After you file affirmatively for asylum, you will wait for months or years, and then finally, you will have an interview. What happens at this interview? And how do you prepare for it?
The interview is a (supposedly) non-confrontational conversation between the asylum applicant and an Asylum Officer. It takes place in an office; not a courtroom. You can bring an attorney and/or an interpreter with you to the interview. And sometimes, an Asylum Office supervisor or trainee is also present.
Before the interview, when you arrives at the Asylum Office, you need to check in. This consists of giving the interview notice to a receptionist, who will take your photo and fingerprints, and give you a paper to read. The paper reminds you of your obligation to tell the truth and lets you know that you can bring an interpreter with you to the interview. Do not sign the paper—you will sign it once you are with the Asylum Officer in the interview room.
The interview itself is divided into a few parts.
First, the Asylum Officer will explain and administer the oath, during which you will promise to tell the truth. If you have an interpreter, the Asylum Officer will also make her take an oath. For people using an interpreter, the Asylum Officer will call another interpreter on the phone, and this person will monitor the accuracy of the interpretation. If the interpreter you bring makes a mistake, the telephone interpreter will correct it (remember to speak loudly and clearly, so the person on the phone can hear you).
After the oath, the Officer will review your form I-589 and give you an opportunity to make any corrections or updates. It is important to review the form yourself before you go to the interview, so you are ready to make corrections and updates when the time comes.
Once the form is corrected, you will reach the heart of the interview, where the Officer will ask about why you need asylum in the United States. A few points to keep in mind here: First, if the Officer asks you a question that you do not understand, do not answer the question. Instead, ask for clarification. The Officer is typing what you say, thinking about his next question, and reading your file, all at the same time, so he may well ask you a poorly-worded question. It is not a problem—and indeed, it is common—for an applicant to ask the Officer to clarify a question. Do not be afraid to do that. Second, if you do not know the answer to a question, or do not remember the answer, do not guess. Just say, “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember.” If you guess, and your answer is different from your documents (or different from other information that the Asylum Officer has), it may cause the Asylum Officer to believe you are not telling the truth, which could result in your case being denied. Obviously, it is better if you know and remember the facts of your case, so make sure to review your statement before the interview.
There are certain questions that the Officers usually ask, and you should be prepared for them: Why do you fear returning to your country? If you or a family member have been harmed in the past, describe what happened. If you face harm from a terrorist group or other non-governmental actor, can your home government protect you? Is there somewhere in your country where you can live safely? If you are a member of a political party, the Officer might test your knowledge of the party by asking about its leaders or history. If you are seeking asylum based on religious persecution, the Officer might ask you about the tenets of your religion. For people who served in the military or police, the Officer might ask about the nature of your service, and whether you might have engaged in persecution of others. If you ever had any interactions with a terrorist or insurgent group, the Officer will ask about that. The Officer will also want to know about other countries you have lived in, or traveled through. If you left your country and then returned, the Officer may want to know why you returned home then, but do not want to go back now. Also, the Officer will have a copy of any prior visa applications (possibly including applications made to other countries or the United Nations) or any other documentation you submitted in an immigration matter, so you should be prepared for questions about prior applications. Of course, depending on your case, the questions will vary, and that is why it is so important to review your case before the interview and think about the types of issues that might come up (and if you have a lawyer, she should think about and work through these issues with you).
Usually near the end of the interview, the Officer will ask you the “bar questions,” which everyone must answer: Have you committed a crime or been arrested? Are you a terrorist? Did you ever have military training? etc.
Sometimes at the end of the interview, the Officer will ask whether you have anything else to add. If the Officer covered all the major issues, I recommend to my clients that they simply thank the officer and end the interview. Some people want to give a long statement about their desperate situation or their family members’ problems. In my opinion, such statements are not helpful, and could end up causing more problems than they solve.
Finally, the Officer will instruct you about the next steps–the Officer will not give you a decision on the day of the interview. Either you will be required to return to the Asylum Office to pick up your decision (usually in two weeks), or they will send the decision by mail (which could take days, months or years). I always caution my clients, even if the Officer tells you to return in two weeks, it is very common for pick-up decisions to be canceled and turned into mail-out decisions. In other words, until you have the decision in your hand, you have to remain patient, and you cannot make any plans.
The whole interview process can take an hour, but more often, it takes a few hours. On occasion, it takes many hours, and sometimes the Officer will ask you to return another day for more questions.
So what do you do to prepare for the interview? First, make sure you have submitted all your documents and evidence in advance, according to the rules of your local Asylum Office (in my local office—Virginia—for example, we are required to submit all documents at least one week in advance, but local rules may vary). Second, review your statement and evidence prior to the interview. Think about what issues may come up, and how you want to respond to those issues. Bring with you to the interview your passport(s) and any original documents you have. If you have dependent family members as part of your application, they need to attend the interview too (though usually they will not be asked many questions by the Officer). Dress in a respectful manner. Be on time or early.
The interview is a key part of your asylum case. If you know what to expect and are prepared to address the issues–especially any difficult issues–you will greatly improve your chances for a successful outcome.
Hi, I have asylum interview on 29th of June, 2017 in virginia .
What are the documents I should take during interview? Do I have to copy those or should I take original documents? Do I have to submit my statement(story) during interview date? Is there any other documents I have to take except documents below? Thanks in Advance.
Interview notice
I-589 application
evidence(police/medical/others)
Passport
Date of birth certificate
Marriage certificate
Educational documents
I really cannot answer that, as I do not know about your case. But you need to submit all your evidence (birth certificates and other family documents, letters from friends, police reports, medical reports, school, military, and work records, etc.) to the asylum office, and you may need to submit that evidence before the interview. In our local office (Virginia), you must submit all documents at least one week before the interview. You can contact your local office to learn what the rule is there. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. As for what to bring to the interview, bring all original documents, especially your passport. It would not hurt to talk to a lawyer about this to help you prepare for the interview. Take care, Jason
Hi everyone
Thank you Jason for your amazing site,I want tell to everyone my experience ,Progressing in USCIS is not in order its depend how much you have chance and lucky (EAD,interviews,Travel docoument,GC,…) I know the person who is waiting more that 3 years for interviews and in same situation another person took approval and another one after 6 month got interview,the person who is waiting for EAD more than 100 days another one in same situation got it less that 30 days so i believe that it is only depend on your chance.
Thanks.
I agree that there is some random element to these applications, especially the time frame. But most people are interview in accordance with the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin, and most people get their EAD in 2 to 4 months, but in both cases, there are outliers. Take care, Jason
Hello dear JASON,
I am Syrian I applied for asylum in november 2013 and got my interview in April 2017. After two months of the interview I submitted an inquiry asking about the decision, but received a call from the officer asking for a follow-up interview!
What does this mean? Is it negative or positive thing? What to expect depending on your experience? Thank you very much
It does not necessarily mean anything positive or negative. It is likely that the officer forgot to ask you some questions or that the supervisor had additional questions for you. You should just prepare as before, and you will see what exactly they want. Good luck, Jason
Hello Sir,
Need your suggestions. My wife applied for asylum 2013,due to lack of information, she was in lawful f1 status when she applied and the result got denied. We got married 2014 and I applied for asylum under politics and secularism.my wife is Christian and I am Muslim. She faced torture because of having affair with Muslim man as well as caring her religious believe in a country where 90% is Muslim. I got my interview date now my question is are they going to interview her again? As I was not included in her application or the statement when she applied in 2013. How hard the interview can be for my wife? Wishing have some deep idea about the issue from you.
They could interview her, and so it would be a good idea to be familiar with her case and – if she knows – why she was denied. However, normally, an interview is mostly for the principal applicant and they do not interview the dependent, except maybe to ask the “bar” questions (“Are you a criminal?” “Are you a terrorist?” etc.). They can ask additional questions of the dependent, so she should be prepared, but usually they do not. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason! Thank you for all your help!
I was interviewed in Seattle by an officer from San Francisco office 2 months ago. No response yet. Do you think it is time to follow up? Any idea how long the San Francisco takes to get back after the interview? Is there some kind of an average?
hi Amy i wish the best for you would you please tell me when did you apply for I-589? because i have applied for asylum in Seattle on October 2016 and want to know my interview date.
Hi Yousef, mine fall of 2014, and the interview was in April of 2017. They do take a long time. Good luck!
Thank you so much ,you can guess my interview day in have applied october2016.it is going faster or same as you?
I understand.. I really think is more anxiety wait after the interview than before. We feel is more close the final decision. I usually try to send an E-mail every month to ask for some news. But also I won’t be annoying.
But I always noticed the official is traveling to the borders or some special assignation. I think they’re really busy.
I just don’t know what more to do. Just Wait.
There is no average wait times after the interview and it is very variable. I think there is no harm in contacting them to inquire. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thank you, Jason.
Hello Jason, As I told you a month ago, I had my interview in NJ, Everything was great with the Officer, but one week before the final decision, I receive a request for proof of immigration status in a third country. I sent it. But now I still waiting for some news.
I got married to a citizen, Do you think they’re waiting for getting a different status by marriage? or is usually this waiting? What can I expect according to you expertise?
My guess is that it is just a normal delay while they review the new information. I doubt that they will delay the case while they wait for you to get a GC based on marriage. You can contact the office to ask about the status of your case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Also, if you want, you can apply for the GC based on your marriage (if you are eligible), and this should not affect your asylum process. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for the wonderful article for the preparation of interview it has shed some light.
I live in Washington state and so i sent my application to Nebraska hence i expect it to be taken care of from San Francisco .I had included my name on the short list and i believe they might be calling me in short notice to appear for the interview if the chance arise.
My question is when they call where do they tell you to go for interview is it San Fransisco or they will allocate one of their offices in Washington state ,why i ask this is because if i have to appear the next day that mean its shouldn’t be away from Washington state to make it easier .
However i hope i’m wrong so please correct me if am think, if the chance has appeared from a shortlist it might mean that someone didn’t appear for interview in Fransisco hence i tend to think they will call you there.
Please advise Thank you.
I believe there is a sub-office in Washington State – I think in Seattle or Bellevue, but I am not sure. Maybe they would have you go to SF for an interview from the short list, but I do not think so, and I have never heard about that. I suppose if it is a concern, you could try to email them to ask. You can find their email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason ,will do that.
Hi Jason,
we have asylum case in LA office since 2016 on pending,My wife is main applicant, me and both my sons are dependent applicants,i have a problem in my life, and my wife wanna divorce . as i heard before if we be a approved asylum and she wanna divorce after approved , my case will be face with problem. what is your suggestion? is it better to divorce before interview or after being approved?
If you divorce before the interview, you will no longer be part of her case and you will need to leave the US or find your own way to stay (maybe you have an asylum case or maybe you have another way to stay here). If you win asylum and divorce afterward, but before you get the green card, you will lose your asylum status and you will need to do a “nunc pro tunc” application to get asylum again – you would want to talk to a lawyer about that. Also, if you are getting divorced now, you probably should talk to a lawyer to go over your options. Take care, Jason
Dear sir do you have office in California (orange county) ? If yes pls give it to me contact number.
Thank you
My only office is in Washington, DC. Take care, Jason
Hi my main caes number is it under cover my wife maincaes is it her
Can in back to my country with advance poral and than can i back to here after visit
Pls tell me . I must go my mother is sick . I am afraid fo back to here . You think so i can back usa ?
Thank you
Our case is it pending yet .
If you are the dependent (not the main applicant), and you return to your country, and then come back to the US on Advance Parole, you will probably be able to do that. It could create problems, though, depending on the case. If your wife’s case says that the whole family is in danger, for example, and you return, it would probably damage the case. Also, given the harder position of the Trump Administration, I suppose it is possible you would have trouble at the airport when you return, but again, if you are the dependent, it is more likely that you will be ok. I do recommend that you talk to a lawyer before you go, to review all the possibilities, since I do not know much about your case. Take care, Jason
Actually wr are pending case .
Hi sir
My wife is main applicant . We are pending . Can i have my self applicant before divorce?
We are saperat right now .
I think you would need to file a new I-589, but contact the local asylum office to ask the procedure for this, as it will be different than the procedure for an initial application.You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. You might also want to talk to a lawyer to make sure you file the new case correctly (I have not done this, so I am not sure about the procedure). Take care, Jason
Hey Jason,
I got my decision today and they reffred to the immigration court. I’m moving to Hawaii end of this month, do you think is it going to effect my approval rate if I transfer my case to Hawaii?
I got the decision from Newark newjersey.
You can Google “TRAC immigration” and get an idea about the approval rate in Hawaii. My understanding is that the court there is good and cases move relatively quickly. By the way, if you want to fly me to Hawaii to be your lawyer, let me know…
Hey jason,
If I want you to be my lawyer. Can you Please tell me the rates? And how does it work!
Also I checked the trac website their are so many outcome types such as, Removals, voluntary departures relief granted, no grounds for removal, which one am I in?
And also, when it comes to nationalities their are different
Average days to different countries. Do you think why is that?
Thank you.
Once you now who is your judge, you can look him/her up (though I think there is only one judge in Hawaii). You can find the Judge’s asylum grant rate, and this will give you some idea about the judge. As for me, as much as I would be happy to get a free trip to Hawaii, I think you will do better to find a local lawyer there. If I were to go, it would be pretty expensive, as it is a long trip and a long time for me to be away. Take care, Jason
Hi sir plse I received the receipt of my asylum form today and I they asked me to come with my husband and child who is only three months old now. My question is can I go for my interview only with my child since my husband is still in detention in Arizona? I was paroled
I think you have no choice. You may want to talk to a lawyer to assess the situation and try to determine whether they plan to detain you and your child (I cannot tell from your question where you are going or what is the status of your case). If you have evidence of your husband’s detention, you can bring that with you. Good luck, Jason
Helo Jason
Quick question. Asylum officer interviewed me yesterday. And she wasn’t satisfied at all from the beginning and she was so confused. But she interviewed me for three hours and fifteen minutes. Do you think why is that? If she wasn’t satisfied from the beginning she could I’ve finished the interview earlier right?
Also on my final testimony paper, doesn’t show any confused questions that she asked from me or the answers that I gave her.
Also she threw the original evidence documents, that I submit before the interview to her table without even looking at it or even keeping with her. Usually they are keeping those documents with them right?
Please answer these couple of questions, I’m so worried now!
Thank you.
Maybe the documents you submitted were not clear. She should keep the evidence, as it is part of your case. If you think she was abusive or did not listen to you or look at your documents, you may want to email the asylum office and ask for a supervisor, so you can inform the supervisor about the Officer’s behavior. You can find the email address if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thanks for the reply Jason,
Just one more question, why do you think she interviewed me for three hours and thirty minutes? If she has doubts from the beginning.
Thank you
They always do a full interview. Hopefully, during the course of the interview, you were able to satisfy her concerns so she can grant the case. Good luck, Jason
hello Jason
i was wondering that the interpreter during asylum interview must be an official interpreter or anyone can be interpreter?
Hi
John
I had applied asylum on 2013 and i was interviewed on November 2016 . Result still pending. I relied on myself and i did the interview by myself. Do not stressed much about unnecessary stuffs . Focused on your story first because you will answer questions based on your story ,nothing else . It just like a conversation between two people . When it comes to choosing an interpreter , i would advise you to get a community interpreter or a freelance interpreter who knows your origin and location well ,otherwise you will put yourself in trouble. Ask yourself the following questions before choosing an interpreter :Does your interpreter knows your country of origin? Does he /she knows your family address? Does he/she knows your culture,village and tribe?,cities and miles between ? What about dates and year of events? Does he /she has a map of your location? I went through all those tricky questions multiple times then in the very end of the interview i discovered that the officer in front of me had visited my home country couple times in past. You have to make sure that everything is clear and specific. Good luck!
Anyone who speaks both languages can do it, though they should be very fluent in both, and it does help if they have some experience interpreting. Also, it is better if it is not a close relative. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason! I would like to know the procedure. I was 21 when I arrived in the USA with my mom and my 3 year old sister,that was 2 years ago. We all applied for asylum together,I had written my own story,also my mom wrote her own story. We haven’t had our interview yet. I’m wondering how the interview will be,who will be interviewed? Will it be us both,my mom and I? Or will it be just her,since she’s the main applicant? And does it usually take place in the same room with the same person interviewing us both? Thanks for your time and help.
If you were 21 or over, you should have filed your own application. If so, you have a completely independent case from your mother. You can tell the asylum officer about your mother’s case, so they know there are two related cases and maybe assign both cases to the same officer. If you filed with her, as her dependent, then only she will be interviewed. You might also be interviewed, but usually it is much more limited. Most likely, you will not be interviewed at the same time, so you will not be with each other at your interview. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you so much for all your help.
I have a question regarding application I-589.
When my lawyer reviewed my I-589 application, he deleted all my answers for each questions and instead of that he answered with “please refer to the attached affidavit” (my personal statement). I asked him why? He answered: personal statement is enough and it is not required to answer I-589 questions and he sent it. My question is: Is it okay to not answer the I-589 questions?
I am afraid in the interview, interviewer asks me why I didn’t answer these questions, and answered with “please refer to the attached affidavit”. I feel it is disrespectful but my lawyer disagree and he sent my applications.
Please guide me in this matter.
Thank you for your consideration
God bless
Maybe the lawyer should have explained that better, but it is normal to refer to the attached statement. We usually put a short answer on the form and then indicate that we will submit an affidavit later (we do not submit the affidavit at the time of filing, since there is such a long delay, it would need to be updated anyway). In any case, I think what the lawyer did is normal and it should be fine. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much for your guidance.
God bless
Liz
when i filled my form i 589,i mentioned that i don’t i legal representative/attony.my question is this do i still have right to be represented even though i didn’t mention that before?
Yes – You can hire a lawyer at any time and they can enter their appearance as your lawyer with the asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, I filed in form I-589 for political Asylum since September 13th, 2016 and when for fighter pint already, i haven’t be call yet for interview. I am from the English speaking part of Cameroon and the government have cutoff the internet connection for more than three months now from the English region of Cameroon due to the current anglophone crisis, children and youths are arbitrary arrested assault,rapes, intimated, killing of innocent citizens and my family has been subjected to psychological and physical abuse, extortion’s and arrest detention without trail or seeing any judge by the security force of the bloody dictator of president Paul Biya of Cameroon in power since 1982 till date. i am afraid to lose my wife some of my children still living in hiding in cameroon due to these harassment , torture, illegal house search by security forces of president Paul Biya who operates with impunity.. 1- Can I request for expedited interview based on the face that my family back home in Cameroon is not safety? 2- Do i need a lawyer to write the request for expedite interview for me or i can do it by myself since i don’t have a lawyer?.. Thanks and hoping to read from you. God bless you.
1 – You can try to expedite based on the danger to your family. Get some evidence about this if you can (letters from the family members or others who know about their troubles). 2 – You can do it yourself. I did a post a few weeks ago (on March 30, 2017) that might help. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, Thanks very much for your advise. May the Lord Almighty give you more wisdom for the good job you’re doing to help people in out there. God bless you and your family.
Thank you, Jason
Dear Jason, I have an interview in a few days, they said in the notes I have to bring an interpreter. I think I can talk and understand. Maybe no perfectly but for sure good to talk. What are the criteria of the officials for canceling an interview if I don’t bring an interpreter?
If you can speak and understand English, even when spoken quickly, you should be ok. However, if the officer thinks you are not understanding, he or she can cancel the interview and tell you to return with an interpreter. In my experience, a client’s English ability goes down a bit during the interview because they are nervous. I think if you are not 100% sure about your English ability, you can bring an interpreter, just to be on the safe side. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I want to ask if it possible to for an Asylee to file in for EAD after he/she has done just the biometrics and it has not been upto 150days. That is can the immigration grant you an EAD when you have done just biometrics but haven’t done the interview and it has not been 150days
You can file, but it will be denied. You are not eligible for an EAD until 150 days have elapsed since the asylum application was received. Take care, Jason
Hello, thanks a hundred time for you help. I think you have to made a network of lawyers around US for you’ll be successful.
My question is that now I have in a week my interview I want to know what is the strongest point I have to focus as a venezuelan. Discrimination for sexuality or political issues? I argued both. Also, who works the interview is just one or two? I was calling some lawyers and they says first I’ll have a presentation abd then a real interview. It’s true?
An asylum officer conducts the interview and it should go pretty much as described in the article above. As for where to focus your case, it depends on the case, so I cannot say. However, “discrimination” is usually not a basis for asylum. You have to focus on your fear of “persecution,” which is usually physical harm, but can also be psychological harm or, in rare cases, economic harm. Good luck, Jason
Hello Jason, I received tested the notification for my interview is in two weeks, I have all ready but I don’t know if I have to go with a lawyer or not. Usually how much is the rates? I have to add my job status if is not add in the initial petition.
You can go with a lawyer or not. The rates vary, but it could easily be $1000 or more or less. The more important jobs for the lawyer are helping prepare your affidavit and documents, and practicing with you before the interview. The lawyer’s job at the interview is quite small – taking notes, asking a few questions or making a statement at the end. If you want to spend money on a lawyer now, you may be better off having a lawyer review your case and practice with you for the interview. Take care, Jason
I went to interview and after interview ask me for sec fingerprint and the officer talk about I 9 staff what’s ur anticipated?
It is pretty common to get a second FP appointment after an interview, and I think it does not indicate a result one way or the other. The I-9 is related to employment eligibility and I do not know what that is about. Take care, Jason
Hello, 2 weeks ago I had an interview with an asylum officer and today I got a notice for fingerprints. Does this mean I will be granted or do they need more information?
It probably just means that they need your prints again. Hopefully, you will get good news soon, but I do not think this notice indicates anything one way or the other. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I applied for asylum 3years ago and didnt get interview till now ,and after applying to asylum I got married to us green card holder and my husband got the citizenship 1week ago .
So If he is going to apply for petition to me from inside USA ,what should we do?cancelling asylum after petition receipt receving or wait until I receive green card?or what is your advice ?
Assuming you are eligible to get the GC based on the marriage, it is preferable to keep the asylum case alive until you actually get the GC (just in case something goes wrong with the marriage-based application). However, sometimes, USCIS is requiring that the asylum case be canceled before they adjudicate the GC, since they need the file, which is with the asylum office. You may just want to apply for the GC and see what happens. If it gets stuck, then you can decide whether to cancel the asylum case. Take care, Jason
Thanks jason for your early reply
So I should apply for GC without even put it on hold ?TIA
You cannot put an affirmative asylum case on “hold”. You can withdraw the case, but I recommend to my clients that they do not do that until the GC application is processing, or better yet, until they have the GC. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
On the 21st of March,I’ll be going with my sister to the court to serve as her witness in front of an Immigration Judge. I’m little nervous and not sure what to expect. What kinds of questions will I be asked and what can I do to be of great help to my sister’s case? How big of an impact will I have on her case as a Witness? I myself am an Asylum Applicant who haven’t been called for her interview yet,so I have no experience or whatsoever in such situations. Also,I was wondering if the judge will ask me questions about my own case. Please feel free to give any suggestion and information that will be helpful. Thank you so much for your time and kindness
It is too much to cover here, but your sister should (hopefully) have a lawyer, and the lawyer should go over all this with you. Be aware that the judge (or government lawyer) could ask you about your case, and that they could even have your file, so you should be prepared for that. I have written two posts about witness that are not 100% on point, but maybe they would help – December 21, 2010 and August 16, 2012. In general, I think witnesses are important and helpful, as long as they are prepared for their testimony. Good luck, Jason
Thank you so much Jason for your help. The hearing went really well,now we await on the Judge’s decision via mail. Any idea on how long that will take? Does the Judge listens to the recording of the hearing and read the evidences again before he makes his decision? Thanks
It depends on the Judge, but usually it is within a few weeks or months. Some Judges review the recordings; others rely on their notes. Good luck, Jason
Jason,
This is a bit off-topic but I hope you’ll answer. I intent to file an asylum application because my family and I have faced persecution. To be short, my father was wrongly accused of bribing an inspector and thrown in prison without having a chance to a fair trial. Back home, we belonged in the upper class and the lead prosecutor seeks revenge on my family because of past personal interactions (which should be considered conflict of interest). However, they seized almost all our assets, tried to turn my husband into an informer against my father. I fear that my parents won’t be able to support my education in the US anymore. The question is, what type of asylum should I seek? Is it political?
Thank you!
There is only one “type” of asylum in US law. There are 5 protected categories – race, religion, nationality, political opinion, and particular social group (PSG). Perhaps this is a case of imputed political opinion. It might also be a case of PSG, if they seek to harm everyone in your family (PSG has different definitions – family is one). Really, though the case is not 100% clear to me based on your description, and I do think it would be worthwhile for you to sit down with a lawyer and go over this. You have to get the case into a protected category; otherwise, you probably will not qualify for asylum. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I went to my interview today in Anaheim.I want to know how long does it take they ‘ll mail me my result.
We have seen it take a few days and we have seen it take several years (and counting), so you just have to be patient. If you do not have it in a few months, you can contact the asylum office to ask. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your time and dedication.
I went to my interview on March 01, 2017, and yesterday 03/02/17 i received a second letter to give my fingerprint
( my wife and me), could you help me to know what this mean??
Thanks
Given the timing, my guess is that there was some problem with the first fingerprints and they are having you do it again. But it may also simply be that the first fingerprints “expired” and so they need you to be re-printed. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason. Thank you for this blog. I filed for asylum based on PSG. I included my husband as dependant who entered the US with me. We’ve been married years before we arrived thd US. My husband doesn’t know my entire history of persecution which includes rape and sexual abuse that happened before our marriage. I need to know during the interview will he be sitting next to me hearing my story or will he be waiting outside? I suffer from ptsd and anxiety I don’t think I’ll feel comfortable talking about these topics infront of my husband. I also think that i will not be comfortable to be asked about these questions by male AO. Please advice. I’m in Los Angeles, CA. Thank you so much for your kind help.
You can ask the asylum office to give you a female officer, but you have to do that in advance. Normally, we do that once the interview is scheduled by sending them an email and explaining the reason, but you could send them an email now and ask about that, and then a reminder after the interview is scheduled. You can find their contact info and email if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. They usually accommodate such requests. As for your husband, normally, he would not be present at the time of interview, and you can inform the interviewer that he does not know all the details and that you prefer not to tell him. I believe they would respect your request. Take care, Jason
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
Dear Jason, We are about to file asylum based on our Jewish religion. We are from Hungary. We have lived in the UK for 5 years before we came here to the US. We were harassed and threatened both in Hungary and in England. We have been here for 4 months and we have to change our lawyer as he didn’t do anything for us so far. What do you think how hard it is to win a case with being Jewish and from the European Union? I would be interested in having a consultation with you as well.
You may have a decent claim from Hungary, as there seems to be many problems there. I think if you also have permanent residency in the UK, that might be a harder claim to make, but it depends on the facts of your case. My schedule is not great this week, but if you email me, we can find a time to discuss: Jdzubow@DzubowLaw.com. Take care, Jason
Am a gay on want to file for asylum . But dont no how to do it am here 7 months . Next question I file for a asylum on still get married to my boyfriend
You file for asylum using form I-589, available at http://www.uscis.gov. If you do not file within one year of arriving here, you may be ineligible for asylum, so if you want to do this, you should file soon. You can get married, and if your boyfriend is a US citizen, maybe you can get your green card based on the marriage (if so, asylum may be unnecessary, but that is up to you). Take care, Jason
Hello Jason
I filed a I-589 form in california and received a confirmation of acceptance. However I did not get an invitation to be fingerprinted. It has been around 1.5 month since I got confirmation but there’s no fingerprint notice yet. Whom should I contact? Is this problem normal? Thank you.
Normally, people get the fingerprint notice in about 1 month, so yours is a bit slow. Maybe wait another couple weeks and if you do not receive it, contact the local asylum office and tell them the problem. Maybe they can help you. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
how many days do they give on the letter to appear on the interview and i applied by jan 2015 and has not yet showed up for interview. which year and months of applicants are currently showing up for interview
Check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right. This will give you some idea about the time frame. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I applied for political asylum in Sep16. Now I am waiting for my Interview since then, I want to ask you that how much do they emphasize on the evidence? since I am very worried that I could not maintain the evidence in the situation I left the country furthermore I could not even file a complaint with police or any legal authority due to the hold of certain political party who are in power. So most probably all I have is just verbal. Therefore I feel that I will have to face a very difficult interview to prove what I say. I would like to hear your opinion on this.
Plus I am not satisfied with my current lawyer. I will shortly set an appointment with you.
Your work here in this website is impressive !
God bless you and your family
Basically, if you say something happened in your case, you are required to provide evidence about it, or explain why you could not obtain evidence. Of course, it is better to get evidence. Sometimes, that is just letters from people who know about the problems. It is possible to win a case based on testimony alone, without evidence, but that is more difficult, especially if the adjudicator believes you should have gotten evidence but failed to. As for the lawyer, if you are not satisfied, you should find someone else, whether it is me or a different lawyer. Take care, Jason
Hi dear Jason, thank you so much for helping people.
Do you have any idea of new rules over some countries and does it affect to the time period for interview? And how we can ask for expedite?
Having an immediate surgery while you have a miner with you and your husband is not here is a good reason??
Surgery can be a good reason to expedite. You can contact your local asylum office and ask them how to expedite a case, but for sure you want to provide evidence of the health issue, like a letter from the doctor. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. The new rules do not necessarily affect the time period for an interview, though for people from certain Muslim-majority countries, it could cause additional delay after the interview (or maybe they will not interview such people, but it is unclear how the new rules will be implemented – we will have to wait and see). Take care, Jason
Hey Jason
Thanks for all the information above. I am an here in USA on F-1 visa, please I have several questions to ask:
1) Do I get an temporal EAD immediately I file in for asylum here?
2) Now I have a work restriction on my SSN, can that be changed when I file in ?
3) I live in Oklahoma, can you please advice me on the best and nearest State that I can file in my asylum application since they will call me up for my fingerprint scan?
4) Will it affect my F-1 visa status if my asylum claim is denied?
1 – You must wait 150 days and then you can apply for the EAD. It usually takes between 2 and 4 months to get the EAD. 2 – It will change when you get the new EAD. 3 – Follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator and you will find your local office and where to file. 4 – I cannot say for sure, but usually not. One way it could affect is if the visa (glued into your passport) is expired and you have to leave the US to renew it. You may have trouble getting a new F-1 visa, so talk to a lawyer before you try that. Take care, Jason
Hello Mr. Jason
Please let me ask 2 questions:
1- we (me my husband and son) filed our asylum case on septemer 2016 and my mother wants file it right now can we add her to our case or no? or she should be individual.
2- she is 60 years old, can she use cash benefits after file her case (on pending), she can not work and has health issues.
thanks
1 – She has to file her own case; 2 – As far as I know, she is not eligible for any public benefits, but it may depend on where you live, and so I recommend you check with a local immigration charity, such as Catholic Charities (most cities have an office – you can Google it), as they may know more about this. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
we all appreciate the good work you are doing. My question is if some one claims asylum in USA and renew his passport not with intention of traveling, but just as a requirement of another visa will that count against him? can asylum office terminate asylum if National passport was renewed.
I doubt asylum would be terminated for this reason, but I suppose it depends on the case. Talk to a lawyer about it. Of course, if you have a fear of your home government, it is preferable not to renew the passport. But there are often good reasons to do that (you need a valid ID), and that can be explained to the asylum office. We have had clients do that without trouble. But again, it may depend on the facts of your case, so it is worth talking to a lawyer about it to be sure. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I would like to know if it is possible to apply for asylum 4 weeks after arriving in the US?
Thanks for your help
It is. The only real requirement regarding timeing is that you file within one year of arriving here. Take care, Jason
Sir I wqnt to know I came om b1 visa 16 months back and I don’t want to go back because I have threat to my life .can I file assallum now or not plz let me know
If you are in the US and fear persecution in your home country, you can apply for asylum. Whether you are eligible for asylum or can in your case, I do not know. I recommend you consult with a lawyer to get an idea about eligibility. One major issue is that a person is required to file for asylum within one year of arriving here. You missed that deadline. There are exceptions to the one-year filing rule, and you need to see whether you qualify for one. A lawyer can help with this. Take care, Jason
Hello Mr Jason
Thanks for the good work in helping us asylum seekers. You mentioned some of the general questions the immigration officer might ask those seeking political, religious or social asylum. What kind of questions are LGBT likely to be asked?
Thanks
Typically, we have not seen officers question whether the person is really gay, but they could ask about this – they could ask for information about when and how you discovered you were gay, your relationships, whether and how you told your family and friends about your sexual orientation. Such interviews are usually not very different than interviews based on other grounds. There is an asylum officer training manual section about LGBT interviews – you might try Googling for that and you should find it. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I have already applied for my asylum and I asked my lawyer to put my name in short list. He said he did put my name in short list. My question is how do I know whether my name is included in short list( any way to confirm?)
My second question I want to change my lawyer as he is usually not working on time and has delayed preparing it for more than 6 months. Any way I can change him and come to your firm?
You can change lawyers if you want, but you should know that lawyers are busy and cannot always do things as fast as their client (or they themselves would like). You are welcome to contact our firm after Jan 4 (I am currently out of the office) at Jdzubow@Dzubowlaw.com. You can contact the asylum office to ask whether your name is on the short list. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello,
I got my asylum approval 1 month ago, and now I am planning to travel to see my family in Egypt I am filing I -131 form for travel document so what are the most important reasons to travel there ? and do they need evidence? And where shoul I file it ?
Thanks a lot
If you travel back to the country where you fear persecution, it is very possible you will lose your asylum status. Sometimes, you can avoid that if there is a good reason for returning, like a very sick relative. However, even then you can lose your status. I recommend you talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your case before you try this. The form I-131 and the instructions (available at http://www.uscis.gov) explain how to file. Take care, Jason
HI Jason,
My asylum case as I mentioned earlier they denied my application C08 application for employment Authorization saying asylum was was granted. But, as of today i did not received any approval notice and they sent my another interview letter saying reinterview that notice G-56. Well then today they approved my EAD for two years. I don’t know whats up with my case. Will they interview me more strictly now. Will I have prepare more?
Things like this are not common, but they are not so rare either. I think you should prepare for the interview the same way you prepared for the previous interview. Make sure you are familiar with your case, and your evidence. Hopefully, it will be something minor and won’t take long. Good luck, Jason
Hello,
Thank you fore helping everyone outhere. I applied for gay assylum in january 2014 and I am still waiting for my interview. My boyfriend now is from cuba and next month he will apply for his green card under the CAA. We are thinking steeping into a marriage and apply together. Would this be possible and will I be able to get a green card as well.
Thank you
I do not know whether you would be eligible to benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act as his spouse. If so, that might be a better path for you than asylum, which is so slow. Talk to a lawyer about the CAA to see whether that is an option. Take care, Jason
Hello,
Thank you very much for helping everyone outhere.
Hi Mr. Jason
I applied for asylum but my case still pending.i would like to know if i can bring my husband here?if yes in which way?
Thank u
It is more difficult for a spouse to get a visa if you have a pending asylum case. The best visas for such a person are H1b or L, or any type of immigration visa (maybe he can immigrate based on another relative or a job). Also an A or G visa will work. If he is trying for a tourist visa or a student visa, it will be very difficult, since the embassy will think he plans to violate his status and remain in the US based on your asylum case. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason! Thank you for your help. I am an asylee applicant and I was wondering if the officer takes a look at the tax returns.
Another question: Is the fact that I am working, going to school and integrated in the community is helpful for my case?
Thank you.
Sylvie
Normally, I do not see them look at tax returns, but they could, and so you should be aware that they might. As for your integration into society, it might help in some sense, but I do not think that would be determinative of the outcome of your case. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied for asylum in Feb 2014, I already have my Ead and I am presently working, can I apply for student loan at this point?
You would need to talk to the school, as there are some loans that maybe you are eligible for; other loans, you are probably not eligible for. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I would like to file for asylum and is looking for a good immigration attorney. I am considering your firm from all the reviews I read thus would like to book a time and consult with you. Is consultation free or do I have to pay?
Thank You
With best regards
We do not charge for the initial consultation for an asylum case. You can email me (Jdzubow@DzubowLaw.com) or call my assistant Sinit (202-328-1350) to set an appointment. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
i have some questions.
We are all family with b1/B2 visa. i want to apply for asylum for domestic violence with my 2 kids. My husband is a policeman and we have to escape from him. my question is. If we apply and later my husband came in us is this bad for the process? and the second i will be divorced or it doesnt matter before the process. i want your opinion. thanks
I believe I already answered this question. But if your husband comes to the US, I do not see how it affects your case unless you are reunited with him. When you divorce will not affect your eligibility for asylum, but maybe it is further evidence of the troubled relationship with your husband. Take care, Jason
when i say come to usa i mean not reunited with me but maybe he will enter in us to find us.thnx
That should have no effect.