MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — Haitian nationals living in the U.S. now have more time to register for extended residency and employment benefits in this country due to Superstorm Sandy.

Temporary protected status for Haitians displaced by the 2010 earthquake in their Caribbean homeland was extended through July 2014. Haitians previously approved to temporarily live and work here originally had until Nov. 30 to register for the 18-month extension.

Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services pushed back the registration deadline until Jan. 29. Officials say that’s due to “the impact Hurricane Sandy has had on regions were Haitians reside.”

The New York City area has a large Haitian-American community. Sandy devastated parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands of housing units and businesses.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)