TPS Country Eligibility List — Current Designations

What Is the TPS Country Eligibility List?

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) country eligibility list is the set of nations whose citizens and nationals currently qualify for protection from deportation and work authorization in the United States. The Secretary of Homeland Security designates countries for TPS when ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary temporary conditions make return unsafe. The list changes regularly — countries are added, renewed for 6- to 18-month periods, or removed when the Secretary determines conditions no longer warrant protection.

As of February 2026, 17 countries hold active TPS designations under 8 U.S.C. § 1254a. That statute sets the framework, but each country's inclusion depends on a published Federal Register notice by the Department of Homeland Security. The notice names the country, sets the designation period, defines who qualifies, and establishes application and re-registration deadlines. No country remains on the list indefinitely — every designation carries an expiration date, and extension is never guaranteed.

Countries Currently Designated for TPS (February 2026)

The following countries hold active TPS designations as of February 2026, according to USCIS announcements. Each entry includes the basis for designation and the most recent expiration date published. Because DHS can extend or terminate a designation at any time, applicants should verify the current status on uscis.gov/tps before filing Form I-821.

Each designation listed above has been renewed multiple times since the original event. The "current expiration" column reflects the fact that DHS publishes updated Federal Register notices extending protection for fixed periods — applicants must track those notices to know when re-registration windows open and when protection ends.

How a Country Gets Added to the List

The Secretary of Homeland Security designates a country for TPS after determining that one of three statutory conditions exists:

1. Ongoing armed conflict that would pose a serious threat to personal safety if nationals returned.
2. Environmental disaster (earthquake, flood, drought, epidemic) resulting in a substantial but temporary disruption of living conditions, where the foreign state cannot adequately handle the return of its nationals.
3. Extraordinary and temporary conditions in the country that prevent nationals from returning safely, and the foreign state has requested TPS designation.

The designation is published in the Federal Register. The notice sets the effective period (usually 6 to 18 months), the application deadline, and the continuous residence and continuous physical presence requirements. Nationals of the designated country who meet those requirements and file Form I-821 within the window receive protection from removal and work authorization for the duration of the designation.

Designation is discretionary. A country experiencing a disaster or conflict is not automatically added. The decision depends on country conditions, diplomatic considerations, and administrative determination that the situation is temporary and that safe return is not feasible during the designation period.

Let's Be Direct: TPS Is Temporary by Statute

The name is accurate. Temporary Protected Status was created as a short-term humanitarian measure, not a pathway to permanent residence. Congress designed it to protect people from returning to unsafe conditions while those conditions persist — not to convert into green cards or citizenship. The statute does not include a built-in adjustment mechanism. Beneficiaries remain in the same nonimmigrant status they held before designation or are considered unlawfully present if they entered without inspection, tolerated only while the designation is active.

Some TPS holders have maintained status for decades through repeated extensions. That does not make the status permanent. Every 6 to 18 months, DHS decides whether to renew or terminate. When a designation ends, work authorization expires, and beneficiaries lose protection from removal unless they have another valid status. Legislation to provide a green card pathway for long-term TPS holders has been proposed repeatedly but has not passed as of February 2026. The path exists only if an individual qualifies for another category — family-based petition, employment-based visa, asylum — independent of TPS.

What Happens When a Country Is Removed from the List

When the Secretary determines that conditions in a designated country have improved enough that nationals can return safely, DHS publishes a Federal Register notice terminating the designation. The notice sets a final date — typically 6 to 12 months in the future — after which TPS status and work authorization expire.

Termination does not trigger automatic deportation. It means protection ends. A TPS holder whose designation terminates returns to the immigration status they held before TPS or to unlawful presence if they had none. If unlawfully present and without another avenue of relief, they become subject to removal proceedings.

DHS may delay termination or extend a designation incrementally even as conditions improve, particularly when large populations hold status and immediate return is not administratively or diplomatically feasible. The decision to terminate or extend remains discretionary.

Eligibility Requirements Beyond Nationality

Being a national of a designated country does not automatically confer TPS. To qualify, an applicant must:

• Be a national of the designated country (or a person without nationality who last habitually resided there).
• File Form I-821 during the initial registration period or a re-registration window.
• Have been continuously physically present in the United States since the effective date specified in the Federal Register notice.
• Have been continuously residing in the United States since the date specified in the notice.
• Not have committed certain crimes or be otherwise inadmissible under grounds that bar TPS.
• Pay the filing fee or apply for a fee waiver.

The continuous residence and physical presence dates are country-specific and published in each designation notice. An applicant who entered the United States after those dates does not qualify, even if their nationality would otherwise make them eligible.

Criminal bars include felony convictions, two or more misdemeanor convictions, and certain grounds of inadmissibility. TPS can be denied or terminated if an applicant is convicted of a disqualifying offense after approval.

How DHS Publishes Changes to the List

Every TPS action — initial designation, extension, termination, or redesignation — is published in the Federal Register. The notice is the legal authority for the change. USCIS then posts a summary and instructions on uscis.gov/tps.

Applicants should monitor the Federal Register and the USCIS TPS page for their country. Federal Register notices appear at federalregister.gov and include:

• The country being designated, extended, or terminated.
• The effective dates and expiration dates.
• The application or re-registration period.
• The continuous residence and physical presence cutoff dates for first-time applicants.
• Instructions for filing Form I-821, Form I-765 (work authorization), and Form I-821D (if applicable).

These notices are the only authoritative source for registration windows and eligibility dates. Relying on outdated information or third-party summaries can result in a missed filing deadline.

The Difference Between Initial Registration and Re-registration

When a country is first designated or redesignated after a gap, USCIS opens an initial registration period. Qualifying nationals who have never held TPS for that country must file during this window. Missing it forecloses eligibility unless the designation is later extended with a new initial registration period or the applicant qualifies for late initial filing based on extraordinary circumstances.

Re-registration applies to individuals who already hold TPS for the country and want to maintain status during an extension. USCIS opens re-registration windows 60 days before the current designation expires. Current TPS holders must file Form I-821 again, even if nothing about their case has changed. Failure to re-register results in loss of status and work authorization.

Late re-registration is permitted if the applicant can show good cause for the delay — serious illness, death in the family, or another circumstance beyond their control. USCIS evaluates those requests individually.

What If I'm From a Country Not on the List?

If your home country is not designated for TPS, you cannot apply under that program, regardless of conditions in the country. TPS is not a discretionary waiver USCIS officers grant case by case — it exists only when the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated the country by Federal Register notice.

Alternatives exist depending on your situation:

• Asylum if you have suffered persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Asylum applications are evaluated individually and do not depend on a country-wide designation.
• Withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture if you face a threat to life or freedom but do not meet asylum's definition.
• Deferred Action in limited circumstances, granted on a case-by-case basis by USCIS or ICE.
• Other visa categories — family-based petitions, employment-based visas, or nonimmigrant status — if you qualify independent of country conditions.

These options require separate applications, different evidence, and in many cases an attorney to navigate eligibility and procedure. The Law Offices of Peter D. Chu evaluates these alternatives during consultations and advises on which path fits the individual's facts.

What If My Country's Designation Expires While I'm Outside the United States?

Leaving the United States while holding TPS requires advance permission through Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. If you travel without advance parole, you abandon TPS status. If the designation expires or is terminated while you are abroad, you lose status even if you had advance parole.

A TPS holder outside the United States when the designation terminates cannot re-enter under TPS. They must qualify for another visa category or lawful entry basis. This is one reason many TPS holders do not travel — the risk that the designation will not be extended during their absence.

If you must travel for a family emergency or other urgent reason, apply for advance parole well in advance and monitor Federal Register notices for any sign that the designation will not be renewed. If termination is announced while you are abroad, consult an immigration attorney immediately about re-entry options.

How Employers Verify Work Authorization for TPS Holders

TPS grants work authorization through Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD is category-specific — TPS cards are marked with the code "A12" or "C19" and list the country of designation. Employers verify work authorization using Form I-9 and E-Verify as they would for any EAD holder.

When a designation is extended, USCIS automatically extends the validity of existing EADs for a published period — typically 6 months — while re-registration applications are processed. The extension notice is published in the Federal Register and on uscis.gov. Workers carry the extension notice or print a copy to show employers that their expired card is still valid during the automatic extension period.

Employers who refuse to accept an automatically extended EAD in combination with the Federal Register notice may be violating anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. TPS holders facing this issue can file a complaint with the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section of the Department of Justice.

The Role of Federal Register Notices in TPS Administration

Every legal aspect of TPS depends on the published Federal Register notice. The notice is the controlling document. It defines:

• Who qualifies (nationality and residence/presence dates).
• When to file (initial registration and re-registration windows).
• What forms to submit (I-821, I-765, fee waiver requests).
• How long protection lasts (the designation period).
• What happens next (whether the designation will be reviewed for extension or termination).

USCIS summaries and website updates restate the notice but are not substitutes for it. Attorneys and applicants working on TPS cases check the Federal Register directly because it carries legal authority that secondary sources do not. Federal Register notices are public and free to access at federalregister.gov.

Can TPS Lead to a Green Card?

Not directly. TPS does not provide a pathway to lawful permanent residence by itself. It is a temporary protection that pauses removal and grants work authorization — nothing more.

A TPS holder can apply for a green card if they qualify under a separate category:

• Family-based petition: an immediate relative (spouse, parent, or child) who is a U.S. citizen files Form I-130. TPS holders who entered the United States lawfully can adjust status inside the country. Those who entered without inspection generally cannot adjust even with an approved petition and must pursue consular processing abroad, which triggers unlawful presence bars unless waived.
• Employment-based petition: an employer sponsors the TPS holder for a green card (EB-2, EB-3, etc.). Same adjustment rule applies — lawful entry allows adjustment; unlawful entry requires consular processing and waiver.
• Asylum approval: if the TPS holder applied for asylum separately and is granted, they can apply for a green card one year after asylum approval.

TPS itself does not cure unlawful entry or prior unlawful presence. It does not reset the 3-year or 10-year bars. It protects someone from removal while they hold status but does not change the underlying immigration history that affects green card eligibility.

Comparing TPS to Deferred Action and Asylum

Asylum requires proving individual persecution or well-founded fear. TPS requires only nationality, timely filing, and meeting residence requirements. Asylum is harder to qualify for but offers permanent protection. TPS is easier to obtain but remains temporary.

How the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu Approaches TPS Cases

The Law Offices of Peter D. Chu assists TPS applicants and re-registrants in evaluating eligibility, preparing Form I-821, filing during the correct window, and addressing criminal or inadmissibility issues that may bar approval. The firm also advises TPS holders on whether they qualify for other immigration benefits — family petitions, employment sponsorship, asylum — that could lead to permanent status.

TPS cases require close attention to Federal Register notices and filing deadlines. Missing a re-registration window or applying after the initial registration period closes can result in loss of status with no recourse. The firm monitors designation updates and advises current clients when action is required.

For individuals whose home country is not designated, the firm evaluates alternative forms of relief and explains the differences in eligibility, process, and outcome. A $250 consultation reviews the individual's immigration history, country conditions, criminal record if any, and family or employment ties to determine which application has the strongest chance of success. The firm serves clients throughout San Diego, Southern California, and nationally on immigration matters.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Temporary Protected Status and the country eligibility list. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu. TPS eligibility depends on individual facts, timely filing, and current Federal Register designations. Outcomes vary. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before applying for TPS or any other immigration benefit to ensure you meet all requirements and file correctly.

Schedule a consultation with the Law Offices of Peter D. Chu — 4615 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111 · 858-268-8823 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–5:30 PM. Consultation fee: $250.