For some time now, we’ve been hearing from the Asylum Division that they would post a “Scheduling Bulletin” to give affirmative asylum seekers a better idea about wait times. Well, the Bulletin has finally arrived, which is–in a sense–good news. But it’s also bad news, since now we see exactly how slowly things are progressing at most asylum offices.
First off, if you’re curious about the status of your asylum office, check out the Bulletin here. What you’ll see is a breakdown of each asylum office and which cases they are currently interviewing (as of July 2015). So, for example, in July 2015, the Arlington Asylum Office was interviewing cases originally filed in August 2013. The chart also lists which cases each office was interviewing over the past few months, so you can see how quickly (or not) each office is moving through its cases.
Reviewing the Bulletin, a few things jump out at me. First, and most distressing, cases are moving very slowly at most asylum offices, and a few offices–notably Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami–have made no discernible progress in the last four months. One mitigating factor here is that it’s summer, a time when the Southern border is particularly busy. Hopefully, once the number of asylum seekers arriving at the border wanes (as it generally does in autumn), the asylum offices will start interviewing more backlogged cases (if you are not familiar with the “asylum backlog,” please see this posting).
Another point worth noting is that the two asylum offices with jurisdiction over the Southern border states–Los Angeles and Houston–represent the slowest and the fastest offices, respectively. Los Angeles is currently interviewing cases filed in August 2011 (which is slower than I realized–I had thought they were interviewing cases from 2012) and they have been stuck on the August 2011 cases for the last four months. On the other hand, Houston, Texas is the fastest asylum office. They are interviewing cases filed in April 2014, though they have made almost no progress in the last four months either. What’s strange is that there is such disparity along the Southern border. I do not know why resources cannot be distributed more evenly to give some relief to asylum seekers at the LA office.
The only asylum office that has shown significant movement over the last four months is New York. In April 2015, the NY asylum office was interviewing cases filed in January 2013. By July 2015, they were interviewing cases filed in June/July 2013. Newark, New Jersey has also done reasonably well, advancing from December 2012 to April 2013 during the same period.
Rescheduled cases and cases involving children (many of the asylum seekers at the Southern border are children) receive priority over “regular” asylum cases. And according to the Bulletin, the asylum offices in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami have had many such cases. Presumably this explains the lack of progress in those asylum offices.
Finally, for people with cases pending at one of the sub offices, the Bulletin notes that it “currently does not include asylum interviews occurring outside of the eight asylum offices or the Boston sub-office (e.g. interviews occurring on circuit rides).” “Asylum offices schedule circuit ride interviews as resources permit.” The Bulletin suggests that applicants contact the “asylum office with jurisdiction over your case for more detailed information” about the schedule at sub offices. You can find contact information for each asylum office here.
So there you have it. The Bulletin will be updated monthly so you can track how quickly each asylum office is moving through the backlog. Though the current situation is discouraging, at least the Bulletin provides some information about where we stand now, and maybe some hope for those who are waiting.
Hi. My husband asked a political asaylem at maryland on 2015 . He has a work permit and social security number. It’s been 2 years he is waiting for interview to be granted coz he want to live together with his daughter and me . His daughter is born in the USA but she lives in my country with me . What shall we do i have B2 visa shall we live with him while waiting. Tnx
If you have a valid visa to the US, you should be able to come here and stay with him (and join his asylum case if you want). Because he filed for asylum, you might have trouble when you arrive at the airport – they could question you about why you are coming, and whether you plan to violate your B visa and remain permanently in the US with your husband. If they believe you will do that, you could be detained at the airport. My guess is that if you were detained, you would not be held for long (maybe hours or maybe even days), but I cannot predict that for sure, and things may change once Trump is president. If you try to come here, you might want to have a lawyer on stand-by to help if you are detained, and you should have several thousand dollars available, in case you need to post a bond to be released. Take care, Jason
Hello Mr Jason
i have applied for asylum 4 months ago, also i have non immigration case for E2 visa that rejected 8 months ago. does it have any effect in my asylum case? can interview officer find that i had non immigration rejected case?
Thanks
I highly doubt the E2 case will affect the asylum case, unless there are major inconsistencies between the to applications, or USCIS thinks you lied about something in the E2 case. Take care, Jason
Mr. jason
Hi
on November 2nd we gave expedite request for our asylum case ( Because of my MS) to Los Angeles office ( my wife is main applicant , me and my son are dependent).on November 16th i went there (alone) and asked them about my case and a lady there after check computer for 10 minutes and went talked with her supervisor came and told your case needs more research and we will inform your wife as a main applicant. what do you think? i’m so worry about that. do you have any suggestion for me?
Regards
i didn’t understand her mean by “Research” !!
I do not know what type of research they need to do. Many times, the secretaries give answers that do not seem related to what is happened, and they say things to get you to leave. Maybe they are trying to help, but it often causes more confusion. In your case, it seems you made the request, and now you will need to wait for an answer. If you do not hear back in a few weeks, I suggest you inquire again, but it usually takes 3 or 4 weeks to get a decision in my office (Virginia) and my guess is that LA is slower. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I’m from Turkey, came to states in 2009 with student visa, dropped down status due to financial situations in 2012 and about that time converted from Islam to Christianity. 3 years later in May 2015 I applied for asylum stating that with the new president and the Islamic reform that is going on as a christian I worry about my well being in Turkey which is prominently Muslim. I did not apply for asylum as soon as I became christian, had no idea that there was such a thing, but 3 yrs later. For that I am worried if the delay would make my case weaker. Also with the new presidency and Trump’s hate talk and claims of deporting people, I ‘m curious what would you consider my chances to be accepted as an asylee in given conditions? Also do you have any suggestions on my cas?
I know it is a tough question to ask but I want to be well prepared and make sure I do everything I can to present my case correctly.
Thank you
A person is required to file for asylum within one year or meet an exception. One exception is changed circumstances. You could argue that your conversion or the recent crackdown are changed circumstances, but I am not so confident that this is a strong argument. You may want to talk to a lawyer to go over the specifics of your case to make this argument stronger. If the asylum office finds that you do not meet an exception to the one-year rule, your case will be denied and send to a court. There, if the judge finds you do not meet an exception, you will only be eligible for Withholding of Removal or Torture Convention relief, and these are not as good as asylum. So I highly recommend you do your best to meet an exception. As for Trump, we do not yet know how he will change things. I’ve written a couple article since the election where I discuss some possibilities. Maybe those will help. Take care, Jason
hi how are you all
i applied for asylum in dec 2015
i didnt receive note for interview yet
do you now how long will take
i applied in Michigan under Chicago office and i moved to KY in august
but KY also under chicago office
so is that bad or dialed my case ???
thanks you
The move should not delay your case. You can check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin to get some idea about the wait time, which is quite long. If you or a family member have a health emergency or you are separated from family members and they are unsafe, you can ask to expedite your case. Maybe that will make it faster. Take care, Jason
thank you for replay
Hii jason
is it possible that i ask for expedite my asylum case on the behalf on my parents as they are in my home country and they are facing same fear as i was.And they both are physically handicapped more then 60%.is this any way i can bring my parents here as my asylem case is still pending.
thanks
You can try, but I am not optimistic. Even if you win your case, you cannot bring your parents here (until you are a US citizen). People with asylum can only bring spouses and unmarried, minor children. Maybe you are better off trying to get them a visa here. If that fails, you can try for humanitarian parole, to bring them here for medical care (look at form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov). Good luck, Jason
I am with my family in Los Angeles, wants to apply for Asylum but dont know is it good to settle in LA or other place to get my paper works to move faster.
I want to admit my child to school, I am thinking to move to San Jose and stay there and find school there.
Is it wise decision or to continue in LA
Regards
Sam
The LA office is currently the slowest in the US. That may change, but for now, it is slowest. So it is up to you. I did a posting on June 7, 2016 that goes into more detail on this, and it might be helpful. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
If I live in Chicago and file here, will USCIS inform me about interview date within weeks of filing (for example November 2019) or will they tell me sometime around September 2019 that you interview is coming up in November? Also, my asylum is based on the fact that before coming here as a tourist I made statements about our president which is a “grave sin” in our country and 2 police came looking for me at my house after that? Usually once this happen in my country they take you, beat you and make you admit that you are cocaine dealer and give you 10 years for that.
I wanted to ask if this is sufficient for asylum, or they actually had to beat me and then I would qualify
It is sufficient – we do many cases where the person was not harmed in the past, but they do fear harm in the future. Take care, Jason
It sounds like a strong asylum case. Once you file, they will not notify you about the interview date until a few weeks before the interview. Take care, Jason
Hi Mr. Jason, i hope you are doing well,
I went asylum office in los angeles and ask them emergency interview because of fainacial problem, but they told me only life and death cases will be accepted, actually i have MS and it’s more than 8 months that i didn’t use my betafron drugs. As you know strress is so harmful for Who has MS, also MS is Incurable and i have my medical documents annd cards from my country with official translation, is it good to request for this reason?
This is a good reason to expedite, but you need to submit evidence of your medical problems (doctor’s note, hospital records, etc) and an explanation of why you need to expedite (because you cannot get the medicine you need). Good luck, Jason
Hello Mr Jason
I appreciate you for the time you spend to answer,
actually evidence that i have are original and official translation from my country ( doctor notes, my registration card that shows i was member of MS society in my home country), also it’s more than 6 months that i didn’t use my drugs because i don’t have insurance and enough money to buy (5400 without insurance). The main question is that my spouse is the Main applicant and me and my son (5 years) are under her name on asylum form. is it ok?
regards,
Emi
If you are a dependent on the case and have these health problems, it seems like a strong basis to expedite. Good luck, Jason
Hello Mr. Jason
actually last week(Wednesday) i went to LA asylum office and have showed my MS documents and asked to expedite my case. the woman that was behind the window asked me that “why you have not gone doctor in USA to bring evidence from” and i told that i don’t have insurance , SSN and either enough money to effort my family’s expenses and i only have documents from my home country, then he told me kindly ” i should talk with others and will inform you by mail in a few days” . actually base on her attitude i’m so hopeful about it.
Hopefully, but you should look for a non-profit agency that might be able to help you. I recommend you start with Catholic Charities – there is one in almost every city. Also, I did a posting on September 22, 2016 where I provided links to non-profit legal organizations, but some of these may be able to refer you to medical organizations that (maybe) can help, or possibly provide you with a doctor’s note to give to the Asylum Office. Take care, Jason
Hello Mr. Jason
actually i didn’t receive any mail for expedite request because of my MS, it’s more than 14 days. do i need to stop by there once? or it’s common? as i gathered some information from other asylums , all declined requests response within 2-3 days .
In our office (Virginia) it usually takes a month or so to get a response about an expedite request. I think you should wait another Fe weeks, and then if you do not hear anything, you should contact them. Take care, Jason
hi,i applied my case in Jan 2015 in Seattle Washington and i didnt get any interview letter yet.and in asylum bulletin,they dont even show the processing time of Washington Seattle.do u have any idea of scheduling interview process in WA
I think Seattle is a sub-office of San Francisco. USCIS does not publish the schedule for sub-offices, but generally, they are slower than the main office. You can email San Fran to ask the schedule in Seattle. Maybe they will reply to you. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
First of all thank you for all your responses. I have a couple of questions and I’m hoping you can help me.
I live in Oklahoma, so my CSC would be Texas, should I look at those dates or is it different? (I haven’t filled yet but I will soon)
My second question is, I passed the 1 year, I cam here in a tourist visa and we were planning on staying just until the government change, which happened in december but unfortunately the previous government still has immense power and I would still be in danger in my home country, would this be enough of a reason for situation change?
Thank you!
As far as I know, your interview will be in Texas, but I am not 100% sure about that. As for the one-year bar, you can use the excuse you described, but it is fairly weak and may not work. Given this issue, I think you should talk to a lawyer about the case to see if you can get some help with this issue. Also, the sooner you file, the better. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, First I would like to thank you.
I have applied asylum on August 2015 on Arlington, then after couple of weeks i moved to Florida. I didn’t change because there was almost a year difference between the queue in Miami and Arlington and also two people i knew who get their green card done the same as mine, beside that i didn’t request EAD as I have other work permit, so i kept the old address of Arlington which is some relative address. Now it have been over a year , i began to worry about not letting them know about my change address, is this a big problem and if so is there a right way to over do this.
Thanks
The question is, will USCIS think you are lying about your address? If so, they may think you are lying about other parts of your case. If you have a legitimate reason to say that the FL address is temporary and the VA address is permanent, you may be fine. But if you do not, and if your driver’s license, taxes, job, etc., are in FL, you should probably change your address to FL using form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov. I think if you change addresses now, it will be fine, even though maybe you should have done it months ago. Take care, Jason
Thanks Jason, I just did that, hope everything will be fine.
Regarding trump and asylum, is there any new policies that trump suggesting regarding asylum and if the are how long it take him to implement them. I always worry may be could suspend all the asylum thing, that will be life and death matter for me.
Thanks Jason, I just did that, hope everything will be fine.
If you get interview in late months like November or December, does it affect the probability of being accepted, I mean is there some quote in how many could be accepted for that year. Regarding trump and asylum, is there any new policies that trump suggesting regarding asylum and if the are how long it take him to implement them. I always worry may be could suspend all the asylum thing, that will be life and death matter for me.
There is no limit to how many people can be accepted for asylum. If he wins, Trump can cause problems for asylum seekers (a few months ago, I wrote a post about the Republican Party platform that discusses this point a bit). However, it would take an act of Congress to eliminate asylum. Take care, Jason
Hello, my niece is at Denver facility. Any idea of how long could be the wait for the credible fear interview?
Usually those take place quickly – within a few days of being detained. But now with the delays, I do not know how long people are waiting. Sorry, Jason
Applied in may 2015 under new jersey office. Never got fingerprints is it normal? Is there any form I can mail to them to request fingerprints?
It is not normal (at least in my local office – Virginia). I recommend you contact the NJ office and ask about this. You can find contact info for them if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I applied in September 2016, did my fingerprint a week ago. But I got a letter tell me to bring 3 copies of evidences of my family members on my date of interview. But an interview date has not b given yet. Is this a sign that my interview will be coming up soon?
It sounds to me like a receipt. If it is a blue piece of paper, it is a standard receipt that everyone gets, and it talks about bringing the family documents. To get an idea about when your interview will be, check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right. Take care, Jason
Sir , can you tell me please regarding the asylum process and timing manner in texas? In which state of usa the asylum process take less time?
Thanks
Waiting for your response
Check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – it will give you an idea of the waiting times. A link is at the right. Take care, Jason
thank you for taking the time to answer everyones questions, First of all i applied in sepetember 2016, how much time does it take to get receipt confirmation from uscis and when can i start counting to 150 days so that i can apply for EAD?
You should have a receipt in less than 4 weeks, and you can start counting the 150 days from the date listed on the receipt. Take care, Jason
hello jason,
i read your answers to the questions asked by the peoples, i found your answers very helpful,
i have also one question
i am going to apply for the asylum may be in this month and my wife and my daughter are co-applicant with me, and i will apply in california office so (i am on visitor visa)
i just want to that if i apply so how much time it will take for the interview schedule?
and i heard that after application how many months later i can apply for work permit?
and can i stay here legal after application because my visa will be expire in october?
thanking you
Once you apply for asylum, you can stay in the US until the case is finished – even if your visa has expired. After you file, you have to wait 5 months and then you can apply for a work permit. It takes 1 to 4 months after that to actually get the permit. As for how long the case will take, no one knows. You can get some idea about when the interview will be held if you check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, I must say you are a bundle of info and a great help with all your responses. My wife and I filed for Asylum in August 2014 through our Lawyer. Thankfully, Our EAD was processed and received within the said time. What baffles me though, is waiting time. We are under Arlington WV and I saw that the Interviews they are still scheduling are the January ones. I also read that some people actually filed for asylum in 2014 and were surprisingly called for interviews couple of months later. At this pace, if i may ask, how soon do you think our interview will be granted and most importantly, does the waiting period also count towards being granted a Greencard
The waiting period does not count towards a Green Card. The system changed at the end of 2014, so many people (about 50%) who filed in 2014 have already been interviewed. How long you will wait, no one knows. It could be 4 or 5 months, but it could be much longer. My guess is that things will be slow until at least November, as many people are trying to enter the US before Trump is elected (Heaven forbid). After the election, maybe things will speed up, we hope. Take care, Jason
Hi Sir,
i submitd my case on the 23rd of June 2006 to Arlington office and i got the notice that they have received my case but up to this moment i dint receive any thing to do finger prints . the question does it take more than 2 month to do finger prints??????.
I assume you mean 2016. It can take a few months for the fingerprint notice. If you do not hear anything soon, contact the local office and ask about this. Contact info can be found if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Here is an interesting website that supports this analysis. Check it out:
https://affirmativeasylum.wordpress.com/bulletin/
Thank you – it is a strange website. Do you know who created it?
I filled asylum in March 2014 in the state of Iowa ,I then moved to the state of Texas and my case was moved to Houston asylum office .when am I scheduled for interview?
You should be interviewed according to the schedule in the new asylum office. However, you may want to contact the old and new asylum offices to make sure that the case was moved and that you are still in the queue in the new office. You can find asylum office contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi jason ,
I applied for asylum on october 2014 in los angeles.I havent got my interview yet.
Because of my business i should travel to canada and other countries.
I would like to know if I can apply travel document for my business.
Thanks
Osman
You can try. You apply for Advance Parole, using form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov. You are supposed to give a “humanitarian” reason for the travel, which may or may not be easy to do, if you plan to travel for business. Plus, typically, the Advance Parole document is only good for a few months, so travel abroad is not all that easy. Anyway, you can try. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I wanna expedite my case due to emergency . I had surgery , is this enough for expedite?
Thanks
Maybe – Get evidence of the surgery and explain why expediting your case would help your health condition. Also, you have to follow the procedures to expedite of your local asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
my finance is currently here on Touirst visa. We are planing to marry some time soon. My asylum case is still pending. Can I join him in my asylum application after getting married? His currently on a Touirst visa. Can he stay with me after his tourist visa is expired? I thank you in advance for your help.
Also just wondering any clue how many applications are in Newark asylum office as they have been processing July 2013 from last three months.
Thanks again
Fiancé *
Fiancé * I meant
I do not know how many application are at Newark, but obviously, they are not moving very quickly. Most likely this is because they are working on “priority” cases from the US/Mexico border. As for your fiancé, if you marry, he can be joined to your asylum case. Also, he should be eligible for the EAD at the same time as you. Contact the Newark office and they should be able to give you info on how to join him to your case. You can find contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
I am also being in the same situation as well…
So if I came to US with tourist visa and get married
with my bf I would probably join his asylum case..
do I need a lawyer to deal with the case?
will it slow down his case or not?
…and my country is not the country that could apply asylum case will it be possible?
Thank you very much for your help
If you are legally married, you can join his case. Contact the local asylum office for instructions on how to do that. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. It should not slow down his case. The fact that you are from another country probably will not affect his case, but it could. For this part, I recommend you talk to a lawyer to evaluate how the marriage to you might affect his case. Take care, Jason
Mr Jason
Hi
This is Amin from Californian, Please let me ask two questions about asylum process.
1-I have Scheduled to send my asylum request within 20 days , in California. as you know there is 2 Locations in California for this purpose,Los Angeles and San Francisco and I’m living in orange county that is near to Los Angeles, is it possible to send my request to San Francisco or no ?
2-If president changed in USA, Does it have ability to change and effect asylums processing for filled requests or Senate can change this law?
Regards
(1) You can check the asylum office for your address by entering your zip code into the Asylum Office Locator (a link is at right). You must submit the application to the office with jurisdiction over where you live – you cannot choose (also, you normally do not mail the application to the local office – check the I-589 instructions for where to mail it). (2) Yes – some changes, the president can do on his or (hopefully) her own; others require congressional action. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason , I have submitted my asylum application on February 2016 from Maryland baltimore ,done with my fingure print but waiting for interview date it’s been almost more then 150 days is it normal wait time period for interview thanks
You can check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin, as discussed in the article. I also wrote about this issue on June 7, 2016, and maybe that would be helpful for you. Take care, Jason
i applied for asylum on jun 2015 in newyork,can you kindly tell me when will be my date come.thanks
No one knows. You can see who is being interviewed today if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin. This will give you some idea. Also, I wrote a post about this on June 7, 2016 which might help you. Take care, Jason
Hi I applied for asylum in September 2014 at newark. Can you tell me how long it will take for my interview
No one knows. The best you can do is check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin (a link is at right) to get some idea. Take care, Jason
Thanks
Hi Jason
I’m an auntie of a 21 y.o. guy who has been leaving in USA since 2014. He applied for his asylum in 2015 due to political situation in the Ukraine. He transferred his case to Massachusetts as he’s got a job over there. Could you please give me an idea about waiting period in that State as the schedule does not indicate it?
I have one more question. I live in Australia. Is it any chance I could bring him here on a student visa while he is waiting on his interview in the USA? Or he will be officially deported from the country?
Very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Olga
His case will be interviewed in Boston, which is a sub-office of New Jersey. USCIS does not publish the waiting times for sub-offices, but they are general slower than for the main office (Newark, NJ), which you can find on the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin (a link is at right). A person with a pending asylum case can apply for Advance Parole (form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov), which allows them to travel outside the US and return, but there must be a humanitarian reason for the trip, and the amount of time they give you is pretty limited. My guess is that this would not work for someone who wanted to study abroad. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Its nice to see someone helping people by answering there questions.I have a question regarding my asylum case i applied in September 2015 in newyork still waiting on the interview date can you please give me a roughf idea how long will it take to get finally get an interview and is it better to have a lawyer with me on interview?
Please let me know thank you.
No one knows when the interview will be – they can only tell you who is being interviewed now, which gives you a very rough idea about when you might get interviewed. I did a posting on this topic on June 7, 2016, which might be helpful. As for a lawyer, it’s up to you, but I think the lawyer’s most important jobs are preparing the case (evidence, Applicant’s statement) and practicing with you prior to the interview. At the interview itself, the lawyer’s job is very small. If you can afford to hire a lawyer to help get you ready for the interview, it is worth it, especially if you have issues that you need to think about before the interview. Take care, Jason
Jason Thank you so much for your help.
Hi,
I am from Iran and have applied for asylum due to my religious conversion. I still have a valid J1 visa. My child is in the US with me with a valid J2 visa and included in my asylum application. My husband is in Vietnam but included in my asylum application. I live in Tucson.
i have 3 questions:
1. If my husband applies for a j2 visa from Vietnam, what is his chance of getting the visa and joining us? Will my asylum application affect his j2 visa application?
2. Can my parents visit me in the US ? What is their chance of getting a tourist visa? my parents have been to the USA before.
3. I am getting employed in a federal government job. (assistant professor in the department of defense, DLI) Is there any chance to invite my husband through my employer?
Thank you!
Vida
1 – Your asylum application probably will make it harder for your husband to get a J-2 visa, but of course, he can try; 2 – Your parents also may have a harder time getting a visa to visit as a result of your asylum application, but again, they can try; 3 – If you are still in lawful J-1 status and your employer sponsors you for an H1b, you should be able to bring your husband to the US as your dependent – your asylum case should not affect an H1b case. You should discuss this with a lawyer, though, to make sure you are eligible for an H1b. Take care, Jason
Hi Mr. Jason my name is Mohamed. I moved from Apt to another in the same city, same state, should I let the USCIS know ? And could that cause any delay on my interview schedule ?
And last question when do you think i will get my interview ?
I filled out the asylum application on July 2014 in Arlington, VA
Best regards,
Mohamed
You should let them know (using form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov). It should not affect the timing of your interview. I do not know when you will get the interview. Arlington is currently interviewing people from January 2014, so hopefully it will not be too long, but things are moving very slowly there, so you will have to remain patient. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for all the information on the blog. It`s very useful to us.
I would like to know if I can apply and get the travel document (I-131) while my asylum application is still pending? Is it possible to leave the U.S while my asylum is not yet granted?
Sincerely,
Daniel
In general, it is – you need to have a humanitarian reason (like a sick family member and a letter from the doctor), and you apply for Advance Parole using the I-131. However, depending on the circumstances, some people might have trouble leaving and returning to the US, so you should talk to a lawyer before you go. Take care, Jason
Good day!
Appreciate ur time and effort.
My question is- is it true that if ill change my home adress and ill repot it, it will delay my interview.
We applied from NY in January 2015.
Only if you move to the jurisdiction of another asylum office (you can see your asylum office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator). Even if you do move, it is not supposed to delay the interview, but I am not confident that a move will not affect your interview date. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason, I filled my case in May 2015 to Newark office and regarding schedule of the USCIS they are working on the cases of 2013, and I have an emergency with my family they in bad situation, what I have to do to request urgent interview ? Is there any options I’m really confused(
You can request an urgent interview – give the office evidence about the emergency (for example, a doctor’s note for a sick relative). You can also email them to ask for a faster interview – you can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Finally, you cam apply for a travel document (called Advance Parole, form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov) and visit your family in a third country. You need a humanitarian reason for the travel (again, a doctor’s note is helpful). Many times, these are not very fast, but you can try. Good Luck, Jason
Hey Jason can I ask you question are the immigration lawyer? Can I get consultation from you? If yes could you send me email pls? Thank you!
I am only doing in-person consults at this point, as I am too busy. If you are in DC, you can email me for an appointment at Jdzubow@DzubowLaw.com. Take care, Jason
Hi jason
First of all im so glad i’ve finaly found someone who can answer me so thanks alot.
I wanted to ask about the maximum wating time to get an asylum interview could it reach 4years or more!!!
My fiancee Applyed for the asylum on 2014 December .after a year at 2015-september he got Work approval but no interview yet. after the interview How long all the Procedures would take so he can take me with him and then we would get married
If you can get married while his case is pending, you can be joined to his case, which will allow you to get asylum at the same time as him (if you are in the US) or allow him to file immediately for you once he wins asylum (if you are outside the US). So you know, if he needs to travel to meet you in a third country in order to get married, it is possible for him to leave the US an drew-enter using Advance Parole (form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov). And as for the waiting time for a case, check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at the right. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I applied for asylum in June 2013 and i didn’t get a chance of interview by the Los Angeles office yet.
by the advice of an attorney i file a lawsuit in November 2015 but it didn’t worked.
what should i do now and how may i get an interview appointment>??
what will be the sequences of the lawsuit on me?
Everyone is facing very long delays, and LA is the slowest office. I suppose you can submit a request to expedite the case directly to the asylum office. You could also move to a place with a faster office. In general, though, you just have to wait for the interview. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason I recently applies my asylum case in Denver Colorado I did not yet get my EAP I wondered if I can move to houstan Texas to work and live there cause here I don t have anybody but in Texas I have a lot opportunity so what j shall do?
You can, but if possible, keep your current address until 180 days have passed after you filed your asylum case – or better yet, keep it until you have the EAD card in your hand. Otherwise, you may have trouble getting the EAD. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I applied in October 2014 in Newark asylum office. do you think I can get asylum interview sometime around July next year. As they are interviewing July 2013 applicants from last 2 months.
No one knows – while the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin is helpful for knowing if your interview will be soon, it is not so useful for predicting how long you will wait – Cases could move more quickly or more slowly depending on many factors, so you will just have to keep checking the schedule to see whether cases are moving in NJ and to get a sense for when your interviewing is coming. Take care, Jason
I filed Asylum on August 2013, based on the webpage of schedule they have already processed the application scheduled for this period. Still I did not received any updates. Has this happened to anybody?
You should send an email to your local office to tell them; hopefully that will help. You can find their email address if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi I file for asylum in December 2013 in Miami and I steel did not receive invitation for interview .Can someone advice me
Look at the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at the right. It will give you an idea about who is being interviewed in Miami. Take care, Jason
Hi,
First of all thanks alot for taking the time to answer all our disprate questions.
We applied from virginia arlington office ON auguast 2014 ,and now my husbend moved to CA but me my kids are still living in virginia and our physical address is in VA do we still have to transfer our case to LA office, i know that we will keep our position in the line but LA ismoving very slow
Appreciate your time
If you have a legitimate reason to say that VA is the permanent address and CA is the temporary address, you should be fine to stay in the VA office. If you are not sure, talk to a lawyer about the specific situation, but it sounds like your main address is in VA, not CA. Take care, Jason
helo
i filed for asylum in january 2016 and now am about getting married to my girl friend who is a green card holder,my question is how can she file for me so I also get my greencard?
thank you
Because of the waiting time to get a green card when another green card holder files for you, this may not work unless you leave the US and return. If she becomes a US citizen, it will likely be much easier. Nevertheless, you should probably talk to a lawyer to see whether you can start the process now, or whether it is better to wait. Take care, Jason
hello
i applied at LA office January 2014 and i didn’t get any interview yet
my question is when i applied i claimed as single and what if i want to go out side the state and get married now are they’ll accept to add my wife to my file since i didn’t get any interview yet knowing that i applied for advanced parole and still pending , knowing that i traveled last year and came back with an advanced parole to
thanks
Hayden
LA is the slowest office in the US. You should file an AR-11 form (available at http://www.uscis.gov) if you change your address. If you get married, and your wife is not a US citizen or resident, you can add her to your case. Email your asylum office and ask about the process to add her. The email is available if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
My case is exactly like Zara Case (Newark asylum office, submitted on Feb 2014).
In your response you said: “They will automatically move the case, but you will keep your place in the queue (2014).”
I did not get what you said.
Let’s say this:
I filled my asylum case on Feb 2014 in Newark Office, and now transferring to New York office. Based on interview bulletin, now during March 2016, New York asylum office interview July 2014 cases.
So, what exactly will happen to my case if I transfer it to New York office while they already passed the cases that have been filled from Feb 2014?
Will they schedule an interview for me for the earliest available time? Or they consider my case after the cases that have been filed in New York office after March 2016, just because my case gets there at March 2016?
Thanks.
I am not sure – I attended a meeting with USCIS some time ago and they stated that you keep your place in the queue if you move. This is a relatively new policy, and whether all the offices follow it all the time, I do not know. However, you should get the interview soon, since they have passed your date. If not, you should email the new office and tell them that they passed your date. Hopefully, they will then schedule you for an interview. You can find their email address for your local office if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason
I live in Arizona and should file in Los Angeles. Is it allowed if I file in Texas or San Francisco They have better processing times and going to LA is already not where I live ?
Would thy accept my case in any other office but LA ?
Thanks
You must file based on where you live. Unless you give a fake address, which causes all kinds of problems, you will be assigned a location based on your home address. You can see which office is yours if you look at the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
So in my case, I live in Arizona and the locator says I should belong to LA office, do I follow the same waiting time frame as LA office or I get different processing time as I’m from outside California?
Thanks
Unless you are at a sub-office, which is not shown on the chart, you follow LA. I do not think you are at sub-office, but I am not sure. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I filed mine in May of 2015 and have not gotten an interview yet, would you kindly let me know if they are close to getting to mine, if you may know where they are currently at?
Thanks, AJ
You have to check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin, a link is at the right, to get an idea of who is being interviewed at your local asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I am planing to move to NEW York next month
My case is in Newark asylum office.I applied in 2014,Do I have to transfer the case to New York asylum office?if yes,will I get the interview date based on my application date which is in 2014. my new apartment is on New York asylum office service area.I appreciate your response !
You have to tell the Asylum Office by filing a change of address form (AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov). They will automatically move the case, but you will keep your place in the queue (2014). Take care, Jason
Hi Zara, my situation is exactly same like you. My case is in Newark office and I am going to move to area is on New York office. I wonder how it goes with you, Is that make you case to delay more or it become faster. please can you let me know what happened with your case.
i applied in Huston TX and what do you think when i expect for my intervew i send a letter and explain my situation
because i am a mother with my teenagers do you think it work and affect for acceleration ti my intervew????
It is very difficult to make a case faster, and seem largely to be a matter of luck. Maybe the letter wile help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason can you send me the link of the form where can i find im not sure the name it was expedite my asylum case? it is like to ask the USCIS to make my case faster? because actually i have reasons my 2 kids are in my country they are not with me here in USA and i am disable so i have a big stress
There is no on-line form for this. You can contact the asylum office and ask – contact info can be found if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Good luck, Jason
hello jason
THANK YOU FOR ADVISING AND HELPING PEAPLE .
I HAD MU INTERVIW ON MAY 5 .I GOT FORM TO GET DECISION A
ON MAY 19 .I GOT BY MAIL LETER FROM SUPERVISOR THAT THE OFFICE IS CLOSE FOR PUBLIC THAT DAY AND THEY ASKED ME TO ON MAY 26. ON MAY 22 MY LOWER GAT CALL FROM IMMIGRATION OFFICE TO WAIT FOR DECISION BY MAIL.
I DIDEN GAT DECISION YET .CAN YOU EXPLAIN PASEBILITYS PLEAS
This is very common – Often the decision is delayed due to security background checks or other reasons. Sometimes, you only wait a few months; other times, unfortunately, you can wait many months. Hopefully, you get a good decision soon. Take care, Jason