Some asylum seekers file their applications and never receive an interview. Others are interviewed for asylum and never receive a decision. I’ve discussed the first problem–called the backlog–several times, but today I want to discuss the second problem. What happens to people who are interviewed for asylum, but then wait forever for a decision?
I’ve had a number of clients with this problem. They fall into a few broad categories.
One group are people from countries that are considered a security threat to the United States–countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Somalia. People from such countries are subject to more extensive—and thus more time consuming—security background checks. The security check process is very opaque, so we really don’t know much about what the government is checking or why it takes so long, and the length of the delay seems to have nothing to do with the person’s personal history (for example, I’ve had clients who worked in the U.S. Embassy in their country or with the U.S. military, and still the background check was delayed). To me, the security background check delays don’t make sense. If the person is a threat to the United States, allowing him to live freely here for months or years while the government investigates his background seems like a bad idea. Another aspect of the background check that does not make sense is that asylum seekers in court never seem to be delayed by security checks. Also, aliens seeking their residency in other ways (marriage to a U.S. citizen or through employment) don’t seem to have problems with background checks either. While the need for background checks is clear, the inordinate delays for asylum seekers is hard to understand.
Another group of people who face delays after the interview are people who may have provided “material support” to terrorists or persecutors. I have a client like this–he was kidnapped by terrorists and released only after he negotiated a ransom (which was paid by his relative). Had he not paid the ransom, his case would not have been delayed post-interview. Of course, had he not paid the ransom, he would have been killed by the kidnappers, so the point would probably be moot. I imagine that his case is subject to review by Headquarters, which again, seems reasonable. But why it should take 10 months (so far) and what they hope to discover through an additional review, I don’t know.
A third group of people whose cases are delayed are members of disfavored political parties or organizations. Such people might also be subject to the “material support” bar, but even if they have not provided support to persecutors, their cases might be delayed.
A final group are high-profile cases, such as diplomats and public figures. When such a person receives asylum (or is denied asylum), there are potential political ramifications. Again, while I imagine it makes sense to review such cases at a higher level, I am not exactly sure what such a review will accomplish. The law of asylum is (supposedly) objective–we should not deny asylum to an individual just because her home government will be offended–so it is unclear what there is to review.
These delays are particularly frustrating given that decisions in asylum cases should generally be made within six months of filing. According to INA § 208(d)(5)(A)(iii), “in the absence of exceptional circumstances, final administrative adjudication of the asylum application, not including administrative appeal, shall be completed within 180 days after the date an application is filed.” Unfortunately, the “exceptional circumstances” clause is the exception that swallows the rule. These days, everything from backlog to background check to Asylum Office error seems to pass for exceptional circumstances. I know this is not really anyone’s fault–the Asylum Offices are overwhelmingly busy, but it is still quite frustrating.
Indeed, I have had clients waiting for more than two years (two years!) after their interview, and the asylum offices can give us not even a hint about when we will receive a decision. The worst part about these delays is how they affect asylum seekers who are separated from their families. I’ve already had a few clients with strong claims abandon their cases due to the intolerable wait times. The saddest case was an Afghan man who recently left the country, two years after receiving a “recommended approval.” The client had a wife and small children who were waiting in Afghanistan. After he received the recommended approval–in 2012–we were hopeful that he would soon receive his final approval, and then petition for his family. After enduring a two-year wait, during which time first his child and then his wife suffered serious illnesses, the client finally gave up and returned to his family. This is a man who worked closely with the U.S. military in Afghanistan and who has a very legitimate fear of the Taliban. In his case, we would have been better off if the Asylum Office had just denied his claim–at least then he would have known that he was on his own. Instead, he relied on our country for help, we told him we would help, and then we let him down.
Delays after the interviews seem to affect a minority of applicants, and they have not garnered as much attention as the backlog. However, they can be just as frustrating and never-ending as backlogged cases. At the minimum, it would be helpful if the Asylum Offices could provide some type of time frame for these people, particularly when they are separated from family members. As DHS struggles to deal with the backlog, I hope they don’t forget about those who have been interviewed, but who are also stuck waiting.
Jason, thank you for your kind replies for everyone. I applied and interviewed December 2012. I live in Illinois, since then of-course no feedback or decision. I even applied for tips couple month after just because I didn’t what else to do since i haven’t heard back. USCIS replied me back my TPS application is put on hold as I have a case pending. Ive seen couple lawyers all say inquiry which I did and no reply. Is there any law that state how much time is needed ? or any information that would help me speed up the process. I say late better than never. But, at the same time every second goes by can never come back.
Your situation is very difficult. I do not know why your TPS case would be affected by the asylum – I had not heard about that before. I did a posting on February 26, 2015 with some ideas to make a case go faster – For you, you can try the Ombudsman or a mandamus lawsuit. Or contact a congressperson, but that is usually not effective. I wish their was an easy solution. Good luck, Jason
hi,
I’ve got my interview after 2 years last June 2015 . I haven’t received any deviation . I placed an enquiry through the congress man and the response from the San Fransisco office was ‘Ms…. had AKA to be cleared when she was interviewed and now it is cleared. The case is pending preparation of a written decision. Due to the asylum office heavy caseload the decision will be completed and mailed to Ms. …as soon as circumstances permit. ‘” I don’t really understand . Does it mean the decision was made but waiting to be written ? Or still waiting for background check ?? Is there is any way if I go to the office in San Fransisco to get the decistion instead of waiting to be maild to me ?? Does it make any difference? Thank you so much
It sounds like the security check is done (which is good, as that can be very slow) and they just need to issue the decision. I suggest you contact them by email, phone or in-person to ask about the decision. Good luck, Jason
I changed my address when I moved to New Jersey .
But if i go to the congressmen in my district
You should go to the Congressman in your district – which is where your permanent address is. If you have moved and not changed your address with the asylum office, that could create problems for you. If you contact the Congressman, his office will tell you whether he can help you or whether it is a different Congressman.
I’m so sorry but i have a question please
My case at new york city but I moved to New Jersey before one year ago can i go to congressman in New Jersey to help me
Thank you.
I suppose you can, but generally going to Congressmen is a waste of time. If the Congressman does not want to help you because you do not live in his district, he will refer you to the right member of Congress.
And I don’t know what can I do with ombudsman
If you go to the website, they have a form you can complete to ask for help. Otherwise, you might want to hire a lawyer to help you, but there is not much we can do with delayed cases.
Thank you but do you have any idea to get my decision please and thanks for your interest
I’ll wait since fourteen month to get approval, and so far I did not get anything tired of waiting ten times I went to the office and there is no recourse Answer have written several letters and Answer Please, do you have any solution i am so tired
I do not blame you, and unfortunately, there are many people in your situation. I would try the Ombudsman or maybe a mandamus lawsuit. I wrote about these ideas and a few others in a posting dated February 26, 2015. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for all the information you provide. After waiting for two years, my case was granted recommended approval 4 months ago, and I am still waiting for the final decision. I wrote them a letter, visited USCIS in person, and had the Congressman’s office write to USCIS for my case. The response was the same – the background check is still pending. I am scared to think it can take another 2 years to get the final decision. Is there any other way to really have USCIS pull out the file and escalate it? Or how long can it approximately take if it’s not an extremely rarely case like that of the Afghan man?
Most of our recommended approval cases receive a final approval in less than one year, but some (like the Afghan man) take longer. You can try the Ombudsman or filing a mandamus lawsuit. I wrote about these options in a posting dated February 26, 2015. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
I got the 2nd fingerprint notice on 18 aug 2015, and I did it the same day. I also got a reply from uscis said that my case is under extended review before decision.
do you have any idea how long it may last?
thank you.
thread:
Jake October 21, 2014 at 2:45 am
Hi Jason,
I was interviewed and have been waiting for the decision for one year. do you know something about Writ of Mandamus? do you think it works?
I have been interviewed twice because I have a sensitive job.
REPLY
Jason Dzubow October 21, 2014 at 2:27 pm
It seems like a Mandamus would be appropriate, but I have not done one, and I have a feeling they are not effective, but I really don’t know. It would be worth looking into.
REPLY
Jake April 14, 2015 at 10:41 pm
this is a follow up for my status.
after one and a half year long long waiting, i wrote a letter to the officer request for a expedite processing. after one week, i received a RFE,asked for employment information and other relative proof. althought still no decision, but at least they are finally processingmy case.
thank you jason.
REPLY
Jason Dzubow April 15, 2015 at 6:26 am
They asked for additional information about your asylum case? That is a little unusual, but hopefully it means there is some progress. Good luck, Jason
REPLY
Jake April 19, 2015 at 6:35 pm
yes, after 18months pending for decision, they send a RFE to ask for that. thank you Jason, you have been so kind to all us. god bless you and all
Jake June 23, 2015 at 11:45 pm
Hi Jason,
I got the letter from uscis soon after i responded the RFE, the letter said the case is under qulity review. but no more message from them after two month. do you have any experience how long the quality review takes? the other two years? LOL. thank you.
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict. This summer has been very slow, so maybe wait until fall, see what happens, and if there is still no progress, start thinking about a mandamus. Good luck, Jason
Hello Jason,
I applied for asylum in middle of November 2014 and did the fingerprints 2 weeks later and the interview did it in 7th of January 2015 but I have not received any decision yet, they say it is pending security checks, how long these security checks takes? I already have a wife and a kid in my home country waiting and it is getting frustrated for me to wait with no actual time frame for whether my case is approved or denied.
Thanks for your reply
Separation of family members is the real tragedy of these delays. Unfortunately, there is no way to know how long it will take, and we have seen decisions anywhere from 3 days to 2+ years after the interview. The very large majority of cases we have were decided in less than one year, but there are many cases that have taken longer than that and we are still waiting. I wish you and your family good luck, Jason
Hi, James
I have a question in regards to my assylum process. I’m from colombia seeking for asylum due to la Guerrilla(terrorist) I had the interview on Oct in New York, but it didn’t denied or approved the officer just told me that I need to go to a second interview in Manhattan with the immigration Judge, it’s been 9 months and I still didn’t received a notice yet. I apply for a EAD and was approved and also got my social security and my Learning Permit, Which I’m very happy! But in the other hand I’m afraid that I will be denied my asylum . I have 4 children’s born in the U.S married to a U.S. citizen for 12 years. Came to the U.S. illegally .
Now my big question is can I get my green card through my marriage before I get my asylum approved while its pending ? or should I wait until they gave me a decision. I’m very scared don’t wanna leave my family. That breaks my heart thinking about everyday.
Please give me an advise, I will appreciate .
Romer ,
Sorry I mean Jason,
Based on what you said, it seems you should be able to get some type of relief based on your family. It might be a “provisional waiver,” which requires you to leave the US for a few weeks and then return, or maybe “Cancellation of Removal.” If not those, then you can still try for asylum. It sounds like the asylum office did “deny” your case – they do not call it a denial, but that is what happened, and they sent you to court. I highly recommend you talk to a good lawyer to go over the options, as it seems to me that you should be able to stay here. Good luck, Jason
Hi jason
In ur opinion what is the reasonable time after asylum interview to start sue USCIS in federal court for a decision ?
thank u
Before you sue, you would need to make an effort to get a decision in a more normal way – send inquiries by mail and email, contact the Ombudsman, go in person to ask. If that does not help, you can file a mandamus lawsuit. I think there is no time frame for this, but it should probably be more than 180 days after you filed the case, since that is in the regulations. Also, it takes some time to make the inquires listed above (and give them a reasonable time to respond), but after that, you can file suit.
So its time to spend more money on lawsuit, I am doing all above for more than 2 years and their respond (ur case under review). is there any chance to manage it by myselfe or must be by attorny? its costly
Like everything, you can do it yourself or use a lawyer. The real hope with a mandamus lawsuit is that once you file it (or even threaten to file it), the US government will agree to finish the case (so they do not have to waste resources fighting you). I think your chance for success is probably better if you have a lawyer, but you have to balance between your ability to pay and your ability to prepare and file the case yourself. I know good lawyers who do such cases for under $3000, which is a lot, but may be affordable depending on your situation. Good luck, Jason
I will be very grateful if u support me with lawyers names or phone number with this fee , the lawyers in LA and SD asking for much more !
I can potentially do such a case, but I do not know lawyers in LA or San Diego.
Good day.. I applied for Asylum on February 14 2015 and until now, i have not been interviewed of done finger prints. I sent emails to different offices requesting for an interview and even social amt also sent an email but no reply till date.
I am confused and worried because my future is wasting away and days and night, i think about go backing to face the critics and punishment from family and government better than living a life with no ends here.
What can i do ti get an interview ?
You will likely not be interviewed for some time – if you look at my posting from last week, there is an update on interview times for different asylum offices and a link to the government website. Also, I did a post on February 26, 2015 where I list ways to expedite a case, though usually this is very difficult. Good luck, Jason
I just did an asylum interview the officer told me that you will got one of two decisions approval or referral to court and didn’t mention recommended approval is that a bad sign?
No – they rarely mention recommended approval, and that is not a final result; it is just a step on the way to (hopefully) final approval. Good luck, Jason
Mr Jason
Every time i open ur website( i need to do) i feel frustrated ,why u and numbers of respectabel immigration attorneys talk with the asylum system representative in a formal and friendly way, try to do something to make the situation more mercy with who is already in dire situation? and remind them its mention in their official website (asylum case mostly finish in 180 days, but some case take more time) ,what happening now is inversely , so something going wrong rationally.
The situation is actually quite complicated and there are legitimate reasons why cases are moving so slowly. It does not make it any easier, but the asylum office is trying its best to help. They have limited resources (money) and they are facing a hostile Congress which threatens to take even more money away from them. If I had some power to make the situation better, I would, but I do not have such power.
hi Jason,;
I applied for asylum 2013 i got the interview thanks lord in may 2015 and i received the approved in july but not final and for now i did not received the final approved almost month. do you know how long should be wait for it ? and please what is the maximum time to wait. thank you for your efforts.
what do you mean by “received the approved in july but not final?
بتتكلم عربي صح؟ لو سمحت ممكن تشرح لي بالضبط شو صار بعد المقابلة من شي مايو لهلأ
شكرا
waiting the final from manatory
زي تحريات عني ووضعي في الفترة اللى كنت فيها هنا
I got recommend approval and waiting for Final
أول مرة بسمع فيها. بس بشكل عام ما بتقدر تعرف ايمتى رح تحصل عالموافقة النهائية. ولا المحامي بيقدر يفيدك للأسف ما منقدر الا ننتظر. انا من سوريا فيمكن تطول التحريات عني. انت من وين؟
There is no maximum time to wait for recommended approvals to become final. We had one person wait more than 2 years. But normally, they give you a final decision in a few months, so hopefully it will be soon. Good luck, Jason
Thanks alot Jason for your help.
Hi Jason. I have been reading your informative information regarding asylum. From what I understood I might be interviewed not later than next June 2016 or so. I have just submitted my case in April 2015 and did the fingerprints also. When can I apply for EAD? Is it when I complete 150 or before? I will complete 150 sometime mid September 2015. Secondly, I have a friend who was working for the U.S. Embassy for 11 years? Does this help his case to get interviewed soonest?
You can apply for the EAD 150 days after your asylum application was received – no sooner, or they will reject the EAD application. I do not think your friend’s employment with the embassy will affect how fast his case moves.
Hi,
I’ve been in the country for about 6 years now. I’ve had my Asylum interview 10/20/2014 and still didn’t hear a respond. My Lawyer has contacted them several time and still didn’t hear any respond even if it’s “pending”. I ended up contacting a senator’s office to see if they can take it any further. The senator’s office sent the request to DC since the Asylum office didn’t respond to them either. When do you think I should be able to hear back from them? Do you think contacting the senator would help in getting a faster response?
Thanks,
Mi
My person opinion is that contacting a senator or congressman for help with an asylum case is pretty useless. I try it once in a while, but I have never seen it do any good. Better to contact the Ombudsman’s office or file a mandamus lawsuit (I discuss these in a posting dated February 26, 2015). Anyway, contacting the senator will not do any harm. Take care, Jason
hi dear jason
finally my lawyer called me and told me i got approved, thanx god for that, i applied for asylum feb 2013 but they didnt give me interview till 2 month befor, my lawyer sujested me to do law suit and i accept that after almost 2 weeks they sent me interview notice for july7th, after interview officer said they will mail my decision , i was waiting until today that my lawyer called me and said they sent him approval notice.
but my work permit is going to be expired and i already sent a chek for 380$ to uscis for renew my work permit, does any body know if they will charj me for work permit or not? i sent check to them yesterday..
Sara
congrats and God bless you.
would you please let me know where is your case… so that will help me??
Thank you so mich, my case was in anaheim california, yes it helped me out , they gave me interview less than 2 weeks after we did law suit
Dear Jason,
Filled:July 2013 Arlington office
Interview: December 2014 “short list”
Placed 3 inquiries “no decision ”
My lawyer suggested to bring a Federal Writ of Habeas Corpus law suit to get the USCIS to make a decision.
I read that this law is only for persons who are in custody or prisoners only. And my lawyer will charge 10k .
Please advise.
Best Regards
I think the proper lawsuit is a mandamus law suit – I wrote about that a bit in a posting dated February 26, 2015. If you try it and have success, please let us know.
Hey,my name is Herve and i already did two interviews the first was in november 2014 and after getting a NOID,i did my second interview and brought some news proofs on february 2015 since then i have been waiting for now 5months,i dont know if it is because i still have a valid status here which is a f-1 student or they just taking their time to reply to me??please help,but i’m very positive that i will receive a positive reply and will get asylum.Faith in God is the only thing i have.
I suppose if you got a NOID and have not yet received a rejection letter, that is a good sign. Cases are moving slowly, but you might want to contact the asylum office to check your case status. You could also try the Ombudsman. Good luck, Jason
hi jason
i had my interview in july 7th, they told me they will mail the decision , but after 2 week i got a letter to do new fingerprint, i did the day after but still im waiting for my decision, do you think the new fingerprint made my process longer?
I don’t know, but it is very common for the officer to tell you that a decision will come soon, and then it is delayed. The decision is not entirely within the officer’s control (for example, due to the security check) and so he or she cannot always predict when the decision will come (so it would be better if they did not make such promises).
Hi Jason,
Thank you very much for your time.
From your experience usually after such a delay with decision, when they refer to the back ground check, most of the cases are approved at the end? As my attorney told me, if they want to deny the case they would do it right away, if they delaying it, most likely we will receive a positive decision.
Thank you
This has not been our experience – sometimes a case is delayed and later denied, so I suppose I disagree with your Lawyer’s assessment.
Hi jason
After i received my authorization card for one year i applied for social security, they said they gonna send me my social security card within two weeks but they never did so i went to social security office yestarday and asked for what was going on, they told me that immigration has not verified my authorization card yet so they cant send me till immigration verify it, so i called the immigration and they said, go back to social security office and tell them to fill out a G-855 form and send it to immigration. By the way my case is refereed to court and i am waiting for court to mail me my first appointment time.
What do you think is the problem ?
Thank you
The form is G-845!
If you have a work permit, they should give you the social security card. I really do not know what the problem is. If you have lawyer, you can contact the office of the chief counsel (the government attorney) and maybe they can assist you. You can also try this on your own, but it is more difficult.
I have work permit for one year but social security said that immigration has not verified it yet, i mean if they did not verify it so why did they send it to me ?
I do not know. You can try to contact the asylum office about this or – if the case is in court – the government attorney. You may need a lawyer to help you sort it out. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
I was supposed to have my interview on April 2013 and few days before the interview I received a notification of cancellation and I haven’t still received a new date for it. I live in Miami FL. I’ve moved three times during this waiting period and I just recently moved, I changed my mailing address at the local post office and also sent the form over to the asylum offices to change the address as well. However, this last time I moved happened very quick and I didn’t have time to change those address but after I was already living at new place for a few days. My biggest concern now is what if they sent the notification with the new date for the interview and I didn’t get it because I don’t have access to my old box mail. I know it takes a few days for them to update the address.
Is there a way for me to make sure this notification hasn’t been sent yet as of today?
Thank you
You can email the asylum office and ask them, or go there in person. At least they should tell you whether your case is still pending.
Hi Jason am anastasha I leave in blomington ifiled my asylum case in march 2015 and I already got the finger prints but now am waiting for the interview.can you please tell me like when will I recieve the letter for interview.thanks
Your asylum office is Chicago, and they are currently interviewing cases filed in about June 2013, so you have some time to wait. Good luck, Jason
Hi,
Do I need appointment to inquire in person? if yes how can I schedule?
my attorney sent 3 written inquiries so far without an answer.
My case is pending decision at Arlington office.
Case filled on: January 2014.
interviewed on: February 2014.
Nationality : Syrian.
Waiting for decision for more than a year and a half so far.
Any recommendations?
Is this wait usual for Syrians?As per your information what was the longest time any had to wait in order to get an answer on their asylum case submitted in Arlington?
Thanks!
Many of our Syrian cases have been slow. I recommend either you contact the Ombudsman or you file a mandamus lawsuit (I discuss these ideas in a posting dated February 26, 2015). If you want to inquire in person, you can go there any Wednesday without an appointment. Morning is best. Good luck, Jason
Thank you so much for the prompt reply, Jason. You really are both a support and a resource to applicants like myself. My attorney mentioned that a reason to the delay could be because of the availability of the TPS to Syrians hence rendering the asylum processing as a non-priority to the USCIS. What is your take on this?
Also, is Wednesday the only day available for the inquiries or can i go on any other day? Would i need to make an appointment then? Phone and/ or email? Any documents that i should take with me?
Thanks again and truly appreciate it
Wednesday is the “walk in” day, but I think if you email them, you can go another day. They really do not give a lot of information out when you inquire, but sometimes it is helpful. As for TPS being related to the delay, I doubt it, but I suppose it is possible. Their internal procedures are a real mystery. My guess is that it is more likely related to security background checks. Good luck, Jason
HI Jason,
Thank u so much for your kind response.
Btb- My EAD will expire after 110 days fm today.
should I apply for renewal of EAD right now?
Does the renewal fees $380.00 for each member of the fmly is correct?
Does the form OMB No.1615-0040, Expires 02/28/2018 correct form for renewal of EAD?
Looking forward to listening from you.
Stay well and have a pleasant day.
Regards,
SM
You can renew an EAD up to 120 before it expires, and that is a good idea since there are delays in the process. Each family member needs his or her own EAD, and you have to pay for each. The form is the I-765. Take care, Jason
Hi jason
After i got my authorization card i applied for social security card, they said they will send it whitin two weeks, now its one month and half, and they haven’t sent it to me yet, what do you think is the problem ?
Thank you
By the way, my authorization card is temporary,For onayear.
It is normal to get the work permit for one year. As for the social security, I have no idea about that. Usually, my clients go in person to the social security office, so maybe you want to try that. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Today I’ve visited Arlington USCIS to get some update of my long pending asylum decision (under I-589)
I filled an inquiry sheet and given to the person in the window, after some times he came to me with a update ” NO DATE”
I said what does it means, he said your case is in backlog and under security back ground check, he also said if u do not receive any decision with in 2/3 weeks then come again.
I have requested him to met with the interview officer, he said your file is not with the interview officer it is now in the department for scrutiny and back ground check.
btb- I was interviewed MAY,14th, 2014.
Stay well and have a blessed night.
Regards,
SM
This is a common story (unfortunately). I list some ideas to make cases faster in a posting dated February 26, 2015. Maybe try the Ombudsman, or if you are feeling daring, the mandamus lawsuit. Good luck, Jason
HI Jason I’ve applied for asylum in Oct 2014 and was interviewed in Dec 2014 in Miami fl office when do you think I will have reply
Thank you
There is no way to know. The large majority of our clients have received decisions within one year of the interview, but some have waited more than a year, and a few have waited more than two years. Things seem particularly slow this summer. Hopefully, you will hear some good news soon, Jason
Dear Mr. Jason,
Thank you for your prompt reply, Please note that I am currently living in Saudi Arabia and only my wife and my 2 kids have applied for asylum and have been already interviewed by the immigration. Could you please advise if it is wise to join them now or better to wait until the decision is made, also please advise what will be the most proper way for my wife to carefully follow up with the immigration office without disturbing the process of the case.
I highly appreciate your feed back.
Regards
Bassem
I cannot advise you on joining them. If your case is granted, your wife can file an I-730 for you so you can get asylum too. You can do that whether you are in the US or out. As for moving the case faster, I listed some ideas on February 26, 2015. Take care, Jason
Hi
Do you think the free attorneys that immigration office recommended for me can defend my case as well or i should talk to a better attorney ?
Thank you
It’s difficult to know. Most of the “free attorneys” are either volunteer pro bono attorneys, who will probably work hard, but who lack experience, or non-profit attorneys, who are usually very committed and experienced, but also very busy. I’d say that in general, most such attorneys will be very good, but you would have to talk to the specific lawyer to evaluate how comfortable you feel with him. In short, they are probably no better or no worse than most attorneys where you have to pay.
Hello Jason,
I did apply for asykum in November 2014 and got interview at january 2015.
am still waiting for a desicion . My lawyer sent us an inquiry fir checking the status for us.
i did mentjon in the interview that one of our relatives got kidnaped as you wrote above in the article. So, is that means they will not ussue a approval for us?
thznks in advance
I guess I do not understand the question. Sometimes, decisions are delayed; often due to security background checks. If you paid ransom to terrorists or other bad guys, that can also delay the decision. Hopefully, they will at least respond to your inquiry to give you an idea about what is happening. Good luck, Jason
HI Jason I’ve applied for asylum in Feb 2014 and was interviewed in April 2014 since that (almost 14 months) I am waiting for my I called them regarding status they send me latter that checking security background and idea ho long they will take to give me decision.
Unfortunately, your problem is quite common and there is not much you can do. I wrote a posting on February 26, 2015 with some ideas – maybe try contacting the Ombudsman or filing a mandamus lawsuit – but there is no simple solution. Good luck, Jason
hi
after sending for work authorization renewal My case status state the below information. Please help me what does it mean.
On May 29, 2015, we received your case and waived the filing fee for your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , Receipt Number , We mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow the instructions in the notice. If you do not receive your receipt notice by June 28, 2015, please call Customer Service at 1-800-375-5283. If you move, go to http://www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.
hey bro
according to my experiences, that mean they approved your waived the filing fee and they start processing for renewal your EAD. I think you will expect to received it within 45 days since you applied…. good luck
It sounds like your case is processing normally.
Hi jason
Is this possible to be rejected by court and gotta go back to your own country ?
What could be the desicion of judge in court, like either staying here and getting the final aprovale or just be rejected and get deported ?
The Judge will usually either grant the case or order you deported. If you are ordered deported, you can appeal, but the point of that is to force you to leave the US.
Hello there Jason. I appreciate all the information you give.
Here’s my situation please can you help me out.
I applied for assylum in may 2012 I went for interview in November 2012 I was told to come back for a decision in 2 weeks but the day before decision day the officer who interviewed me called me and told me not to come in and that a decision will be sent to me by mail. I have been waiting since November 2012 and I have not heard or seen anything from USCIS. I just renewed my 2nd work permit and got it in the mail. Please what can I do. I would like to travel to Canada to visit my family there soon but I can’t because my case is still pending.
This is a very long delay, though we have seen a few cases that are this slow. I listed some ideas on February 26, 2015 to make the case faster. Also, if you want to go to Canada, you can apply for Advance Parole, using form I-131. It allows you to travel, but it is difficult to get. Also, leaving the US could cause problems for your asylum case, so I recommend you talk to a lawyer before you travel. Good luck, Jason
now i can study and living like a normal person .
thank you god ,
thank you America
god bless the world with peace
thank you jason for helpe all this 9 months of waiting after the recommend approval .
yesterday i got the approval .
thank you Jason ,
god bless you and god bless every body .
Congratulations! It is a long to wait, but now you are done. Good luck in America, Jason
thank you jason .
i would like ask you
what is your advice to me after i got the approval ?
Have fun, don’t commit any crimes, apply for your green card one year after the approval, and don’t leave the US without a refugee travel document.
thank you so much
hi jason
very important question
i got recommend approval about 9 months and nothing .
every time go on uscis to check my case status and nothing .
yesterday i check my case status and i found something else they say ( Fees Were Waived
On July 9, 2015, we received your case and waived the filing fee for your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , Receipt Number ZNK00000000. We mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. )
so please explain to me that is mean i got the approval or that is just work permit .
but how they send me work permit and i already have one
congratulation ,its mean that we will miss u in this website.
hahaha thank you
but how do you know that is meaning approval ?
congratulation tarek
i have question my case like same yours
the question you can check online for case status ? and if yes how please ?
i got the recommended approval and i did the fingerprint and waiting for the final.
You cannot check the status of an asylum case online. You have to contact the asylum office directly.
Hi Mr . Jason Dzubow , my name is mohamed omer from Sudan . I did my interview at 22nd of oct 2013 nad since the date , the only thing I always have been hearing from them is the poor yet the unexplainable hopless forever sentence ” your case is pending ” . It is about to hit 2 years . However, I have 3 questions , the first is after how long I can officially have the right to sue them for this delay ? What is the maximum waiting time for decision in the worst case y have heard about ? I have changed my address and I informed them about it and I have heard that could delay the application farther , so, is that right?
Finally, Sadly to say to the only options and rights the assylum applicants can have are “pending” “killing wait” ” for job only- social security after 150days ” humiliation .
Thank you in advance mr.Dzubow .
You can sue them now – I wrote about this a bit on February 26, 2015 (Mandamus lawsuits). You might also try the Ombudsman, which I also discuss in that article. There is no maximum wait time. I do not think the move should affect your wait time. Good luck, Jason
Hello, my name is nilima. I am from nepal. I finally did my interview on aug 2014 after i filed on 2011 nov. i recived recomended for approval on aug 2014 . Its almost a year i havent heard from them. Everytime i stop by the asylum office all they tell me is to wait. Can you tell me why is it taking so long?
I do not know – it is often due to security background checks, but it could be something else. I did a posting on February 26, 2015 with some ideas for making a case go faster. You might want to try contacting the Ombudsman’s office (discussed in that post); maybe they can help. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason
For 16 months my case was under HQ review after interview, it back to the Asylum office,the shock was last email my attorney received from asylum office responding for his request ,my case under ( extended review ) even my attorney don’t know in what category,by the way I’m normal civilian person none of any (high profile person category), my request can u explan what ( extended review ) mean and usually how long more time it will take from my life?
Thank u
There are many reasons a case could be under headquarters review. I plan to do a posting in the next month about the terrorism related inadmissibility grounds, which cover a lot of activities (including, for example, paying ransom to a kidnapper), and which can cause delays for people. There is probably not much you can do, except to keep inquiring, but you might try the DHS Ombudsman’s office (I wrote about them in a posting dated February 26, 2015). Good luck, Jason
Hi jason
First of all thank you so much for helping us.
And i am wondering how long it takes to recieve mail from court after the officer does not grant a case and referes to court.
Thanks
There is no time frame (I am assuming your case was referred to court and you are waiting for your first court date). Usually where I am, it takes a few months, but in other parts of the US, it may be much longer. If your case is in court, you really should have a lawyer. A local lawyer may know better about the time frame. Good luck, Jason
Thank you so much for your reply.
My case was in arlington asylum office and did not granted, i need a lawyer can i have your digit please, by the way how many times will i have to go to the court i mean is the judge going to decide in first date of the court or i will go several times ?
I will be happy if you answer it here
Thank you
Most cases require you to go to court two times – a Master Hearing, which is basically a scheduling conference and takes only a few minutes, and an individual hearing, where the Judge makes the decision (usually). I am happy to talk to you, but I will be out of the office until Monday. My number is 202-328-1353. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, I did my interview in December 2014 upto date I have not received any information regarding recommended approval or final approval. I wrote to asylum office to change my address about three weeks ago and to find out the status of my application but I haven’t heard anything from the asylum office. Do you think it’s good to write again to them or go to the office to find out the status? My new address is still within the same asylum office jurisdiction.
I think there is no harm in writing again, but probably it won’t help. Unfortunately, it can be a long wait after the interview, but hopefully you will hear something soon. Good luck, Jason
hi jason
i have recommend approval and now i am waiting almost 9 months .
so when i will get my final approval .
what is the maximum time for check background .
my country is Egypt .
is egyptian take that long of check background ?
i did 2 finger print . 1 was when i appy for asylum case
the second was before 20 days ago.
so i hope you help me
Hello,
Is there anyone in the blog who had interview before one year and have the decision recently???? please please share with me,
my case as of today under review with the asylum office ( Arlington USCIS)
i don’t know when the decision will came out?
looking forward to listening from u soon.
Kind Regards,
SIMON
Many of our clients get decisions in less than a year, but the policy changed in December 2014, and not it takes much longer to get an interview. After the interview, most cases only take a few weeks for decisions, but other take much longer – sometimes more than a year or even two. Good luck, Jason
hi jason . i have a question
i already have interview on 25 of September 2014 and i got recommend approval at 9 of October 2014 .
the question the asylum office didnt ask me for do fingerprint before the interview . and they give my decision the recommend approval and i am waiting more than 8 months and nothing .
before 2 weeks ago i sent them fax to ask about my case . then they sent me letter to do fingerprint .
so what is that meaning ?
what they do all this 8 months without fingerprint ?
is possible to check background without fingerprint and especially i travelled alot for vacation before came to usa ?
is that meaning they will send me the decision after the fingerprint ?
how long the fingerprint check background take . i did the fingerpring on 9 of jun 2015 before 10 days ago?
They must do the fingerprints to give you a decision – it is needed for the security background check. The fact that they gave you the appointment is a good sign, as it was necessary, but it is not possible to predict how long the background check will take. In my experience, some countries are faster than others. The slower countries are Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Good luck, Jason
hi jason
i recived recommend approval of 9 october 2014 now i am waiting almost 8 months .
i sent fax to the asylum office to ask about my final approval . thet sent me letter on 2 of jun 2015 to do fingerprint
so what is that mean ?
It does not necessarily mean that you will get a decision soon. We have seen instances where there is a decision after a second fingerprint appointment, but we have also seen where there is a second appointment, and it seems to have no effect. Good luck, Jason