The February 2021 military coup that overthrew Burma's democratically elected civilian government gave rise to further widespread violence that continues to put people in Burma at significant risk. Attacks killing civilians are frequent, and particularly affect members of certain ethnic groups. Human trafficking perpetrated by both the military regime and criminal actors is prevalent. Burma also faces challenges in the provision of food, access to health care, and economic stability.

For this reason, the Secretary of State has determined that an 18-month TPS extension from March 26, 2024 through November 25, 2025, is warranted because extraordinary and temporary conditions supporting Burma's TPS designation remain.

DHS also announced a redesignation of Burma for TPS, allowing Burmese nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burma) residing in the United States as of March 21, 2024, to be eligible for TPS.

Accompanying this announcement is a Special Student Relief notice for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Burma so that eligible students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F-1 status through the TPS designation period.

If you have questions and would like to speak with an immigration attorney, contact Hope Immigration today! We would love to help you through your immigration journey in the United States.