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TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR GUINEA-BISSAU EXTENDED
Temporary protected status (TPS) prevents nationals of countries undergoing civil unrest or severe natural disasters who are in the US from being deported.  Guinea-Bissau was designated for TPS that was due to expire on March 10, 2000.  This week it was announced that while conditions in the country no longer call for an extension of TPS, an administrative oversight means that the country will remain designated until September 10, 2000. 
The law requires a determination that TPS is no longer warranted to be made at least 60 days before the designation is set to expire, which did not happen in this case.  
Those from Guinea-Bissau may register for continued TPS by filing Form I-821 between March 20, 2000 and April 19, 2000 with their local INS office.  People who have not already registered for TPS may do so in certain situations.  To be eligible for late registration the person must have resided in the US since March 11, 1999 and demonstrate why they did not file for TPS during the initial registration period.  Acceptable reasons are: 
The person was a nonimmigrant, had been granted voluntary departure or other relief from removal 
The person had a pending application for a change of status, adjustment of status, asylum, voluntary departure or other form of relief from removal 
The person was paroled into the US or had a pending application for parole, or 
The person is the spouse or child of a person currently eligible for TPS. 
There are estimated to be about only 400 nationals of Guinea-Bissau who have registered for TPS.