By Charles Wheeler
Salvadorans who have already been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are eligible to live and work in the United States for an additional 18 months and continue to maintain their status. The extension of TPS for nationals of El Salvador was effective from March 9, 2012 and will remain in effect through September 9, 2013. Nationals of El Salvador who have been granted TPS previously must re-register during the current re-registration period, which began January 9, 2012 and will remain in effect through March 12, 2012.
Only Salvadorans granted TPS and who re-registered for TPS during the prior re-registration periods, have been continuously physically present in the United States since March 9, 2001, and have continuously resided in the United States since February 13, 2001 may re-register. Certain nationals of El Salvador may be entitled to late initial registration. See INA ยง 244(c)(2) for grounds of inadmissibility that may apply.
To re-register, submit the following documents:
- Form I-821 (without filing fee)
- Form I-765 (with $380 filing fee if seeking an EAD or extension unless seeking fee waiver)
- Biometrics fee of $85 for applicants age 14 or older (unless seeking fee waiver).
Salvadoran TPS re-registrants must send their applications to the appropriate USCIS office, which is dependent on where they are currently residing. Applicants residing in the following states will mail their application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Attn: TPS El Salvador, P.O. Box 8635, Chicago, IL 60680-8635: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
Applicants residing in the following states will mail their application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Attn: TPS El Salvador, P.O. Box 660864, Dallas, TX 75266: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana; Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virgin Islands, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Applicants residing in the following states will mail their application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Attn: TPS El Salvador, P.O. Box 21800, Phoenix, AZ 85036: Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
First-time TPS applicants or late initial registrants must mail their applications to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Attn: TPS El Salvador, P.O. Box 8670, Chicago, IL 60680-8670.
The current EADs for Salvadorans will be automatically extended for six months, through September 9, 2012.