In an effort to assist El Salvador recover from the earthquakes that affected the nation in 2001, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of El Salvador (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) who are eligible for re-registration.

Nationals of El Salvador who have been granted TPS must re-register for the 18-monthextension during the 60-day re-registration period, which began Friday, January 7, and will remain in effect for 60 days there after.  The re-registration period will end Tuesday, March 8.  Salvadorian TPS beneficiaries are strongly urged not to wait until the end of the re-registration period to file their application materials.  DHS has granted an automatic six-month extension, until September 9, 2005, of the validity of EADs issued under this TPS extension for nationals of El Salvador.

To re-register for TPS under the extension, a TPS beneficiary must submit Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status) without the filing fee, Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with filing fee if seeking an employment authorization document, and a $70 biometric services fee.  All applicants seeking a new EAD, valid through September 9, 2006, must submit a $175 filing fee with Form I-765.  An applicant who only seeks to re-register for TPS and does not seek an EAD need not submit the $175 filing fee for the Form I-765.  Applicants may request a fee waiver in accordance with the regulations; however, the biometric services fee may not be waived.  Failure to properly submit Forms I-821 and I-765 (completed in their entirety) with all applicable fees will delay processing of the applications or lead to the rejection of the re-registration application.  Applicants are not required to submit a photograph with their re-registration material, as both photographs and fingerprints will be collected at the USCIS Application Support Center. 

USCIS has published a revised Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. Only Form I-821 with Revision Date 11/5/04 will be accepted.  Earlier versions of the form will be rejected.  The newly revised form is available on the USCIS Forms line.