Temporary Protected Status for Myanmar (Burma) nationals remains in effect right now, even though the Department of Homeland Security moved to terminate the designation as of January 26, 2026. A federal judge in the Northern District of Illinois blocked that termination on January 23, 2026, so Myanmar TPS and the work authorization that comes with it continue for the time being.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Burma (Myanmar) DHS has said it disagrees with the ruling and is working with the Department of Justice on next steps, so the protection could change again. Anyone relying on Myanmar TPS should check USCIS announcements often.
Where Things Stand Right Now
In November 2025, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem published a Federal Register notice terminating the Myanmar designation, citing the formal end of Myanmar’s state of emergency in July 2025, ceasefire agreements brokered by China, and planned elections.2Federal Register. Termination of the Designation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status The termination was set to take effect at 11:59 p.m. on January 26, 2026.
Three days before that deadline, the court in Aung DOE et al. v. Noem et al., No. 25-cv-15483 (N.D. Ill.), postponed the termination. Status and employment authorization documents issued under the Myanmar designation stay valid under the order.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Update on Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Burma
For Form I-9 purposes, USCIS has told employers to treat the EAD expiration date as July 1, 2026. That extension covers EADs with category codes A12 or C19 and original expiration dates of November 25, 2022, May 25, 2024, or November 25, 2025.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Update on Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Burma If your EAD falls in that group, keep a copy of the USCIS notice handy for your employer.
Who Qualifies
Myanmar was originally designated after the February 2021 military coup, and the designation has been extended and redesignated several times. The current framework comes from the March 2024 redesignation.5Federal Register. Extension and Redesignation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status
To qualify for an initial grant under that redesignation, you must have continuously resided in the United States since March 21, 2024, and have been continuously physically present since May 26, 2024.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Burma (Myanmar) Both dates are firm. Arriving after them, or leaving and returning without authorization during that period, will disqualify you.
Eligibility extends to citizens of Myanmar and to stateless people who last lived there. Two criminal-history bars apply: a conviction for any felony committed in the United States, or convictions for two or more U.S. misdemeanors, will disqualify you.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1254a – Temporary Protected Status Immigration judges can also deny TPS as a matter of discretion based on other adverse factors that fall short of the statutory bars.
If you already hold Myanmar TPS, you don’t file a new initial application. You re-register during the window USCIS announces, with less documentation than an initial filing but still confirming continued eligibility.7eCFR. 8 CFR Part 244 – Temporary Protected Status for Nationals of Designated States
What to File and How
The main form is Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status If you also want a work permit, file Form I-765 with it or separately. Most people file both together.
You can file online or by mail. Online filing gives you an immediate receipt number. Paper filings go to a USCIS Lockbox; the address depends on whether you use USPS or a private courier, so check the current I-821 instructions before you send anything.
Evidence You’ll Need
To prove identity and nationality, the strongest documents are a passport (even if expired), a birth certificate with a certified English translation, or a national identity card. If those were lost or destroyed, secondary evidence like school or medical records and affidavits from people who can vouch for your identity may be accepted. Any non-English document needs a full certified translation with the translator’s signed statement of competence and accuracy.
To prove continuous residence since March 21, 2024, and physical presence since May 26, 2024, gather a paper trail: I-94 records, leases, rent receipts, utility bills, employment records, bank statements, insurance policies, and tax filings. Aim for coverage across the whole period rather than a few isolated dates.
Fees and Biometrics
TPS filings involve multiple fees that depend on which forms you submit and your age. The 2024 Final Fee Rule eliminated the separate biometrics fee for most immigration applications but kept it for certain TPS-related forms.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2024 Final Fee Rule Confirm current amounts on the USCIS fee schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055 before filing. If you can’t afford the fees, you can request a waiver on Form I-912.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
After filing, USCIS will schedule a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center for fingerprints, a photograph, and your signature. Bring the appointment notice and a valid photo ID.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Biometrics Collection Missing the appointment without rescheduling is treated as abandonment, and USCIS will deny the case. Reschedule through your myUSCIS account or by calling the USCIS Contact Center before the date if you have a real conflict like illness, prior travel, a family event, or an unavoidable work or transportation problem.
Keeping Your Status
Re-Registration
When USCIS opens a re-registration period, every current TPS holder must file a new Form I-821 within that window. Deadlines appear in the Federal Register and on the USCIS Myanmar TPS page. Missing the window without good cause means your TPS is withdrawn, your work authorization ends, and you can be placed in removal proceedings.7eCFR. 8 CFR Part 244 – Temporary Protected Status for Nationals of Designated States Late filings can be accepted for good cause with a written explanation and supporting documentation, but there’s no guarantee, so treat the deadline as absolute.
Address Changes
Federal law requires noncitizens to notify USCIS of an address change within 10 days of moving.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address The fastest route is the Enterprise Change of Address tool in your USCIS online account; you can also mail Form AR-11. A USPS change of address does not update USCIS, and USPS will not forward USCIS mail. If you have a pending case, enter the receipt number when you update the address so the change applies to that filing.
Travel Abroad
Leaving the country without advance permission can end your TPS. File Form I-131 and wait for the approved travel document before booking anything.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records The fee is $630 on paper or $580 online.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule Returning without the document can trigger automatic termination.
Authorized TPS travel carries a meaningful benefit. Under USCIS policy in effect since July 2022, a TPS holder who travels abroad and returns with the proper travel document is treated as “inspected and admitted.” That can satisfy the threshold requirement for adjustment of status under INA section 245(a), even for someone who originally entered without inspection. It does not guarantee a green card. You still need an available immigrant visa, must not be barred from adjustment, and must be admissible. But for many people it removes the single biggest obstacle to a green card.
TPS Is Not a Green Card
TPS is temporary and does not itself lead to permanent residency. It can, however, coexist with other pathways. A qualifying family relationship (a U.S. citizen spouse or parent, for instance) or employer sponsorship can support adjustment of status while you hold TPS, and the authorized-travel policy above has opened that door for many people who entered without inspection.
TPS can also run alongside other statuses like F-1. You have to comply with both sets of rules. An F-1 student who takes a job that TPS allows but F-1 does not can put the student status at risk even though the work itself is legal under TPS. If TPS lapses before you file a change-of-status application, you may no longer be considered as maintaining status for that filing, so timing matters.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial of Form I-821 can be appealed to the Administrative Appeals Office, which reviews the whole record afresh.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. AAO Practice Manual: Appeals You carry the burden of showing your claim is more likely than not true. The AAO will not hear cases that were rejected for a deficiency, abandoned, or administratively closed rather than denied on the merits.
If you are already in removal proceedings, the immigration judge has independent authority to decide a TPS application. Judges can also deny TPS as a matter of discretion even when the statutory requirements are met, weighing factors like criminal history against equities like long residence and community ties. Because appeals are technical and the discretionary calls can go either way, legal representation matters. Nonprofit legal aid organizations in many cities handle TPS cases at no or low cost.