The United States has extended the designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 months—effective from December 25.

Two months after the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015, the United States had announced in June last year that it had designated Nepal for TPS and that eligible Nepali nationals (and people without nationality who last habitually resided in Nepal) residing in the US could apply for the TPS. 

The announcement to re-designate Nepal for TPS was made on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of the US, allowing eligible Nepali nationals (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nepal) to retain TPS through June 24, 2018, so long as they otherwise continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS. 

The DHS has also set forth procedures necessary for nationals of Nepal (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nepal) to re-register for TPS and to apply for renewal of their Employment Authorisation Documents (EAD) with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Re-registration is limited to persons who have previously registered for TPS under the designation of Nepal and whose applications have been granted, says a DHS notice. “From late September 2015 until February 2016, earthquake relief and recovery efforts were impeded by civil unrest and the related obstruction of key crossings at the Nepal-India border. The border blockages created difficulties in the delivery of humanitarian relief and reconstruction supplies to earthquake-affected areas,” it adds. “Although conditions in Nepal have improved following the April 2015 earthquake that led to Nepal’s designation for TPS, the recovery and reconstruction process was delayed for several months due to civil unrest and the prolonged obstruction of Nepal’s border with India. Some progress in rebuilding has been made, but Nepal continues to experience large numbers of persons without permanent or safe housing and a strained infrastructure that negatively impacts housing, food, medicine and education.”