Temporary Protected Status for Syrian Arab Republic

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a status that the United States Government allows people from certain counties to apply for while their home country (or country of residence) is too dangerous for them to return to or the country is unable to handle the return of its citizens. There are currently seven countries, listed below, that are designated TPS countries.  Syria was added to the list on March 23, 2012 due to the extraordinary violence that the government of Syria is inflicting on it's own people. The details of applying for such status are below in a press release from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

Press Release and Designation of TPS for Syrian Nationals

On March 23, 2012, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced her intent to designate Syria for TPS for eighteen months. 

The TPS designation for Syria is effective today and will remain in effect through September 30, 2013. 

The designation means that eligible Syrian nationals will not be removed from the United States, and may request employment authorization. 

The 180-day TPS registration period begins today and ends on September 25, 2012.

TPS Eligible Countries

Currently there are seven countries that are eligible for TPS.

These are: 

• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Somalia
• Sudan
• South Sudan 
• Syria

This means that nationals from this country may not be deported back to their home country and may apply for work authorization while here in the United States.Contact a local immigration attorney for help and required deadlines to apply for such status if you or someone you know may be eligible for this type of status.



See: http://worldpittsburgh.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/syria-resources/  for more information on the problems in Syria and for credit on the picture above.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the release of three new practice tests for English portion of the Naturalization Test. 

The US Naturalization test is made up of two parts: and English Exam and a Civics Exam. Not everyone applying for naturalization may have to take the English and Civics Exam. There are exceptions to the English portion of the exam. These include if you are :

over age 50 and have been a green card holder for 20 years 

OR

over age 55 and have been a green card holder for 15 years.

You may not be required to take either exam is you hare physically or developmentally disabled. A form documenting these disabilities must be filed by your treating doctor.

General information regarding the exam can be found here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD

Practice Tests for the English Portion of the Naturalization Test

The Office of Citizenship recently introduced three new practice tests to help permanent residents prepare for the naturalization interview. The first activity helps you with some general commands you may hear from an Immigration Services Officer during the naturalization interview. You can download self-study flash cards and review a practice exercise before taking the practice test called "Understanding Commands for the Naturalization Interview." There are two other activities that focus on vocabulary words that you may hear in your interview or read on the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400. You can find all three activities on the Study Materials for the English Test section of the Citizenship Resource Center.

For Educators: Classroom Materials for Teachers Accompany Practice Tests for Naturalization Preparation

To help students learn and practice commands that an applicant may hear during the naturalization interview, the Office of Citizenship has developed 8 ½" x 11" visuals and flash cards for teachers to accompany the practice test called "Understanding Commands for the Naturalization Interview." These materials include suggestions for using the visuals and flash cards for games and small-group activities in the classroom. A downloadable practice exercise is also available for students to read, listen, and review the sentences before taking the interactive practice test. The other two practice tests for students focus on vocabulary words that applicants may hear in their interview or read on the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400. These materials can be found on the Educational Products section of the Citizenship Resource Center.

Here is the link for the materials:  http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.749cabd81f5ffc8fba713d10526e0aa0/?vgnextoid=4b4f238b6210b210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f451285ca77fa210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD