October 2026 is stacking up fast — three major immigration changes, all hitting at once. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan and Ukraine ends October 19, 2026. USCIS raises several filing fees on October 16, 2026. And the new October 2026 Visa Bulletin just opened fiscal year (FY) 2027, with fresh movement in employment-based and family-based green card categories. Sound like a lot? It is. If you hold TPS from Sudan or Ukraine, if you employ TPS workers, or if you’re waiting on a family or employment-based green card — these dates hit your work authorization, your filing costs, and your timeline. Here’s what’s going on and what to do about it. Protect your rights — we handle the rest.
Background: What This Means
TPS termination for Sudan and Ukraine. Let’s start with the hard deadline. (cite index=”4-1″>The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation of Sudan and related benefits are set to terminate on Oct. 19, 2026. Ukraine’s on the same clock. (cite index=”1-12″>USCIS also announced that TPS benefits for Ukraine are scheduled to terminate on October 19, 2026. Worried about a gap in your work authorization while your renewal sits in the queue? USCIS built in a cushion: (cite index=”1-3″>USCIS has announced automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extensions for certain Sudan and Ukraine TPS beneficiaries through October 19, 2026, while confirming TPS for Somalia has already ended. Here’s the catch, though — nothing’s final yet. As of today, (cite index=”7-5″>the Secretary of Homeland Security has not yet published a decision to extend or to terminate the Ukraine designation, so the current alert describes where things stand rather than a final determination, and that same uncertainty hangs over Sudan too.
USCIS fee increases. On top of all that, your wallet takes a hit. (cite index=”11-4″>USCIS will increase select immigration-related fees effective October 16, 2026, including asylum, parole, employment authorization and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) filing fees, as part of the FY 2027 inflation adjustment. Here’s the breakdown: (cite index=”14-12,14-13,14-14″>the Annual Asylum Application Fee will rise from $102 to $105, the fee for Form I-765 for an initial EAD for asylum applicants, parolees or TPS applicants will increase from $560 to $570, and the fee for Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, will rise from $510 to $520. The biggest jump? That’s parole. (cite index=”15-6″>The fee tied to Form I-131 climbs $30, from $1,020 to $1,050. Timing matters here, too — don’t get caught on the wrong side of the date. (cite index=”16-12,16-13,16-14″>USCIS will apply the new fees to immigration benefit requests postmarked on or after Oct. 16, 2026. Requests mailed before that date generally will be subject to the fees in effect when they are postmarked. Requests postmarked on or after the effective date must include the updated amounts.
October 2026 Visa Bulletin. The U.S. Department of State’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the first Visa Bulletin for fiscal year (FY) 2027, restores availability in several employment-based immigrant visa categories and changes several cutoff dates from September 2026. USCIS has confirmed that employment-based adjustment-of-status (“green card”) applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart in October 2026, opening filing eligibility to a substantially larger pool of applicants than the Final Action Dates chart alone would allow. For India, the EB-2 category, covering professionals with advanced degrees and people of exceptional ability, reopened after being unavailable in September, and India’s EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 categories had become available again after previously being unavailable. The EB-5 India Final Action Date advanced by 19 months, moving from May 1, 2022, to December 1, 2023. Family categories moved too: F2A final action dates moved forward 1 month for Rest of World, China, India, and the Philippines, and 7 months for Mexico.
How This Affects TPS Holders, Employers, and Green Card Applicants
The TPS termination touches a large population. About 1,800 people hold TPS under Sudan, while roughly 101,200 hold TPS under Ukraine, for a combined total among the four countries that still have active designations of about 273,200 immigrants. Every one of these individuals and their families needs a plan for October 19.
Employers face direct Form I-9 obligations. For the EAD extension period, employers should enter October 19, 2026 in the expiration date fields of Form I-9, record the extension in the Additional Information field, and use October 19, 2026 as the expiration date in E-Verify. Once that date passes without further government action, employers must reverify affected workers’ authorization to avoid compliance problems, which can affect staffing in health care, hospitality, construction, and other industries that rely on TPS workers. Businesses coordinating these reviews alongside other staffing needs may also want to review our employment-based visa options for workers who may need a different legal status going forward.
The fee increase mainly affects people who have not yet filed. Anyone submitting Form I-821 for TPS, Form I-765 for a work permit, Form I-131 for parole, or an asylum application on or after October 16, 2026 must pay the new, higher amount or risk rejection. Filing earlier, where eligible, can save money and avoid confusion over which fee schedule applies.
For green card applicants, the Visa Bulletin shift opens a window. Families with a pending petition, including spouses and children of lawful permanent residents in the F2A category, and employment-based applicants in reopened categories like EB-2 and EB-5 India, may now be able to file Form I-485 using the more generous Dates for Filing chart. This is a meaningful opportunity for applicants who have waited through months of unavailable or retrogressed dates, including those exploring family-based immigration petitions for relatives abroad or already in the United States.
What You Should Do Now
- Check your TPS expiration date. If you hold TPS from Sudan or Ukraine, confirm whether your EAD falls under the automatic extension through October 19, 2026, and gather any USCIS notice confirming that extension.
- Explore other paths before the deadline. If you may qualify for asylum, a family petition, or an employment-based category, start that process now rather than waiting until TPS ends.
- File before October 16 if you can. If you need to submit Form I-821, I-765, I-131, or an asylum application, filing before the fee increase can reduce your cost.
- Review the October 2026 Visa Bulletin. Compare your priority date to the current Dates for Filing chart to see whether you can now submit Form I-485.
- Employers: audit your I-9 records. Identify employees with Sudan or Ukraine TPS-based EADs and prepare to reverify work authorization as the October 19 deadline approaches.
- Talk to an immigration attorney promptly. With several deadlines landing in the same two-week window, getting experienced guidance early can help you avoid missed filings or lapses in status.
How Tez Law P.C. Can Help
Tez Law P.C. assists individuals and employers with Temporary Protected Status questions, work authorization renewals, and transitions to family-based or employment-based immigration categories. The firm can review your current status, help you understand filing deadlines under the new fee schedule, and assist employers with Form I-9 compliance as TPS designations change. If your situation could lead to removal proceedings, our removal defense and immigration court team can also discuss your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does TPS for Sudan and Ukraine definitely end on October 19, 2026?
October 19, 2026 is the scheduled end date under the current designation period. As of this writing, DHS has not published a final decision on whether to extend, redesignate, or terminate either designation, so beneficiaries should watch for official updates from USCIS while preparing for the current end date.
What happens to my work permit if I have a pending TPS renewal?
USCIS is automatically extending certain expired TPS-based EADs for eligible Sudan and Ukraine beneficiaries through October 19, 2026, when paired with the USCIS notice confirming the extension. You generally need both the EAD and the notice to show your employer.
Do the new USCIS fees apply to applications I already filed?
No. The higher fees apply to applications postmarked on or after October 16, 2026. Requests mailed before that date are generally evaluated under the fee amount in effect when they were postmarked.
I am from India and waiting on an EB-2 or EB-5 green card. Does the October bulletin help me?
It may. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin reopened EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 availability for India after both were unavailable in September, and USCIS is allowing the more favorable Dates for Filing chart for October. Whether you can file now depends on your specific priority date and category.
What should employers do if a TPS-based work permit is about to expire?
Employers should identify employees whose Form I-9 documentation relies on Sudan or Ukraine TPS, update Section 2 and E-Verify records to reflect the October 19, 2026 extension date where it applies, and prepare to reverify employment authorization once the designation’s status is confirmed.
Immigration deadlines rarely arrive one at a time, and this October is no exception. Whether you are a TPS holder from Sudan or Ukraine, an employer managing I-9 compliance, or a green card applicant watching the Visa Bulletin, the choices you make in the next two weeks can matter. Contact Tez Law P.C. today to schedule a consultation and discuss how these changes may affect your situation.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and agency practices change; contact Tez Law P.C. at 626-678-8677 or [email protected] about your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.