U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has rescinded Matter of Z-R-Z-C-, holding that individuals in temporary protected status (TPS) who apply for permission to travel abroad will now be found to have been inspected and admitted for purposes of adjustment of status. Individuals in TPS who would like to travel abroad will now be issued a new TPS-specific travel authorization document that enables international travel. Individuals in TPS who have been admitted back into the U.S. using this travel document following international travel will satisfy the “inspected and admitted” requirement to apply for adjustment of status. This is true even if the initial entry was without inspection. Happily, this new policy enables TPS holders to apply for permanent residence in the U.S. if they have a family-based petitioner, a qualifying employment visa petition or another option for permanent residency. To find out more about this process, please contact us for a consultation.
