About Form I-821 – Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
TITLE: About Form I-821 – Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
WHAT IT IS: Form I-821 is the application for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS is a temporary immigration status that lets you live and work in the United States if you cannot safely return to your home country. When you file this form, you can also request a work permit (called an Employment Authorization Document, or EAD) by including Form I-765, or you can file for the work permit later.
WHO NEEDS IT: You should use this form if you are an eligible national of a country that the U.S. government has currently designated for TPS. It is also for a person who does not have a nationality but last lived habitually in a designated country.
HOW TO FILE:
1. Wait for the official notice. Do not file your application until the U.S. government publishes a notice in the Federal Register for your specific country. This notice will announce the registration period.
2. Check your country’s deadline. Visit the main “Temporary Protected Status” page on the USCIS website and look for your country’s page on the left side. This will tell you exactly when you must file. If you are applying for the first time, you must file during the initial registration period. If you already have TPS, you must re-register during the re-registration period.
3. Prepare your evidence. You must provide proof of your identity and nationality, proof of the date you entered the U.S., proof that you live in the U.S., and court records for any criminal offenses if you were ever arrested or charged.
4. Complete the form. You can file online, which is an option for all eligible applicants under current designations. If you choose to mail a paper form, you must use the correct mailing address listed for your country on the USCIS TPS page. Filling out every required part of the form is critical.
5. Sign and submit. An unsigned form will be rejected.
FEES: (check the official fee schedule)
CURRENT EDITION & DEADLINES: The form edition date on the USCIS page is 01/20/25. If you print the form, all pages must show this exact date. The deadlines to file depend strictly on your country’s specific registration period, which is published in the Federal Register; check your country’s page on the USCIS TPS page.
COMMON MISTAKES:
- Using an old or mixed form edition. Make sure the edition date at the bottom of every page is the same.
- Forgetting to sign the form. USCIS will reject an unsigned application.
- Leaving required fields blank. The form will be rejected if parts like your family name, mailing address, date of birth, or the type of application are missing.
WHERE TO GET THE FORM: Always download the current form from the official USCIS page. Go to https://www.uscis.gov/i-821.
SOURCE: https://www.uscis.gov/i-821
DISCLAIMER: General info from USCIS, not legal advice — always verify on the official page and consult a licensed immigration attorney for your case. English is authoritative. (Source page stated publication date: 2026-06-06).