- US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed Sudan as the only African country currently designated for Temporary Protected Status in the US
- Sudanese nationals living in the US retain full deportation protection and work authorisation while an official TPS announcement is pending
- It is noteworthy that Sudan's TPS coverage runs through October 19, 2026, under an extension announced in January 2025
Sudan is the only African country whose citizens currently hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States, meaning Sudanese nationals living in the country cannot be deported and are authorised to work while their status remains valid.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that Sudan's TPS designation remains active through October 19, 2026, under an extension announced in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025.
Source: Getty Images
The agency also issued an alert noting that a further announcement on Sudan's TPS would be made "at the appropriate time," and that until such an announcement, Sudanese individuals present in the US under TPS retain both protection and work authorisation.
US: What does Sudan's TPS cover?
Sudan was first designated for TPS on April 19, 2022. The current designation, which took effect on October 20, 2023, requires that covered individuals have lived continuously in the US since August 16, 2023, and have been physically present since October 20, 2023.
Employment Authorisation Documents for eligible Sudanese nationals were automatically extended through April 19, 2026, under the January 2025 Federal Register notice.
The re-registration window for the most recent cycle ran from January 17, 2025, to March 18, 2025.
US: Why does Sudan hold TPS designation?
TPS is a humanitarian protection that the US grants to nationals of countries experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions that make it unsafe for their citizens to return.
Sudan qualifies under this framework, with the country's ongoing civil war — which escalated sharply in April 2023 — cited as the primary basis for its designation.
No other African country currently holds an active TPS designation from the United States, making Sudan the sole African nation on the list in 2026.
Legit.ng reported that the US had informed migrants on temporary protection to secure permanent residence status or leave the country.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US had granted temporary deportation protection to citizens of four countries.
US ends temporary protection for some African countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US had ended the temporary protection status for some African countries.
Alerts published on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website on August 14 showed that Somalia and South Sudan were the latest additions to the list of countries stripped of TPS designations.
Somalia's status ended on August 14, 2026, while South Sudan's termination took effect on August 7, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng