(SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK) — Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document, holders with Temporary Protected Status for Yemen retain status and work authorization through July 17, 2026, under a federal court order.

The order affects Yemen TPS beneficiaries whose employment authorization documents show category A12 or C19. USCIS issued updated guidance on July 10, 2026, replacing its July 1 SAVE message.

No new Form I-766 filing is required to receive the court-ordered extension. Beneficiaries should keep their existing cards and supporting USCIS notices. Employers and government agencies must follow the updated verification instructions.

TPS Yemen was scheduled to terminate on May 4, 2026. On May 1, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York stayed that termination in Doe v. Noem, case numbers 26-cv-2103 and 26-cv-2280.

The stay preserves TPS status, employment authorization, and related documentation while the litigation continues. The extension is temporary and tied to further court action.

USCIS has directed agencies to check the Yemen TPS webpage regularly. The page lists the expiration dates covered by the extension and any later changes.

Form and document reference

📋 Required document: Keep the Form I-766 card, Form I-797 Approval Notice, or Form I-797C, Notice of Action, available for verification.

A person seeking a new or replacement work permit normally files Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. USCIS lists current fees at uscis.gov/fees. Fees can differ by filing category, age, and eligibility basis.

The July 10 guidance does not create a new Form I-765 filing period. It extends qualifying documents under the court order. Applicants should not mail a duplicate application solely because the card shows one of the listed original expiration dates.

Documents to keep

• Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document
• Form I-797, Approval Notice, if available
• Form I-797C, Notice of Action, if available
• Passport identity page, if available
• Government-issued identity document, if available
• Previous TPS filing receipts, approvals, or notices
• A copy of any prior Form I-765 filing
• Any USCIS notice concerning Yemen TPS
• Form I-9 records held by the employer

A document does not need a new printed expiration date to receive the extension. The qualifying category and original expiration date must match USCIS guidance.

⏱️ Current validity: Covered Yemen TPS employment authorization extends through July 17, 2026, subject to further court action and USCIS updates.

SAVE verification instructions

The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, known as SAVE, verifies immigration status for participating agencies. These agencies can include departments issuing driver’s licenses and public-benefit offices.

SAVE can verify an approved TPS case using a TPS-related document. Acceptable records include Form I-797, Approval Notice, and Form I-797C, Notice of Action.

A SAVE manual response for a qualifying Yemen TPS beneficiary states:

“Temporary Protected Status – Employment Authorized – Temp Emp Auth”

The employment-authorized date appears as July 17, 2026. DHS comments state:

“TPS and employment authorization are extended per court order. Please check the USCIS TPS Yemen webpage regularly for updates.”

A beneficiary whose record does not verify should ask the agency to complete a SAVE additional or manual verification request. The person should provide the agency with available USCIS notices and the EAD.

SAVE verification does not replace Form I-9 employment verification. Employers must follow the separate instructions issued through USCIS I-9 Central.

Employer Form I-9 instructions

Employers must examine an employee’s documents and complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. USCIS directs employers to record the court-order extension in specific sections.

The employee should enter “as per court order” in Section 1, where applicable. The employer should enter “July 17, 2026” in Section 2 as the document expiration date.

The employee’s qualifying EAD must show category A12 or C19. The original card expiration date must be March 3, 2023, September 3, 2024, or March 3, 2026.

⚠️ Common mistake: Do not reject a qualifying EAD because its printed expiration date has passed. Check the category, original date, and USCIS instructions.

Employers should not demand a specific replacement document when the existing EAD and court-order extension establish work authorization. Employees may choose which acceptable Form I-9 documents to present.

Employers should record the extension without requesting unnecessary immigration documents. Updated instructions appear on the I-9 Central news page.

Step-by-step actions for beneficiaries

1. Check the EAD category. Confirm that the card shows A12 or C19.
2. Check the original expiration date. Confirm that it was March 3, 2023, September 3, 2024, or March 3, 2026.
3. Save the USCIS records. Keep the EAD, Form I-797, Form I-797C, and copies in a secure location.
4. Give the employer the current instructions. The employer should follow the Form I-9 entries for the court-ordered extension.
5. Request SAVE verification when needed. Provide the agency with USCIS notices and ask for manual verification if automated verification fails.
6. Monitor the Yemen TPS webpage. USCIS may issue additional instructions before or after July 17.
7. Review other immigration options. An immigration attorney can assess family, employment, asylum, adjustment, or other possible benefits.

✅ Practical advice: Do not rely on the EAD alone. Keep the USCIS notice and the court-order extension instructions with employment and licensing records.

Court ruling and possible termination

The July 10 guidance follows the Supreme Court’s June 25, 2026, decision in Mullin v. Doe, 609 U.S. ___ (2026). The Court ruled 6-3 that the administration could terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria.

The Southern District of New York is expected to address its Yemen stay in light of that ruling. USCIS describes the current relief as limited and dependent on litigation developments.

The one-week extension does not establish a new long-term TPS designation. It preserves status and work authorization through July 17, 2026, unless a later order or agency notice changes that date.

Beneficiaries should not assume that filing another TPS application will extend protection. A new filing may have different requirements, deadlines, and fees. USCIS has not announced a general replacement filing created by the July 10 notice.

Processing times apply to ordinary USCIS applications, not automatically to the court-ordered extension. Processing estimates vary by form, category, field office, and service center. RFEs, interviews, background checks, and missing documents can add time.

Check egov.uscis.gov/processing-times for current estimates as of July 2026. USCIS fees appear at uscis.gov/fees. Eligible applicants may request a fee waiver using Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, when the applicable benefit permits one.

Official updates and next steps

USCIS posts updates through SAVE News and Alerts, the Yemen TPS webpage, and I-9 Central. Agencies and beneficiaries can subscribe to SAVE updates through Granicus Communications.

Check the EAD category and original expiration date today. Save copies of every USCIS record. Give employers the current Form I-9 instructions. Request SAVE manual verification when necessary. Consult immigration counsel promptly about another lawful status.

📋 Official Resources: Download forms at uscis.gov/forms. Check processing times at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. Fees and processing times are subject to change; always verify current information at uscis.gov.