In a significant development for nationals of South Sudan residing in the United States, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the automatic extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for South Sudan for an additional six months. This extension, effective May 4, 2025, and running through November 3, 2025, provides continued temporary legal status and work authorization to eligible individuals from South Sudan who are already beneficiaries of TPS.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was required by statute to determine whether South Sudan continued to meet the conditions for a TPS designation by March 4, 2025, which is 60 days before the current expiration date of May 3, 2025. However, according to the official USCIS announcement and the accompanying Federal Register notice published on May 6, 2025, the Secretary of Homeland Security was unable to make an informed determination by the statutory deadline due to the absence of an updated analysis regarding the current conditions within South Sudan.

As a result of this lack of timely determination, the TPS designation for South Sudan is automatically extended for a period of six months, in accordance with the TPS statute. This extension offers crucial relief to South Sudanese TPS beneficiaries, allowing them to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation during this period and to continue working legally.

Automatic Extension of Certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs)

Recognizing the timeframes associated with processing pending TPS applications and the need to ensure continued employment authorization for eligible individuals, USCIS has also automatically extended the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued under the TPS designation for South Sudan. This automatic extension is valid through November 3, 2025.

The EADs that are automatically extended under this notice are those with a Card Expires date of May 3, 2025, or November 3, 2023, and which bear a Category Code of A12 or C19. These category codes are specifically designated for individuals granted TPS.

What This Means for TPS Beneficiaries and Employers

• Continued Legal Status: Eligible South Sudanese TPS beneficiaries do not need to take any action to extend their TPS status. The extension is automatic based on the DHS announcement and the Federal Register notice.
• Automatic EAD Extension: Individuals holding an EAD with the aforementioned expiration dates (May 3, 2025, or November 3, 2023) and category codes (A12 or C19) can continue to use their existing EAD as proof of employment authorization through November 3, 2025. They do not need to present any additional documentation, such as a Form I-797 or I-797C (Notice of Action), to demonstrate this automatic extension.
• Completing Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification): For the purposes of completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, employers of South Sudanese TPS beneficiaries presenting an automatically extended EAD should enter November 3, 2025, as the new expiration date of the EAD. Employers are required to reverify the employment eligibility of these employees before they start work on November 4, 2025. Further instructions on completing Form I-9 for TPS beneficiaries can be found on the I-9 Central section of the USCIS website.
• Verification Through SAVE: The USCIS Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program will be able to verify an individual’s TPS status or pending TPS application, as well as any employment authorization, using the information from the EADs with the specified expiration dates and category codes. In some instances, benefit-granting agencies may need to institute additional verification procedures.

Eligibility for Public Benefits and REAL ID:

Individuals with a pending or approved TPS application for South Sudan may also be eligible for certain public benefits and REAL ID driver’s licenses and identification cards. When applying for such benefits or identification, individuals will need to provide documentation proving they have applied for or are beneficiaries of TPS for South Sudan. This documentation may include a TPS EAD with a category of A12 or C19, or a copy of their Form I-797 (Notice of Action) for a current Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status).

Further Information

For more detailed information regarding the extension of TPS for South Sudan, individuals are encouraged to refer to the official Federal Register notice published on May 6, 2025 (Volume 90, Number 87, pages 19217-19219). Additionally, up-to-date information can be found on the dedicated TPS designation for South Sudan page on the USCIS website. Individuals with further questions about TPS can utilize the USCIS online virtual assistant, Emma, or call the USCIS Contact Center. Those seeking information about the status of their individual cases can check the Case Status Online tool available on the USCIS website.

The automatic extension of TPS for South Sudan reflects the ongoing instability or other extraordinary conditions that prevent the safe return of its nationals, necessitating continued protection within the United States. USCIS will continue to monitor the situation in South Sudan and will make further determinations regarding its TPS designation in the future, as required by law.