The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, recently announced that Venezuelans living in the U.S. continuously since March 18, 2021, will be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This will enable them to apply for Employment Authorization, and will allow them to remain in the U.S. for eighteen (18) months- until September 2022.
Each applicant must submit the application for TPS on Form I-821 with supporting documents such as:
- Copies of their passport
- I-94 (if available)3
- Employment records
- Rent and/or utility bills
- School records
- Medical records
- $540 filing fee
If an applicant has ever been arrested, they will need to provide USCIS with a disposition of arrest. It is advisable to speak with an immigration attorney to see if said arrest could affect one’s eligibility.