DHS Extends TPS for Syria and Re-Designates Syria for TPS for 18 Months, Automatically Extends EADs Through Sept. 27, 2021

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria and also re-designated Syria for TPS through Sept. 30, 2022. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status must re-register March 19, 2021, through May 18, 2021. Syrian nationals and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Syria may submit an initial registration application under the re-designation for TPS for Syria and apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Given the time frames for processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation for Syria. Any EADs previously issued based on TPS for Syria that contain a “Card Expires” date of March 31, 2021, have been automatically extended through Sept. 27, 2021.

Completing Form I-9

To complete or update Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for Syrian TPS beneficiaries who present an EAD with a Category Code of A12 or C19 and a “Card Expires date” of March 31, 2021, employers should enter Sept. 27, 2021, as the new expiration date on Form I-9. You must reverify these employees before they start work on Sept. 28, 2021.

Find more details about this extension on the TPS designation for Syria page and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the I-9 Central TPS page.