The Department of Homeland Security announced on January 10, 2025, the extension of the 2023 designation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela for 18 months, from April 3, 2025, to October 2, 2026, due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela that prevent individuals from safely returning. The corresponding Federal Register notice provides information about re-registering for TPS as a current beneficiary under Venezuela’s extension.

After consultation with interagency partners, it was determined that an 18-month extension of TPS is warranted based on the severe humanitarian emergency the country continues to face due to political and economic crises under the inhumane Maduro regime.

The extension of TPS for Venezuela allows approximately 607,000 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through October 2, 2026, if they continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements. Current beneficiaries under TPS for Venezuela, including those registered under the October 3, 2023, or the prior March 9, 2021, TPS designation, must re-register promptly during the re-registration period from January 17, 2025, through September 10, 2025, to ensure they maintain TPS and employment authorization.

Every individual processed by the Department of Homeland Security goes through rigorous national security and public safety vetting during the original application process and again during re-registration. If any individual is identified as posing a threat, they may be detained, removed, or referred to other federal agencies for further investigation or prosecution. Individuals are barred from TPS if they have been convicted of any felony or two misdemeanors.

All irregular migration journeys are extremely dangerous and unforgiving, and often result in loss of life.

Individuals registered under either the March 9, 2021, TPS designation or the October 3, 2023, TPS designation will be allowed to re-register under the Venezuela 2023 extension. All Venezuela TPS beneficiaries who re-register for TPS under the Venezuela 2023 extension and are approved by USCIS will obtain TPS through the same extension date of October 2, 2026.

DHS recognizes that not all re-registrants who renew their EAD may receive it before their current EAD expires. It is automatically extending through April 2, 2026, the validity of certain EADs previously issued under Venezuela’s TPS designation. As proof of continued employment authorization through April 2, 2026, TPS beneficiaries can show their EAD with the Category A12 or C19 and a Card Expires date of:

  • September 10, 2025;
  • April 2, 2025;
  • March 10, 2024; or
  • September 9, 2022.

USCIS will continue to process pending applications filed under previous TPS designations for Venezuela. Individuals with a pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or a related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, as of January 17, 2025, do not need to file either application again. If USCIS approves a pending Form I-821 or Form I-765 filed under the previous designations of TPS for Venezuela, USCIS will grant the individual TPS through October 2, 2026, and issue an EAD valid through the same date.

The Federal Register notice explains eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures necessary for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew EADs.

This extension only applies to individuals already in the United States who are current beneficiaries of TPS for Venezuela. All irregular migration journeys are extremely dangerous and unforgiving and often result in loss of life. DHS will continue to enforce US laws and will return noncitizens who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States.

 

Headline Image: Masked women in Venezuela. Photo credit: modovisible from Pixabay.

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