The U.S. has extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians by an additional 18 months.

The United States has extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainian citizens currently in the U.S. due to Russia's large-scale military aggression for an additional 18 months.

This information is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The American agency noted that the extension allows eligible Ukrainian citizens who arrived in the country before August 16, 2023, to maintain their TPS status and work authorization after verification.

"The TPS extension is linked to the ongoing armed conflict and the extraordinary and temporary conditions in Ukraine, which prevent eligible Ukrainian citizens from safely returning," the U.S. Department explained.

As stated in the agency's release on January 10, after a thorough analysis, it was determined that the 18-month TPS extension is "justified due to the conditions caused by the escalation of the Russian military invasion in Ukraine, the largest conventional military operation in Europe since World War II."

Re-registration to Confirm TPS Status

The TPS extension for Ukrainian citizens allows approximately 103,700 current eligible beneficiaries to re-register for this special status, provided they pass the program's eligibility requirements check.

It is also noted that re-registration is limited to individuals who were previously registered under TPS for Ukrainian citizens.

"This group includes Ukrainian citizens (and stateless individuals who last resided in Ukraine) who have continuously lived in the United States since at least August 16, 2023, regardless of their legal immigration status," the American agency clarified.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also emphasized that every individual processed by the Department undergoes a strict national security and public safety vetting during the initial application process and again during re-registration.

"If it is found that any individual poses a threat, they may be detained, deported, or referred to other federal agencies for further investigation or prosecution if necessary. Individuals are not eligible for TPS if they have been convicted of any felony or two misdemeanors," the Department explained.

Furthermore, the American agency acknowledges that "not all re-registered individuals may receive a new work authorization document before the expiration of their current EAD," and automatically extends the validity of EADs previously issued under the TPS designation for Ukraine by 12 months.

Residency of Refugees from Ukraine in the U.S.

As a reminder, in the U.S., Temporary Protected Status was officially introduced in April 2022 for Ukrainian citizens who were physically present in the country.

In November of the same year, it became known that Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. were granted automatic work authorization. However, these benefits did not apply to all categories of Ukrainian refugees.

It was also reported that in February 2024, Ukrainians in the U.S. had their humanitarian parole extended for another two years.

Thus, the right to restore their humanitarian parole status was granted to both Ukrainians who arrived in the U.S. under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program and citizens who received humanitarian parole at U.S. border crossing points between February 11 and April 25, 2022, before the introduction of this program.