, 2023 are now eligible to apply for TPS status if:
- came to the USA by the U4U program. If you are already in U4U status, if you also receive TPS, your U4U status will also remain.
- came to the USA through the Mexican-American border, received a humanitarian parole
- came to the USA with any immigrant visa
- came to the US with any non-immigrant visa
- staying in the USA illegally (without any status)
- students citizens of Ukraine (F-1) – together with TPS status they can now to request a work permit in the USA and work more hours, even missing part of the classes, they will maintain F-1 status for the entire duration of the TPS status.
Ukrainians who will use this right and receive TPS status will be able to obtain a work permit in the USA, and a permission to leave the USA and the right to return without losing their TPS status (re-entry permit).
USCIS expects that in addition to 26 000 Ukrainians who already have TPS status, more than 166 000 Ukrainians will receive TPS status.