Citizens and former residents of the three West African countries hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak on Nov. 21 will be eligible to stay in the U.S. for up to a year and a half.
Those fleeing the virus in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone have been extended “temporary protected status” by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, allowing them to live and work here through May 20, 2015.
To be eligible, they must prove that they have been “continuously residing” in the U.S. since Nov. 20. Those who can’t pay the registration fees can apply to have them waived. More on eligibility requirements here.
With the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta has been one of five entry points designated by the U.S. for travelers from the Ebola-affected nations.
West African ambassadors speaking in Atlanta in early November urged Americans not to stigmatize people just because they hail from Africa, saying the U.S. should “ban Ebola, not our people.”
The U.S. secretary of Homeland Security can offer temporary protected status to visiting citizens of a country when circumstances including armed conflict, environmental disasters and other conditions prevent them from returning home safely.
Learn more www.uscis.gov/tps.
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