The United States designates Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status

On 03/03/2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Ukraine was designated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, due to the ongoing armed conflict preventing safe return to the country.

To be eligible for TPS under the Ukraine designation, individuals must have continuously resided in the United States since March 01, 2022. The TPS designation would allow Ukrainian citizens who entered the US on or before March 01, 2022 to remain in the US lawfully for a period of 18 months and to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). While March 01, 2022 is the current Ukraine TPS designation date, it is expected that DHS will allow for a later designation date through a re-registration period to be announced in the future.

Ukraine’s TPS designation will go into effect on the publication date of a forthcoming Federal Register notice; the notice will provide the relevant instructions for the TPS and EAD applications. Individuals applying for TPS must meet all eligibility requirements and undergo security and background checks.

Please contact one of the immigration attorneys at Gee & Zhang, LLP in Houston should you need assistance with your TPS application or your employee’s TPS application. Our attorneys are also available for a consultation on other potential visa options for Ukrainian citizens.