Biden administration grants Venezuelans Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to legally live & work in the U.S.

The Biden administration on Monday announced it would grant Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans in the United States, fulfilling a campaign promise to allow them to live and work legally in the U.S. Over 5.4 million Venezuelans have fled their country in recent years, according to the United Nations, among the largest displacement crises in the world.

The designation will be in place until September 2022. Venezuelan nationals who have been in the United States since the March 8 announcement date must apply during a 180-day registration period and meet certain eligibility requirements to be shielded from deportation and receive work permits. The deadline for Venezuelan TPS applications is September 5, 2021.

Individuals will undergo a background check. Anyone who has been convicted of two misdemeanors or one felony is automatically ineligible.

The TPS application — called Form I-821 — can be found online here. It requires a $50 application fee, an $85 biometrics fee and a $410 fee for those seeking work authorization. The work authorization document — Form I-765 — can be found here.