Update Applicable to:	Due Date
All Covered Employers	TPS Benefits End: April 7, 2025

What happened?

On January 29, 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the vacatur of former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ January 17, 2025, redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela.

Overview:

Secretary Noem’s decision was based on a review of current conditions in Venezuela and consultations with relevant U.S. government agencies. As a result, the TPS designation for Venezuela under the 2023 guidelines will terminate on April 7, 2025.

• This decision means the extension of TPS for Venezuela will not proceed as planned, and the department will revert to the TPS redesignation and extension guidance announced in October 2023.

• TPS and related benefits associated with this designation will end on April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

• This termination decision does not apply to the 2021 designation of Venezuela for TPS, which remains in effect until September 10, 2025, or to individuals registered for TPS under the 2021 designation.

• Due to this announcement, USCIS will no longer accept Venezuela TPS re-registration applications (Form I-821) and Applications for Employment Authorization (Form I-765) filed under former Secretary Mayorkas’ January 17, 2025 redesignation.

• USCIS will cease processing applications that have already been submitted and return associated filing fees. It will also invalidate Venezuela TPS work authorization documents, approval notices, and I-94 forms issued on October 2, 2026, expiration dates.

• Employees with Venezuela TPS may be work-authorized pursuant to facially valid work authorization documents or auto-extensions.

• Employee work authorizations should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Additional Details:

• Under Secretary Mayorkas’ January 17, 2025, notice, TPS was extended as follows:
  • The 2021 designation expires on September 10, 2025. Employment authorization documents for individuals registered under the 2021 designation expiration on April 2, 2026.
  • The 2023 designation expires on October 2, 2026. Employment authorization documents for individuals registered under the 2023 designation expire on April 2, 2026.

• As TPS redesignations or extensions must be made at least 60 days before the expiration date, Secretary Noem must decide whether to extend the 2023 designation no later than February 1, 2025, and the 2021 designation no later than July 12, 2025.
  • If no decisions are issued by these deadlines, the designation expirations will revert to those in place before former Secretary Mayorkas’ January 17, 2025, redesignation of TPS—April 2, 2025, for the 2023 designation and September 10, 2025, for the 2021 designation. There will be an automatic, final six-month extension of each designation.

• Secretary Noem’s decision does not affect the 2021 designation, which remains in effect until September 10, 2025.

• USCIS will no longer accept Venezuela TPS re-registration applications and will invalidate work authorization documents with October 2, 2026, expiration dates.

• Employees with Venezuela TPS must have their work authorizations reverified before April 3, 2025.

Source References

• USCIS – Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Venezuela
• Federal Register – Extension of the 2023 Designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status
• Federal Register – Vacatur of 2025 Temporary Protected Status Decision for Venezuela
• Federal Register – Termination of the October 3, 2023 Designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status
• USCIS Press Release – DHS Terminates the 2023 Designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status
• USCIS Press Release – Secretary of Homeland Security Announces Termination of 2023 Designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status

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