Temporary Protected Status Extended for Salvadorans

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador has been extended for an additional 18 months, from September 10, 2013 through March 9, 2015.

Current Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries seeking to extend their TPS status must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from May 30, 2013, through July 29, 2013. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to register as soon as possible within the 60-day re-registration period.

The 18-month extension also allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Eligible Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries who re-register on time will receive a new EAD with an expiration date of March 9, 2015. USCIS recognizes that all re-registrants may not receive their new EADs until after their current EADs expire. Therefore, USCIS is extending the current TPS El Salvador EAD bearing a September 9, 2013, expiration date for an additional six months, through March 9, 2014.

Please see I-9 Central for more information about TPS for El Salvador.

Revised Form I-9 Stakeholder Conference

On March 11, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invited interested individuals to participate in a stakeholder teleconference.  Subject matter experts (SME) spoke on revisions to Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, and the form’s instructions. In addition to discussing revisions to the form, SME’s also answered questions from stakeholders about the form.  Please refer to the Questions and Answers from the stakeholder teleconference for more information.

E-Verify Connection - Read the Latest!

The May issue of the E-Verify Connection is now available. Read the latest about the revised Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification Form), find out about accessing E-Verify from your mobile device, and much more. Read Issue 13 of E-Verify Connection.

I-94 Automation

On April 30, 2013 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) automated the Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, process at air and sea ports and will expand the automated process nationwide to all air and sea ports of entry by the end of May.  CBP officers will no longer provide a paper Form I-94 to travelers but will provide travelers with instructions on how to obtain their Form I-94, if needed.  CBP will continue to provide the paper Forms I-94 to certain classes of aliens arriving to the United States by air or sea, such as refugees, certain asylees and parolees, and whenever CBP determines the issuance of the paper Form I-94 is appropriate.  Additionally, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to issue the paper Form I-94 to aliens who are already in the United States.

How will this affect Employees?

Employees will need to print out a hard copy of their Form I-94 from the CBP websiteat www.cbp.gov/I94if they wish to present it for Section 2 of Form I-9. 

Employees who provide an Alien Registration Number or USCIS Number in Section 1 do not need to provide their Form I-94 admission number or foreign passport information in Section 1.

On the current version of Form I-9 (03/08/13)Nemployees who provide their Form I-94 Admission number in Section 1 of Form I-9, will either:

• Record information about their foreign passport they used to enter the United States if they obtained their I-94 Admission number from CBP (whether directly or from the CBP website) in connection with their arrival in the United States. Below is an example of the new Electronic I-94 Admission Number; OR
• Write “N/A” in the foreign passport fields if they obtained their I-94 Admission number from USCIS within the United States or they entered without a Foreign Passport.

How will this affect Employers?

Employers may see new Forms I-94 (see example below) presented to them after automation that look different than paper Form I-94. The Form I-94 printout from the CBP website is an official Form I-94.

Employers will see two versions of Forms I-94, both of which are acceptable for Form I-9 purposes:

• One type is the familiar card that contains an official stamp and possible handwritten information.
• The other type is a newly designed computer-generated printout, and does not contain stamps or handwritten information.  

Employers may be presented with a Form I-94 that has a line through the pre-printed admission number and a different number written below.  CBP will issue Forms I-94 with these markings to an alien who does not possess a passport upon entry. This includes certain classes of aliens such as refugees, asylees, and parolees.  In these cases:

• The pre-printed number on the paper Form I-94 will not be valid and CBP will cross out that number in black ink, and hand write the valid admission number on the form. 
• Employers should record the handwritten admission number in Section 2 of Form I-9 if an employee chooses to present Form I-94.