Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that Venezuela will continue to have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 more months. This decision is due to the ongoing difficult and unsafe conditions in Venezuela that make it risky for people to go back there.

Secretary Mayorkas made this choice after looking at the situation in Venezuela and talking with other government agencies. He decided to extend TPS for 18 months because the country is still facing serious problems, like humanitarian issues, safety concerns, political instability, and environmental challenges. This means that Venezuelans who were in the United States before July 31, 2023, can stay here without worrying about being deported, and they can also work legally.

Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas explained, "Temporary protected status is a way to protect people already in the United States from being sent back to their home country when it's not safe there. That's the situation for Venezuelans who came here on or before July 31 of this year, so we're giving them the protection the law allows. But it's important for Venezuelans to know that those who arrived here after July 31, 2023, won't be eligible for this protection and may be deported if they don't have a legal reason to stay."

To apply for TPS under this extension, you need to prove that you're from Venezuela (or you used to live there without any nationality), and you've been living in the United States continuously since July 31, 2023. There are other requirements too.

If you already applied for TPS under the previous designation for Venezuela, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will still process your application. You don't have to reapply. If your application is approved, you'll get TPS and permission to work.

For those who don't have TPS yet, there will be a registration period specified in a future notice in the Federal Register. During this time, you can apply for TPS and work authorization. You can request work authorization by filling out a form called Form I-765, either with your TPS application or later.

Currently, about 242,700 people benefit from TPS for Venezuela, and about 472,000 Venezuelans may become eligible under this extension.

The Federal Register notice that's coming soon will have more details about who qualifies, when to apply, and how to go through the process, whether you're already a TPS beneficiary or a new applicant.