Temporary Protected Status

Eligible nationals from other countries can attain temporary protected status, or TPS, with the help of an immigration attorney in the Dallas, area. When emergencies occur in other countries, such as earthquakes and other natural disasters, armed conflicts or disease outbreaks, TPS allows individuals already in the U.S. to stay for the duration of the emergency. Temporary protected status guarantees that an individual can’t be returned to that country from the U.S. for overstaying a visa during the emergency. People granted TPS are eligible to work in the U.S.

The Secretary of Homeland Security consults with the appropriate government agencies before designating a country’s nationals eligible for temporary protected status.

The Secretary can allow nationals to stay in the U.S. for the following reasons:

• A civil war or other armed conflicts that makes it dangerous for nationals to return.
• Damage and unrest after a hurricane, earthquake or other environmental disaster poses a threat to the safety of returning nationals, or there are inadequate resources to handle their return.
• Other circumstances exist that will endanger nationals returning to their country unless the Secretary decides that letting them stay will be harmful to U.S. interests.

Who is Eligible for Temporary Protected Status?

• To be eligible for TPS, you need to submit an application (an immigration attorney in the Dallas, TX area can help you with this) to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within designated registration periods. TPS is given to individuals who meet the following eligibility requirements:
• You are a national who was physically present in the United States since the day your country was officially designated or re-designated for TPS. This means you must have remained in the U.S., except for weekend or day trips to adjacent countries like Mexico or Canada. You must show that you’ve continuously resided in the U.S. anywhere from a few days to a few months after your country was designated for TPS.
• If you have a felony or two or more misdemeanor convictions, you’ll be ineligible for TPS.
• If you have persecuted people in your home country, committed serious crimes, resettled in a third country or been determined to pose a security threat to the U.S, you can’t receive temporary protected status.

Call an Experienced Immigration Attorney in the Dallas, TX Area

If you have questions about your eligibility for temporary protected status, contact an immigration attorney in the Dallas, TX area. At the Law Office of Nathan Christensen PC, we are experienced in temporary protected status (TPS) laws and procedures, and we can help you or a family member stay in the U.S. and out of harm’s way during an emergency. Call an immigration attorney in the Dallas, TX area who knows the TPS process, including TPS renewals. Visit us at immigrationlawyerdallastx.com or call (972) 497-1017 to discuss your case.