TPS Venezuela has ended: what you can do now

What happened, in dates

Venezuela had two TPS designations, and people were covered by one or the other depending on when they arrived. Both are gone.

The litigation is not finished, and a future ruling could change things. But nothing in force today gives Venezuelans TPS, and planning around a court win is planning around something nobody can promise you.

If you are working

Your employer used your TPS work permit (category A12 or C19) to complete your Form I-9. That document no longer proves you can work, and many employers are already reviewing files.

• DoIf you have any other valid document (an asylum EAD in category C8, a green card, a different visa or parole document), give it to your employer now so they can update your I-9.
• DoIf you have a pending application that can lead to a work permit, check your case status on USCIS and ask your attorney when you can file for the EAD.
• Don'tDon't show an expired card or anyone else's documents. Using false documents can make you permanently ineligible for future immigration benefits.

The options that are still open

Which one applies depends on your history, how you entered and your family. These are the ones that come up most for Venezuelans who had TPS. An attorney will screen you for all of them in one consultation.

1. Asylum (Form I-589)

   The usual deadline is one year after arrival. Time spent in TPS counts as an extraordinary circumstance that pauses that deadline, but once TPS ends you have to file within a reasonable period. Every month you wait weakens that argument. If an application has been pending long enough, you can request a work permit in category C8. Who is already late, the 2026 fees and how to file: asylum after TPS, step by step.

2. Family-based petitions

   If your spouse, parent or adult child (21 or older) is a U.S. citizen, or your spouse or parent is a permanent resident, a petition may lead to a green card. Whether you can complete it inside the U.S. depends on how you entered: people who were inspected and admitted or paroled are in a much better position.

3. Employer sponsorship

   Slower and narrower, but real for nurses, engineers and other professionals. An employer petition alone does not give you permission to stay or work while it's processed.

4. Other relief

   Special Immigrant Juvenile status for young people under 21, U and T visas for victims of certain crimes or trafficking, and other forms of relief exist. USCIS's Explore my options lists them.

If you receive a Notice to Appear

Get help, and avoid the scams

Only two kinds of people can legally give you immigration advice: attorneys and accredited representatives who work for a DOJ-recognized organization. A notario is not a lawyer in the U.S. The Department of Justice keeps a list of free legal service providers by state.

Before the consultation, put these in one folder: your passport and any expired ones, your I-94, every USCIS receipt and approval notice (I-797), your TPS and EAD cards, and any court papers. If your passport has expired, see how to renew a Venezuelan passport from the U.S.; if you'll need your birth certificate for a petition, see getting and apostilling it from here and the translation USCIS requires.