USCIS has now extended the TPS re-registration period and USCIS will accept petitions filed by eligible Haitian nationals who wish to maintain their temporary protected status in America for 18 more months, through 29th January, 2013. Earlier USCIS announced that the applications for re-registration must be filed on or before November 30, 2012 and now, USCIS has announced that the agency will accept applications filed after 30th November, 2012. However, Haitian nationals who entered into America after 21st January, 2011, are not eligible for TPS.
Hurricane Sandy prevented many Haitian nationals from filing their applications before the last date and the regions where Haitian nationals reside were also affected by Sandy and due to the Hurricane, USCIS has extended the re-registration period. TPS beneficiaries, who wish to remain in the country for 18 more months should file Form I-821, as soon as possible.
The US Department of Homeland Security, in October, announced that the TPS designation of Haiti will be extended and it stated that the Haitian TPS beneficiaries who file their applications for re-registration will be allowed to live in the country until 22nd July, 2014. Similarly, DHS also extended the validity of the Employment Authorization Documents and said that the eligible Haitian TPS beneficiaries will be allowed to work legally in the country with their EADs until July 22, 2013. There are around 60,000 TPS beneficiaries, in the United States, who are eligible to file applications for re-registration.
In order to maintain their temporary protected status in the United States, eligible Haitian nationals must file the USCIS Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status along with Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Haitian nationals may not be required to pay the form filing fee but they should pay the biometrics fee. USCIS also grants fee waivers and you can request a waiver, if you cannot pay the fees. People who look forward to work in the country legally, must also pay the Form I-765 fees. You may not be required to pay the form filing fees if do not want an employment authorization document but you must submit Form I-765 while filing Form I-821.