TPS Application Eligibility Guide

navigation

TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS (TPS) EXTENSION AND REDESIGNATION FOR CAMEROON: A GUIDE FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

Cameroon Advocacy Network is dedicated to providing our community members with access to free legal services to assist them in applying for TPS. If you are interested in being connected with a pro bono attorney via CAN, please fill out this form

INTRODUCTION

This guide provides detailed information for individuals from Cameroon (or individuals with no nationality who last lived in Cameroon) regarding the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TPS allows eligible individuals to stay and work in the United States temporarily due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary conditions in their home country.

1. What Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Means.

TPS is a temporary immigration status that allows eligible nationals of certain designated countries, including those experiencing situations like ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions, that make deportation or forced returns to their home country unsafe, to live and work in the U.S. This also applies to individuals without a specific nationality who previously lived in one of these designated countries. During the TPS designation, TPS beneficiaries are protected from deportation and can obtain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) allowing them to work.

On October 10, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended and redesignated TPS for Cameroon, meaning that Cameroonians who were in the US on or before December 8, 2023, may be eligible for TPS. The TPS designation for Cameroon will last for 18 months. At least 60 days before the expiration of TPS, DHS must decide whether to extend or terminate a designation based on the ongoing conditions in Cameroon. Decisions to begin, extend, or terminate a TPS designation must be published in the Federal Register.

It is important to note that individuals do not automatically receive TPS designation. Eligible individuals must register during a specific registration period and pay significant fees. An individual’s immigration status at the time of application for TPS has no effect on that individual’s eligibility

What are the benefits of TPS?

TPS holders are protected from deportation;
TPS holders gain employment authorization and can work legally in the U.S.; and
TPS holders may travel out of the U.S. with permission (please note if you are also applying for asylum you must consult with you before leaving the U.S. as travel may disqualify an individual from receiving asylum status)
TPS holders may travel out of the U.S. with permission (please note if you are also applying for asylum you must consult with you before leaving the U.S. as travel may disqualify an individual from receiving asylum status)

2. Who Is Eligible For TPS?

First-Time TPS Applicants:

Individuals who arrived in the U.S. after October 5, 2023, can apply for TPS for the first time. The initial registration period is from October 10, 2023, to June 7, 2025. Continuous residence since October 5, 2023, and continuous physical presence since December 8, 2023, are requirements for new applicants.

In order to qualify for an initial TPS designation an individual must:

Be a national of Cameroon.
Be continuously physically present in the US since the effective date of the designation, on or before December 8, 2023 .
Have continuously resided in the US since October 5, 2023,
Not be barred for certain criminal or national security reasons (for example, individuals who have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors) .

However, otherwise eligible individuals are not eligible if they:

Have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States;
Are found inadmissible under applicable grounds in INA section 212(a), including non-waivable criminal and security-related grounds;
Are subject to any of the mandatory bars to asylum. These include, but are not limited to, participating in the persecution of another individual or engaging in or inciting terrorist activity; or
Failing to meet the continuous physical presence and continuous residence in the United States requirements.

If you are a current TPS Holder:

On October 10, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated TPS for Cameroon, meaning that Cameroonians who were in the US on or before December 8, 2023, may be eligible for TPS.

For existing TPS holders from Cameroon, the status is extended for 18 months, starting from December 8, 2023, to June 7, 2025. To maintain TPS, re-registration is necessary during the 60-day period from October 10, 2023, to December 11, 2023.

If an individual had a TPS application pending as of October 10, 2023, they do not need to file the application again. USCIS will grant TPS through June 7, 2025, to those with pending applications.

Submit Form I-821, and pay the required filing fee, unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
Submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for those wanting to work in the United States, and pay the required fee, unless they qualify for a fee waiver.
Demonstrate continuous residence and physical presence in the United States since October 5, 2023.

3. Application Process:

To apply for TPS, complete Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status) and pay the filing fee, or request a fee waiver using Form I-912. Biometric services may be required if the applicant is older than 14 years, but fee waivers are available. TPS beneficiaries can also request an EAD using Form I-765.

4. EAD Renewal And Travel Authorization:

To renew your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as a TPS beneficiary, submit Form I-765 and pay the fee, or request a fee waiver, while USCIS has automatically extended your current EAD through December 7, 2024. You can also apply for travel authorization by filing Form I-131 if you wish to leave the U.S., but be sure to re-verify your employment authorization before December 8, 2024.

5. Filing Fees:

The cost of Form I-821 can vary depending on a few factors:

Age: If you're under the age of 14, you might be eligible for a reduced fee, while those above that age typically pay a higher fee.
Biometrics exam: If you need to undergo a biometrics exam (which includes fingerprinting and a photo), there's an additional cost associated with that.
Form I-765: If you're also filing Form I-765, which is the application for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to work in the U.S., comes with a cost of $410

6. Filing Your TPS Application:

Mail Filing:

If you are filing a paper application, mail your TPS package to the specified addresses provided below:

Electronic Filing:

You may file forms I-821 and I-765 online by creating a USCIS online account at https://myaccount.uscis.gov/users/sign_up. However, a fee waiver application cannot be submitted online. You must file a paper version of the fee waiver request and the form you are requesting the fee waiver.

7. Documents You Should Begin To Prepare To Apply For TPS

TPS Form I-821, see TPS Application Instructions from USCIS and TPS for Cameroon USCIS homepage .

Submit Form I-821, and pay the required filing fee, unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
Submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for those wanting to work in the United States, and pay the required fee, unless they qualify for a fee waiver.
Demonstrate continuous residence and physical presence in the United States since October 5, 2023.

Note: If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English.

8. Employment Authorization for TPS

TPS work authorization under this designation for Cameroon will be valid until…

Applicants who want to obtain an Employment Authorization Document or EAD, under TPS must file an Application for Employment Authorization (Form I-765) and pay the Form I-765 fee (or submit a Request for a Fee Waiver (Form I-912)).
If you do not want to request an EAD during the TPS registration period, you may also file Form I-765 at a later date and pay the fee (or request a fee waiver), provided that you still have TPS or a pending TPS application.
Consult the Federal Register Notice for more information about what documents to present to your employer related to work authorization through TPS.

For general questions about the employment eligibility verification process, employees may call USCIS at 888-897-7781 (TTY 877-875-6028) or email USCIS at I-9Central@dhs.gov. USCIS accepts calls in English and French languages. Employees or applicants may also call the IER Worker Hotline at 800-255-7688 (TTY 800-237-2515) for information regarding employment discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin, including discrimination related to Form I-9 and E-Verify.

Automatic EAD Extension

If your current Cameroon TPS-based EAD has “A–12” or “C–19” under Category and a “Card Expires” date of December 7, 2023, it is automatically extended through December 7, 2024. However, timely re-registration for TPS is crucial to maintain your status and employment authorization.

The information in this document has been prepared by the Cameroon Advocacy Network for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. You should not act upon any information without retaining professional legal counsel.

9. How to Assist a Detained Family Member Eligible for TPS

If someone you care about is in immigration detention and qualifies for TPS, here’s what you should know. They can still apply for TPS, even while in detention. To do this, they need to meet the eligibility criteria for TPS and then submit an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Now, if the person is not only in detention but also going through removal proceedings, meaning they’re facing deportation, and the reason for their Notice To Appear (NTA) is a mandatory ground that would typically make them ineligible for TPS, there’s a different process. In such cases, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) would be responsible for reviewing and deciding on their TPS application.

10. How To Avoid Legal Services Fraud

Please be aware that some unauthorized practitioners may try to take advantage of you by claiming they can file TPS forms. These same individuals may ask that you pay them to obtain such forms; however, all USCIS forms are free for download from the USCIS website at uscis.gov/forms.

Have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the US
Are found to be inadmissible (immigration laws require admissibility for TPS) under criminal and security related grounds that are not waivable
Are subject to any of the mandatory bars to asylum – such as participation in the persecution of another individual or engaging in terrorist activity

IF YOU APPLY FOR TPS AND ARE FOUND INELIGIBLE, PLEASE CONSULT WITH AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY BEFORE APPLYING FOR TPS.

Important Questions To Ask Yourself Before Applying For TPS

Note: the TPS application will require you to disclose all information about your arrests and criminal history both in the US and in Cameroon. Please prepare to share all relevant information with your attorney or the individual preparing your application.

Call Our Help Line

Mail us for help

4265 Fairmount Avenue,