Application for Temporary Protected Status
Applies for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — temporary humanitarian relief for nationals of designated countries experiencing ongoing conflict or disaster.
Filing fee
No fee
+ $85 biometrics
Typical processing
6-18 months
As of 2026-06-12
Category
humanitarian
USCIS (designated filing location per TPS country designation)
How Form I-821 compares across PetitionPace forms
Total USCIS fee rank
#17 of 26
total fee $85
Vs median fee
-$455
median $540 across 26 forms
Processing high-end rank
#8 of 19
+0 mo vs median high end
Fee comparisons use only the in-repo PetitionPace USCIS form records and the cited USCIS fee schedule/form pages. They do not imply eligibility, legal strategy, or a guarantee that USCIS will accept a filing.
Processing time
This is a point-in-time estimate. USCIS changes published ranges frequently and the live tool can vary by service center and case type.
Typical range: 6-18 months
Estimate based on USCIS data reviewed 2026-06-12. Always check the live USCIS processing-times tool at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times before making decisions.
This range is estimated and not verified against a specific recent USCIS cycle.
Historical processing-time trend
USCIS fiscal-year medians · FY2016–FY2024How long Form I-821 has actually taken, year over year — straight from USCIS fiscal-year data. This is the trend the live point-in-time tool can't show you: use it to see whether waits have been getting longer or shorter.
To request or reregister for TPS
Latest 8.7 mo (FY2024) · peak 11.8 mo (FY2023) · ▼ falling
| Basis for filing | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To request or reregister for TPS | 1.9 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 8.7 |
Median months from receipt to completion. National median months from receipt to completion across all USCIS offices. FY2024 reflects Oct 1, 2023 – Jan 31, 2024 (partial year). Historical fiscal-year medians use a different methodology than the live USCIS processing-times tool and are not directly comparable. Source: USCIS Historical Processing Times Trends ↗.
Filing fee
Filing fees shown here are based on the USCIS fee schedule effective April 1, 2024. USCIS fees can change; always confirm the current fee at uscis.gov before submitting a form.
No USCIS filing fee
Source: uscis.gov/tps — fees vary by country designation and age; verify current requirements
Fees and form details last reviewed June 2026 against the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, effective April 1, 2024). Always confirm the current fee at uscis.gov before filing.
Where to file
Processing times are estimates based on USCIS historical data and change frequently. Always check the live USCIS processing-times tool at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times for current official ranges before making any decisions.
USCIS (designated filing location per TPS country designation)
Always confirm the current filing location and instructions at uscis.gov official I-821 page .
Common questions
- What is Form I-821?
- Applies for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) — temporary humanitarian relief for nationals of designated countries experiencing ongoing conflict or disaster.
- How much does it cost to file Form I-821?
- There is no USCIS filing fee for Form I-821.
- How long does I-821 take?
- USCIS reports a typical processing range of 6-18 months for Form I-821 as of 2026-06-12. Processing times change monthly; always check egov.uscis.gov/processing-times for the current range.
- How has Form I-821 processing time changed over the years?
- Official USCIS fiscal-year data shows the median processing time for Form I-821 falling recently — it peaked at about 11.8 months in FY2023 and was about 8.7 months in FY2024. These are national fiscal-year medians from USCIS, useful for spotting the trend; the live tool reflects the current range.