Syria TPS extended to September 2025; HIV alone not a bar

(UNITED STATES) Syrian refugees with Temporary Protected Status can keep or regain protection in the United States through September 30, 2025, following the latest extension and redesignation by the Department of Homeland Security. The current window also opens the door for first-time applicants who meet the residence and presence rules set in early 2024.

At the same time, immigration lawyers and advocates say confusion has spread online about an alleged “HIV-related suspension” affecting TPS for Syrians. Federal guidance and recent practice do not support that claim. There is no active rule in 2024–2025 that treats HIV status, by itself, as a basis to suspend, deny, or strip TPS.

DHS’s most recent action keeps a legal lifeline in place for thousands who fled civil war and the devastation that followed. According to official notices, about 6,200 current Syrian TPS holders can keep protection during the current period if they remain eligible, while an estimated 2,000 additional Syrians (including stateless people who last lived in Syria) may qualify to apply for TPS for the first time.

The extension and redesignation run 18 months, from April 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. Re-registration for existing beneficiaries was required between January 29, 2024, and March 29, 2024, while initial registration for newcomers remains open through September 30, 2025.

The policy basis has not changed: DHS cites ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary conditions in Syria, with continued displacement, food insecurity, and severe damage to health and infrastructure systems. That humanitarian picture underpins TPS protection in the United States 🇺🇸, which shields eligible people from removal and allows them to work lawfully while conditions in their home country remain unsafe. Official guidance on rules and timing is posted on the USCIS Temporary Protected Status page.

Policy and eligibility under the current extension

Under the 2024–2025 extension and redesignation, applicants must fit clear criteria tied to Syria and to their presence inside the United States.

• DHS rules require that a person be a Syrian national — or a stateless person who last habitually lived in Syria.
• Applicants must have continuously lived in the United States since January 25, 2024, and been continuously physically present since April 1, 2024.

These dates draw the line for who may newly qualify under the redesignation, while also allowing current beneficiaries to re-register and keep status as long as they remain eligible.

TPS does not forgive every type of past conduct. People may be found ineligible due to certain:

• Criminal convictions
• National security bars
• Human rights violations

These are standard limits that apply across TPS countries. Health-based grounds do exist in immigration law, but for TPS they are narrow and follow federal public health rules. Notably, HIV is not listed as an automatic bar for Syrian TPS applicants in 2024–2025. Federal guidance makes clear that a person’s HIV status, by itself, does not serve as a reason to suspend, deny, or terminate TPS. The focus remains on security-related grounds, serious crimes, and other statutory bars.

That clarity matters in daily life. Applicants told attorneys they worried a positive HIV test could push a denied case or a loss of work authorization. Current rules do not support those fears. USCIS officers continue to assess TPS cases based on identity, nationality, residence, presence, and the established ineligibility grounds, not on a stand-alone HIV diagnosis.

As with any case, officers can ask for evidence if a record raises concerns unrelated to HIV status, such as criminal issues or fraud. But a claim of an across-the-board “HIV-related suspension” specific to Syrians is not reflected in DHS’s most recent TPS notices or in public case trends reported in 2024–2025.

Travel and advance parole

Travel remains a special caution point. TPS does not automatically allow international travel. People who need to leave and re-enter the country must first request travel authorization, known as advance parole, from USCIS.

• Traveling abroad without approved advance parole can put TPS at risk and may block re-entry.
• Advocates urge careful planning with a qualified legal representative before any trip so people do not lose the protections they rely on.

Application windows, forms, and process

The current filing calendar includes two key tracks:

1. Re-registration for existing Syrian TPS holders ran from January 29, 2024, through March 29, 2024. Those who filed on time and remain eligible can keep protection and seek renewed work authorization.
2. Initial registration for new applicants under the redesignation runs from January 29, 2024, through September 30, 2025.

Missing the correct window can create gaps in work permission or risk losing TPS, so careful attention to dates is essential.

Important forms and filing notes:

• File TPS on Form I-821. Official form and instructions: Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status.
• Request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) on Form I-765. Official form: Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
• USCIS allows online filing for many applicants. Some may request a fee waiver if they cannot afford filing costs.

Step-by-step guidance for Syrians seeking to keep or regain TPS:

1. Check you meet the nationality or last habitual residence rule tied to Syria. If you are stateless but last lived in Syria, you may still qualify.
2. Confirm the timelines: continuous residence since January 25, 2024 and continuous physical presence since April 1, 2024 for initial filers under the redesignation.
3. Gather proof of identity and nationality (passport, national ID), plus evidence of residence and presence: leases, school records, bank statements, employment letters.
4. Submit Form I-821 through USCIS. See Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status.
5. If you want to work, file Form I-765 with your TPS request, or later. See Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
6. Pay required fees, or include a fee waiver request if you qualify.
7. Attend a biometrics appointment if USCIS schedules one (fingerprints, photo, signature).
8. Respond quickly to any Request for Evidence (RFE) by the deadline to keep your case moving.

Filing both the TPS application and the EAD request helps most workers avoid breaks in income. Because employers need a valid EAD to keep people on payroll, timing matters. If there is a delay, approved TPS still protects you from deportation, but you cannot work until USCIS issues a new or extended EAD.

Evidence tips and common process points

USCIS often requires reliable documents showing who you are, where you lived, and when you arrived. If official records are limited, mix and match evidence:

• School letters, clinic records, rent receipts, bank statements, employment letters
• Dated photos, mail, or affidavits can help fill gaps

Practical filing tips:

• Keep copies of everything you send.
• If USCIS asks for more proof, include a cover sheet, point to the exact items that meet each request, and submit before the deadline.
• Keep your address current with USCIS so you do not miss notices.
• Avoid travel abroad unless you have approved advance parole.
• If arrested or charged with a crime, get legal advice before any plea or hearing.
• If you filed late for re-registration, contact a qualified representative to assess whether you can show “good cause.”

Employers report that the current extension gives teams more predictability. Work authorization tied to TPS helps fill roles in sectors such as:

• Health care
• Food production
• Logistics
• Construction

Human resources managers told legal aid groups in 2024 that clear filing windows and published end dates allow planning and help employees avoid gaps in EAD validity.

Context and outlook

Syria’s TPS designation began in 2012 when the U.S. first recognized the civil war created conditions too dangerous for safe return. DHS has extended the designation several times since then.

The latest extension and redesignation through September 30, 2025 rest on a record that includes:

• Ongoing armed conflict
• Mass displacement
• Food insecurity
• Deep damage to health and infrastructure systems
• The aftermath of the 2023 earthquakes, which worsened shelter, hospitals, and access to basic services

These conditions are central to the TPS standard, which asks whether people would face dangerous or extraordinary conditions if forced to return.

DHS must review the Syria designation at least 60 days before it expires, which places the next formal decision point on or before July 31, 2025. By law, the Department can extend, redesignate, or terminate TPS based on current conditions. If DHS does not publish a decision in time, rules may allow an automatic six-month extension to avoid sudden lapses.

As of late August 2025, the published record holds status through September 30, 2025, and new applicants can still file within the set window. Policy watchers expect continued review because conditions on the ground in Syria remain unstable.

Health admissibility and misinformation

Advocates and government statements in 2024–2025 do not show changes to health-related admissibility grounds that would affect TPS for Syrians. Federal public health standards still drive those decisions, and HIV remains outside the list of automatic bars for TPS purposes.

This point grew important as misleading posts circulated online. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, recent rumors about an “HIV-related suspension” for Syrian TPS holders do not match DHS’s current rules or public notices. Legal aid groups confirm they have not seen a surge of TPS denials or revocations tied solely to HIV status in 2024–2025.

Practical advice and common questions

• TPS does not lead to a green card or U.S. citizenship by itself, but it does allow work, study, and access to basic services while protections remain.
• If you missed re-registration, contact a qualified representative about showing “good cause” for late filing—USCIS can accept late re-registrations in some cases with proper documentation.
• If you never had TPS but qualify under redesignation, submit a first-time application before September 30, 2025 and include a work permit request if you need to work.
• If you have past arrests or convictions, seek legal advice before filing—certain offenses can bar TPS.

Travel for family emergencies:

• Advance parole is a narrow, pre-approved path for travel. It is never risk-free and must be approved before travel.
• Re-entry remains subject to inspection; file early, provide strong evidence for the need to travel, and be prepared for delays.

Employers and schools can help:

• Employers: remind workers to submit EAD renewals promptly and share receipt notices if delays occur.
• Schools: ensure Syrian TPS students understand in-state tuition rules or scholarship deadlines requiring proof of lawful status.

Legal cautions:

• TPS holders must follow U.S. laws and local rules. Certain convictions—even misdemeanors—can trigger immigration consequences.
• Address unpaid fines, avoid driving without a license, and attend court dates to prevent escalation into immigration problems.
• A quick call to a local attorney can prevent small problems from becoming bars to future immigration benefits.

Next steps and where to get reliable information

DHS will publish instructions if it extends or redesignates again, including any new filing windows or automatic EAD extensions. If DHS decides to end TPS for Syria, it must follow notice-and-comment and other legal processes, and lawsuits could follow.

For official instructions, filing tips, and updates, USCIS directs applicants to its central humanitarian page. The most reliable sources:

• USCIS Temporary Protected Status page
• Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status
• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

Key takeaways:
– TPS for Syria remains in place through September 30, 2025.
– HIV status alone is not a basis to deny, suspend, or strip TPS in 2024–2025.
– Meet the nationality, residence, and presence rules, avoid travel without advance parole, and get legal help for complex issues.

The bottom line for Syrian refugees is straightforward. Eligible people can apply or re-register through September 30, 2025, request an EAD if they need to work, and seek advance parole before traveling. Those with complex facts or criminal histories should consult a qualified legal representative to avoid unintended risks.

In living rooms, hospitals, and workplaces across the country, these steps translate into safety: parents can keep wages coming in, students can stay in class, and patients can attend appointments. TPS does not promise permanent status, but amid ongoing conflict and disaster in Syria, it offers stability and a way to plan while return remains unsafe.