Temporary Protected Status for Burma

On September 26, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced both an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma through May 25, 2024, and a redesignation of TPS for eligible individuals. TPS is a temporary benefit that is offered in select circumstances when extraordinary and temporary conditions prevent individuals from a particular country from safely returning. Beneficiaries of TPS are not removable from the U.S., they can obtain employment authorization, and may seek travel authorization to leave the U.S. and return.

For Burma, DHS explains that “[t]he February 2021 military coupe d’état has led to continuing violence, large-scale human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions and the use of deadly force against unarmed individuals, mass displacement of civilians, worsened humanitarian conditions and limited access to shelter, food, water, and medical care, and spurred an economic crisis.”

Any Burmese national, or individuals without a nationality who last resided in Burma, who is currently residing in the U.S. as of September 25, 2022, may be eligible for TPS. Instructions for current beneficiaries on how to re-register, as well as how individuals can register for the first time can be found at the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services website here, or by reaching out to our office to speak to immigration lawyer.