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 again,
Thank you for respond, in stead of going to the imigration office
decided to email them first regarding to a wait of 3 month result after the interview that i did not recived it yet, and the email back that i got from imigration office says: According to our service records, this case is currently under review by an asylum officer. The decision will be completed and mailed to you as soon as circumstances permit.
Anything you can say regarding to this answer, its been more then 3 month, is it an answer that might have positive result or negative,l.
Please advice..
Thank you..
I think a secretary checked and saw there is no decision, and so sent you this response. It is basically meaningless. Long waits after the interview are pretty common, and so I do not think there is cause for concern. You could try the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is at right, or you could wait a couple more months, and if you do not have a decision, email them again. It really is up to you. Take care, Jason
I got one year I filed for asylum after received my EAD card from SRC xxxxxxxxxxx now i have 1 year 3months 10 days . I don’t know when uscis will be call me for interview . Can you help me please
Check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right. It will give you an idea about when to expect the interview. Take care, Jason
Hey mr.jason when I entered the country I was 16 and iv been going to all my courts and now I’m 20 and I’m just now having my asslyum interview do you think this will affect the decision sense I’m not under age anymore even thou iv been to every court and they just not scheduled my interview
If you are having an interview with USCIS (as opposed to a court case) and if you are granted asylum, the court case will be dismissed, though likely you will need to go again to the court to inform the judge that you have been granted asylum. Take care, Jason
Hi, Jason.
Once again, thanks for all you do!
I just received notice of my asylum interview a little less than 2 years after my application. I am feeling very optimistic about it because I have a pretty strong case.
However, there is something that I don’t quite understand. Why was the interview scheduled so early? (Considering the estimated wait according to the Affirmative Asylum Scheduling Bulletin)
Is this a sign of anything? good? bad? Am I freaking out?
Just for context purposes. I am from Venezuela.
Thanks, Jason. You rock!
Do you mean that you were scheduled earlier than the date on the Scheduling Bulletin? If so, I do not know why, but we have seen instances where a person contacted the asylum office to ask about the case and the office put the person on the short list, and so they got interviewed more quickly (even if the person did not quite understand that they were being placed on the short list). Maybe that is an explanation. I hate also heard that some cases are being randomly interviewed. Or maybe there is reason they pulled your case. There is no way to know until you get there. Good luck with the interview, Jason
Hi Jason D,
I filed in for Asylum and my interview is on hand..but the US IS Interview letter is asking for 3 copies each of Identification (passport or Birth certificates) for my wife and kids, is this process normal?
I am not sure – normally, they want to see the originals and we submit 2 copies to the asylum office (it used to be 3, so maybe they did not update their letter?). Anyway, if they are asking for 3 copies, that is what you should give them. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason. Thank you for helping us all!
We were interviewed about 9 months ago in Seattle (SF officer interviewed us). Have not heard any updates. My attorney said that they had the annual meeting with the officials who collected cases and said that they would get back when they do…my attorney also said that they asked for no status updated inquiries. Anything at all we can do to prevent the years of wait to hear from them? I have a baby with developmental issues and I would like to have the response to possibly travel abd show him to doctors in other countries. Thank you for any input you may have on this!
You can contact the SF office and inquire about the case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Also, maybe you can prepare a letter with some supporting evidence explaining why you need a decision sooner (medical documents, doctor letter, explanation of where you plan to go for treatment, etc). Maybe that would help. You can also apply for Advance Parole if you want to travel before the decision (I wrote about that on September 11, 2017). Take care, Jason
Hi i hope the best wishes for you ,would you please share your timeline here???
Hi,
I had the interview on 10.11.2017, first the officer gave us a letter that says to go back by 10.25.2017 to get the answer, but after 3 days of the interview my lawyer called me and said that Officer told him that there is no need for us to go for the answer at the office they will mail it.
Now it is 1.7.2018 and there is no mail, i was planning to go tomorrow to ask for the answer directly at the office, is this good idea does it effect the answer or what should i do since already going to reach the 3rd month after the interview?
I do not think it harms the case to inquire about the status. You may want to email the office first, or at least check the office hours to make sure you can go there. You can find their contact info (and maybe their office hours) if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
I applied for asylum on 2014 and I had interview two month ago,now I got letter from USCIS which is referral notice and notice to appear and they sent my case to the court.
My lawyer told me I have to give him $7.500 for deposit and he will come with me to the court and working in my case.do I have pay that much money?
Should I get the lawyer or I can go by my self to the court?
And can I get married now to get green card ?
I hate to sound self-righteous, so I’m not going to talk at length about how truly appalling I find Green Card marriages to be. I’ll just tell you that it may not be in your best interest to do so because they’re pretty good at figuring out when a marriage is a sham.
Just see your asylum case through, and maybe shop for a new lawyer if you think your current one is overcharging.
Thank u Sara for your advise.
But it’s not sham Marriage.i’m with someone for two years and living together for 6 month.
I apologize if I sounded judgemental, Amin. The way you phrased it threw me off with regards to your intentions (“get married to get a Green Card”).
I wish you the best with your partner, and a very happy marriage. Good luck!
It’s ok Sara,I didn’t think you sounded judgmental 🙂
I know u just want to help and tell the truth.
Thank you very much 🙂
Thank you for the kind reply, Amin. 🙂
I wrote about who needs a lawyer on July 7, 2016. My opinion is that any case in court needs a lawyer. The fee you quoted is within the normal range, but you might be able to find someone cheaper. I wrote a bit about that on September 22, 2016. Maybe that would help. As for marriage, if you marry a US citizen, you may be eligible to get a GC that way. Talk to a lawyer to evaluate your eligibility. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason for your advise,I read your article about how to find a lawyer and it hepled a lot.
I have one more question,I want to Apply for marriage green card,do I have to go for first hearing to the court,right?
Do I have to apply for marriage green cart after first hearing or before go to the court?and will I have interview in the court with judge to approve my marriage?
I know I need to talk to another attorney but just I want to know a little bit about it before talk to new attorney
Thank u for helping
It depends on the case, but you have to go to any hearing that you have. In most cases, the person goes to court one or two times before the case can be terminated. In some cases, the judges issue the GC and in other cases, the case is terminated and USCIS issues the GC. It really depends on the case, but you and your spouse should be interviewed by USCIS, and maybe by the judge and government attorney as well. It is a good idea to have a lawyer for this, as it is easy to make a mistake. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied for asylum and had a court interview last year. Even before the interview was started, the prosecutor told my lawyer and IJ that he is going to beat this interview. Even if he did not win, he will appeal for sure. Therefore, IJ asked me if I want to exercise PD. May I know the following questions.
Is the government attorney entitled to challenge without asking any question?
– What will be the consequence of PD on getting the green card?
– How many types of PD in immigration law?
Thank you
Phyu
I am assuming this was a case in Immigration Court. If so, the government attorney is allowed to oppose the case aggressively. Maybe the attorney reviewed the case beforehand and felt it should not be granted. You and your attorney can decide to fight this or accept an agreement like PD (which is generally not being offered any more). If you have accepted PD (which means “prosecutorial discretion”), it means your case is put in limbo and is still pending; you never get a green card. However, the Trump Administration has basically done away with PD, so they might put your case back on the calendar and then you will have to try to win the case. Hopefully, you can win and get your status here. Take care, Jason
Thank you for the very informative answer. Yes, the case was in Immigration Court. Because the Trump Administration is getting rid of PD, might PD end up with “withholding”?
If I put my case on the calendar, how long does it usually take?
Another question is “Will my case assign to the same Government Attorney”?
Thanks,
Phyu
You could end up with asylum, Witholding or something else, depending on the case. The length of time depends on the judge – it could be several a months or several years. As for the government attorney, most likely it will be someone different, but it could be the same lawyer if that person still works there, and particularly if there is some reason to keep the case with the same lawyer. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I found out that you are very supportive.How can I contact you if I want to do consultation in detail or if I want to hire you for my case? How do you usually charge for the consultation?
Phyu
I am out of the office for a few days, but you can contact my assistant Sinit at SHaile@Dzubowlaw.com and she can help you. The consultation fee depends on what you need – she can tell you. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I’ve an asylum interview next week. I filed my asylum in 2014 may. My attorney is not being very supportive or informative. Do you think I should consult another attorney before I go for my interview or is it too late for it
It may be hard to find an attorney on such short notice, but it is worthwhile to go over the case and practice with a lawyer, and also to have a lawyer with you at the interview. If not, just review your statement, form, and evidence, and do your best to be ready. The above post may help a bit also. Good luck, Jason
Hi,good evening .i would like to know ,I lost my interview sheet so could you help me,how I can get it?
I am not sure what sheet you mean. If you are referring to the pick up notice, you can just go to the asylum office without it – bring your other asylum receipts and your passport and you should be fine. Take care, Jason
Hello,
I want to know if working in the US before the work authorization is granted affects my Asylum process
Working unlawfully in the US does not block you from getting asylum. However, it could affect other applications for immigration benefits, such as changing status. Most people do not do that and are unaffected. Take care, Jason
Merry Christmas.
Kate
Hello!!! I got my asylum interview last week. And they refered me to immigration judge. I would like to know if I can married and cancel my asylum case? Thanks
If you marry a US citizen and you are eligible to get the green card, you can do that – it is not so simple as canceling the case, and there are some pitfalls, so I recommend you talk to a lawyer to help you through the process. Take care, Jason
Ok i will talk to my lawyer. But do you know people who got their green card after cancel their cases and get married? Thanks
Yes – it is usually not a problem at all, but you still need to navigate the bureaucracy, which can be annoying. Take care, Jason
i applied asylam on 2005 i withdraw my case becouse i married us citizen after 7 years i divorce i can still refile my old asylam and i am fear to go to my country
You should be able to file a new asylum case. However, you will have to deal with the one-year filing requirement (you are supposed to file within one year of arrival or meet an exception). Given the time frame, you should talk to a lawyer for help with this. Take care, Jason
Hello Sir!
I am asylum applicant from Nepal. I have my individual hearing next year. At the mean time I am going to get married to American citizen within this year. It’s a gay couple marriage. So what is the law says in my cause? Do I have to take my asylum application back or will I get green card from marriage base? Which is faster? Plz help me I am so confused and what should I do?
Cases from Nepal have become more difficult to win, as country conditions have generally improved there, especially if you read the US State Department report. I think it would be better to do the marriage case and close out the asylum case. The process to do that can be a bit tricky, and so I recommend you use a lawyer to get it done correctly. Take care, Jason
Hello Sir!
I am asylum applicant from Nepal. I have my individual hearing next year. At the mean time I am going to get married to American citizen within this year. It’s a gay couple marriage. So what is the law says in my cause? Do I have to take my asylum application back or will I get green card from marriage base? Which is faster? Plz help me I am so confused and what should I do?
Cases from Nepal have become more difficult to win, as country conditions have generally improved there, especially if you read the US State Department report. I think it would be better to do the marriage case and close out the asylum case. The process to do that can be a bit tricky, and so I recommend you use a lawyer to get it done correctly. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied in June 2017 for asylum based on my religion convertion. I was lucky and got the interview in August. Actually I was 17 years old at the time of interview. I received another interview notice today (second interview). At the time of the interview I will be 18 !
The notice is sent directly from the asylum office and is asking “please see officer XX”. The time of interview is at afternoon. Is this kind of notice normal? Does the notice for second interview for your clients look like this or is the same format as the initial notice?
Thanks
The interview is one day after my birthday!!!
Hi Matt,
Could you please let us know of the reason of second interview?
and what they asked?
They asked more details. It took longer. Almost 6 hours. Officer could not finish it in one session and he asked me to go back the next day! I had to get a hotel near by.
Officer told since my case has been reviewed once I should expect the result soon! Who knows !? 🙁
It is normal to get a fast interview if you are under 18 years old. As for the second interview, it is difficult to know. It could be anything – maybe they just have a few more questions; maybe they need to interview you all over again. You should prepare as if it is a first interview, and make sure you are familiar with the whole case, and also bring any documents that you brought the first time. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Wr had pur interview more than 7 months ago and we have not heard anything from them. We did try sending an email inquiry for status update but no response for that either. My case is from Washington State – processed by San Francisco office. What can wr do next? Thank you so much im advance!
Hi,would you please share your timeline?
You can send another email – usually, the SF office is pretty responsive. If not, you can try the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is at right (they sometimes help with delayed cases). If that does not work either, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit – but talk to a lawyer about that if you are interested. Take care, Jason
Hello jason
One of my friend was filling out for one of employees at his uncle store in texas and he got ICE and has a pending case going on the court . He still has 2 month for his next hearing. But he will be vindicated as there is no proof of him working and he was just filling out. Can he file for asylum from California while this case is still ongoing ? He is in a F1 visa right now
If his case is in immigration court, he must file for asylum with the court. Remember that the one-year filing deadline applies (he should file for asylum within one year of arriving in the US or meet an exception to that rule). Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I had my interview last week and at the end of the interview the officer told me to send some additional documents to the their office (not to the interview location – interview was on a circuit ride). He told me that mailing them is fine and there won’t be an official request for those documents. Since the officer will not be in the actual asylum office, how will he review them? He said he will send his decision at the end of week (I think he will stay for more time in the circuit ride location) and thus I may get my decision a little later.
Do you think they will call me for a second interview just because of the additional documents or they just want to add those documents to my file too?
My second question is do you think the supervisor reads all he writes simultaneously at the same time as the interview? Or does he listen the interview from the other side?
One last question is how often do you think the supervisor does not agree with the interviewer? I heard that they may disagree with the interviewer but since the interview is actually conducted with the interviewer why would a supervisor try to change the decision.
I appreciate your help and thank you for your answers. You’re the best.
Make sure you put your alien number and (if you have it) the officer’s name and/or number on the letter you send. Also, keep a copy for yourself and send it by certified mail. It is possible that the new documents will result in a second interview, but it depends on the documents. I think supervisors generally agree with officer decisions, but not always, and it varies depending who is the supervisor. Take care, Jason
Hi Mr Jason,
I Will want to know if it’s normal for an asylum officer to keep your original document and to tell you that they Will send you back it with your approval letter?
Why can be the reason for her to keep it?she has doubts about the authenticity of thoses document?
The main reason they would keep it is to check the authenticity. There is a fraud detection until at USCIS and maybe they will have that until examine the documents. I suspect that this will cause delay in your case. Also, you may have to be a bit aggressive at trying to get documents back (after your case is done), as it is not their priority to return documents and we have seen documents disappear in the past. Take care, Jason
So if i understand,they think that my document are false?
How are they doing to verifie the authenticity?
And how many time can that take?
That is a possibility. Sometimes, they have examples of true documents; other times, they send the documents to the US embassy in your country to examine. Maybe there are other things they do as well. They do not really publicize this. Take care, Jason
Oh that Will take forever!!?
I think they have doubts about if my mum is really my mum and if the birth certificate is authentic.
If we send them a DAN test,even if the didn’t ask for that,can that resolve the issue?
I doubt it, but I suppose you can try if you want. DNA tests can be somewhat expensive, so maybe talk to a lawyer before you try that, to look at the specifics of the case and see if a DNA test is appropriate (of course, lawyers are not cheap either). Take care, Jason
I applied for work permit 160 days after my application for asylum was received. the same day I applied for asylum, I applied for change of address to another state. I just read an article now and I fear the work permit may take more time to be granted or may not be granted until the interview. please tell me its not true. as it is I will soon go homeless
If you are not in immigration court, the move should not result in a delay for the EAD. It used to, but it should not any more. Nevertheless, we are sometimes hearing about people having trouble after they move. But if you get the receipt, you should be fine. Also, make sure you changed your address for the asylum (form I-589) and the EAD (form I-765) on the USCIS website using form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
Good afternoon!
I’m a little confused, I see that some asylum seekers can check the internet interview schedule, could you help me? How can I check this schedule? I’m from Maryland!
Thank you!
There is a link at right called Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin that shows each asylum office and the cases that are currently being interviewed there. There is no way to specifically check the status of an asylum case on-line. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I would like to ask you a question:
I had my interview by 10.11.2017 and after the interview Officer gave me a paper saying to go and take the answer at the same place by 10.25.2017, but my layer called me few days later letting me know that the Officer called him back and said to him that i don’t have to show at the office at all they will mail the answer to me.
Now i am a bit confused, still did not receive any mail (so pretty much is almost 2 weeks of the interview), if i do not receive anything by 25 should i go at the office to ask for answer, or what should i do?
This is very common. Sometimes, the decision comes quickly, but it can also take a long time (months or years). Typically, if we do not get a decision in a few months, we contact the asylum office to inquire about the case. I will say that decisions seem to come somewhat faster these days, so hopefully you will get something good soon. Take care, Jason
Thank you very much. Have people been granted asylum even over mail? I mean it does not necessarily mean that if you receive a decision over the mail you will get called for a second interview, or referred to the judge?
People receive grants by mail – the fact that they will mail the decision does not indicate anything good or bad for your case. Take care, Jason
Thank you for your responds..
Hi, Mr Jason
I would like to know if at the end of an asylum interview they made you signe a written record, is that usual?
And if you didn’t finish to sign the record,can you
come back like after 3months and only sign the same record? Or will they just redo the asylum interview again?
Once in a while, the officer makes a written record and has you sign it. Usually, that is for people who were in the military or who gave money to a terrorist group (often under duress). In the large majority of cases, the asylum applicant does not sign such a documents. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I have applied asylum based on religion in July 2015. I just checked USCIS scheduling bulletin, it shows as of September 2017, they have scheduled the interview for the person who filed an application during Sep 2015, but obviously, I did not receive any notice, is it normal? thank you
If they skipped your interview date, you should email or contact the local asylum office to ask about what is happening. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Good afternoon !
Do I have a question, please, for asylum seekers residing in Maryland, where or in which city does the asylum interview with the immigration officer take place? Thank you
If it is an affirmative asylum application and you live in MD, the interview is in Roslyn, Virginia. If you are in immigration court, that is in Baltimore. Take care, JAson
Is it Normal to have third asylum interview
My third one next week
I’m so worried
I’ve been waiting fo 4 years
It is not very common, but it does sometimes happen, and there are many reasons that could cause this – it could be something that has nothing to do with you (for example, your asylum officer left the job without completing your case) or it could be related to your case (for example, additional questions about military service is a common reason for a re-interview). You should prepare for the interview as if it was a first interview, and be ready to discuss all aspects of your case, including your responses at prior interviews. On the positive side, at least they are paying attention to your case, and you can ask the officer if there is any idea about when a decision will be issued. Good luck, Jason
Hey Jason,
I’m asylum applicant, I applied for asylum after 5 months from my entry to USA. I’ve received SSN, and my case is still on process, but my entry visa is expired 3 months ago..
Can I apply for the DV lottery visa, and is it good or bad for the asylum case ?
Thank you.
You can apply, but most people are never really able to get the GC that way even if they win. You would need to leave the US, and this may or may not be possible. In any case, it is free to apply, so you can apply, and if you win, talk to a lawyer to see whether you can actually get a green card. Also, I wrote about this issue on October 5, 2015 – maybe that would be helpful. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much sir.
hi jason, i had interviewed in march this year,
but I have not received my decision in my mail box,
do have any idea about wait time or is there any way to find out about it?
thanks tons
There is no way to predict – it can be fast or take years. You can contact your asylum office to inquire about the status of your case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason!
Thank you again for great articles and information.
I had an interview yesterday and have mixed feelings.
I prepared everything by myself which took a lot efforts, time, reading, research etc, my case was strong, real and I have evidence.
First of all, the officer asked me few times if someone helped me to prepare everything expressing surprise. Second, she noted that usually people come with translator that’s why she might be typing and not looking at me. All of this with emotions she expressed put me down, she basically made me feel that I’m in disadvantage even though I was very confident at the beginning. The first question is if she allowed to demonstrate bias.
She didn’t ask me any factual questions, she said everything is described in my story. All she was asking very aggressively why it happened to me, why these people were chasing me etc pretending she doesn’t understand. It throw me out completely. I was replying without any mistakes, sometimes of course getting too emotional. I guess it is her style.
Anyway, I did my best but felt I wasn’t very convincing, however new remarkable data from reports and reputable country media I added to the case. I didn’t tell everything I wanted and felt broken. When we finished she said “It was fast”. And I don’t know if it’s a bad sign or not…
When we finished, she absolutely changed her tone to friendly, asked me how I got there and if I’m working today.
Yesterday of course I felt horrible but today I tried to sort things out and I don’t see any objective reasons for denial. However it’s all depends on her… And I don’t know if she allowed to demonstrate bias because I came by myself and did everything by myself, I don’t know how bad it is that she didn’t check accuracy of dates, details of accident and focused just on county conditions and reason why these people were attacking me. Any thoughts or ideas? I understand it’s important to say anything and I’m ready for worse. But I would be very happy to hear any opinion. Thank you!
I am not Jason, but I think it’s normal for the interviewer to test you and pretend to not trust a word out of your mouth. So I would worry about that behavior. I remember when I first got my Student visa and the counsellor at the embassy treated me terribly and acted the same way you were describing, but it went through. As long you as you have been consistent with what you gave them, and you know you fit the description of refugee I think you will be fine. The latter is the tricky part.
One thing I’ve learned, you cannot predict the outcome based on the demeanor of the asylum officer. She may not have been too nice, but I would not take that as a bad sign. If you were consistent and you have a basis for the claim, you should have a good chance to win. She basically needs to decide if you are credible, and if so, she can read your statement and get much of what she needs. It is possible that some officers behave better when a lawyer or interpreter is present as a witness, but I think it would be unusual for that to effect the outcome. Anyway, it sounds like you did your best and you have a good case, and so try to put it out of your mind until you get the decision. Good luck, Jason
I applied for asyllum last year October but my lawyer did not give me a copy of my application mot her do I. Know what she filled on the form. How can I get the information.
The lawyer is required to give you a copy, so you can ask her for that. If she refuses, something is very wrong, and you need to find a new lawyer (and probably also file a bar complaint against her). Take care, Jason
Hello ,
I’m 18; i had my asylum interview on May 2017, according to my feelings,It wasn’t good,it was really long,I was really tired,she asked me too many questions,we finished every thing about the interview part.
Now I received a letter for a second interview on October 2017.
Is it something bad? What can I except for the second interview? . Will I have to re-do every?like I never been interviewed before? Why do they call me again?
You really cannot determine the outcome of an interview based on your perception of how it went (usually). We often have interviews that don’t feel good, but then the person is granted. Anyway, as for a second interview, it could be a brand new interview, or it might just be a few additional questions. You should be prepared to do the whole case again, just in case that happens. Good luck, Jason
Hi,
I’m a student on a summer work and travel program, on J1 visa. My visa is expiring in 5 days, but after that I have 30 days grace period to stay in the US, but not to work. Is there any difference for the office am I going to file my case during J1 visa, or in the grace period? I need more time to get it ready, and I’m not sure how they look at it.
THANKS!
If you are talking about asylum, the important deadline is that you file your I-589 less than one year after you arrive here. As longs you do that, you have filed on time and you are eligible for asylum. Take care, Jason
Good afternoon
When can I apply for EAD cards after registration?
Or do I have to wait for interview?And only after ?
Kate
If you have filed for asylum, you can apply for the EAD card 150 days after the asylum application was received. You apply for the EAD using form I-765, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason.
Hi
So if they accepted(USCIS) my asylum application on 07/10/17,then I can apply EAD cards in 12/10/17?
Have good day
That sounds about right – you have to wait 150 days after your asylum application was received, and then you can file for the EAD. Take care, Jason
Thank you:Kate
Hello good Morning!
The doubts are constant, since I was injured by a false immigration lawyer. I have refined my entire process myself and sent for immigration, I have already received my receipt of asylum seeker and have already done the biometrics … I am waiting to receive the appointment letter of the interview now. When I receive this interview scheduling letter, do I have to submit any documentation prior to the interview? It is worth remembering that I have sent all the documentation of my history together with the form I-589 previously.
I have already separated in a folder all the documentation to present on the day of my interview.
I’m from Maryland.
thank you!
Unfortunately, many people have been injured by fake or incompetent lawyers. As for documents, anything that you want to submit must be submitted at least one week in advance of the interview. If you have submitted everything already, then you are done. However, there is usually a long wait before the interview, and so you might want to provide additional evidence if there is anything you want to update. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason!
Thank you very much for a great website and all work you do.
I finally got my invitation for an interview, and when I wanted to get a deck with all my papers, I realized it disappeared… I don’t know how it happened, someone might take it. So I’m devastating because there were an original medical record and a police report. I have copies, but they need original papers for an interview. I don’t know what to do? How will it impact my interview? I’m so sad (
If this was stolen, you might make a report to the police and bring the police receipt with you to the interview. Otherwise, you can just explain how you lost the documents. Often, they do not ask for originals, so I would not be too worried about this. Different offices have different rules about submitting documents. In our office (Virginia), we need to submit documents at least one week in advance. So make sure all your documents are submitted on time. Good luck, Jason
Hello
Thank you for your great post.
I would like to know if I am listed as a dependant on my husband’s application , will I be interviewd bu the AO as well ?
Many Thanks
Heba
Usually, they just ask dependents the “bar” questions – questions that bar you from asylum, such as, “Are you a terrorist?” “Are you a criminal?” etc. But they could ask you about the case itself, and sometimes they do, so you should be prepared just in case. Take care, Jason
Hello good afternoon!
First of all, I want to thank you for this great blog.
Is the asylum seeker required to bring a lawyer to participate in the interview? In view of the fact that the candidate had taken an interpreter. Thank You
You are not required to bring a lawyer, though a lawyer can help. I wrote about this on July 7, 2016 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I submitted my application for EAD last week and I have received a letter of receipt already. I just want to know if I will be expecting any other letter to do a second biometrics or as of now I just have to wait till my EAD sent to me and again any idea how long I have to wait for the EAD to be out. Thanks
We are seeing EADs take 2 to 4 months for most people. Also, most people do not receive a fingerprint appointment for the EAD – they just get the card. Take care, Jason
Hello sir
I did my asylum interview 14 July 2017 still did not get any result and HO called me 23 august they said they want to update my status and they take my email but I don’t understand what that mean.
Please explain me about this ?
Thanks
I do not know what you mean by HO. It is common to wait after the interview. You can contact the asylum office to inquire about your case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello, It’s me again…
I was wondering, and I couldn’t find a definitive answer on the internet. I am actually asking this on behalf of a friend. Do you have to travel to the city the office is in for the interview? For instance let’s say you are in Seattle and San Francisco is the office in charge and It takes a day to get there. Do you have a chance to take the interview at a local USCIS office? If not is it better to have attorney in your home town or the city the interview takes place, considering the travel expenses and/or Lawyer being accustomed to the specific office? Because now the interviews take so long time and people might relocate to the other parts of country.
Thanks in advance!
There are main offices and sub-offices, and also certain other offices where interviews take place (I think they call it a “circuit ride”). Seattle is a sub-office of SF, and if your friend is near Seattle, he/she should be interviewed there. Aside from the cost, I don’t think it much matters whether you use a local attorney or not, as there are so many asylum officers, and they change so frequently, that most attorneys do not know most officers. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason, this helped a lot. Take care!
Sir I asked you before about chances of my n my 7 yr old son’s visit visa for us as my husband is Asylee waiting thr n he hv mention our names in his case sir my question if the case takes time is there any other way to apply coz my 7 yr son is diagnosed wd diabetes n he wants to meet his father n m stuck if I do apply they ll reject my case straight away can I apply on basis of m son’s treatment as he is suffering from high suger level I want to settled his mental condition plz sir help me out Wht should I do ??
Family separation like this is the most tragic part of the asylum delays. You can ask to expedite your case based on his condition – I did a post about this on March 30, 2017 that might help. Even if they agree, it still takes months to get a decision and (if you win) bring him here. You might apply for Advance Parole (form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov) and try to visit him in a third country. He could also apply for a visa for medical treatment, and if that does not work, maybe apply for “humanitarian parole” (also using form I-131), but that is probably a very unlikely path. Good luck, Jason
Hi
How long will it take to interview after fingerprinting?
Thank you
There is no relationship between when you get fingerprinted and when you receive an interview. For a rough idea about when the interview will be, check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at right. Take care, Jason
I was wondering what is the time window period or the time given when a notice for the first interview is scheduled? Is it a few weeks notice? Or a month or two? From the USCIS asylum bulletin, I should expect to be scheduled sometime in the fall of this year. Will be a surprise date with little time to prepare?
Thanks!
It used to be, you would get the interview notice and have about 3 weeks until the interview. Lately, they are only giving 10 days or so until the interview, so it is important to keep an eye on the Scheduling Bulletin so you have some idea of when your interview will be. Take care, Jason
At the end of the asylum interview, they gave me the paper which tells to return after 2 weeks to pick up the decision. The officer was explaining the result, it might be grant of asylum, and it might be referral to court. Then he asked me if I have TPS. I told him I applied few months ago but not granted yet..
My question
Why he asked for the TPS. Is it regular they ask everybody to ask for TPS? or that might be an indicator that he is willing to deny my case and send it to the court?
I do not know. But maybe if you have TPS, they will not refer you to court. It seems that USCIS has not been consistent about this, and different Judges treat people with TPS differently. Take care, Jason
“”In other words, until you have the decision in your hand, you have to remain patient, and you cannot make any plans.””
That happened to me now. They called me, they said no need to come to the office, we will mail out the decision to you. That was my 2nd interview. The 1st interview when they said to me “We will mail out your decision” it took them 3 years before they rescheduled me to the 2nd interview
Can I have your impression? I know it depends a lot on the embedded details in each case? But generally speaking, can you imagine I have other few years of fatal waiting?
Hopefully, you do not have to wait that long. Typically, at least for our cases, most people who have a second interview do not wait more than a few months, but sometimes they do wait for a long time. So unfortunately, it is not very predictable, but hopefully, you will get a good decision soon. Take care, Jason
50 pending days since my 2nd interview in SF office. No answer so far. I called the office at their phone number posted online (415) 575-1300 to inquire. The answer machine answered immediately, I was unable to talk to a human body. I left a message as the answer machine said they will call me back. That was since 5 days. No body returned my call
Any other recommended method to inquire about my case with them?
Email them or go in person. You can find all their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Finally I had my interview today at Newark NJ office, 2 hours and 45 minutes last, the officer a female really young, was really nice, asked me the same questions many times but with different words. My attorney said that I did really good, I have to go back to Newark office and pick up the decision in 2 weeks.
Now is time to wait for!
Good luck – and do keep in mind that sometimes the pick-up date is delayed, so you have to remain patient until you get the decision. Take care, Jason
Hello Sir!!!!
I am Nepali asylem applicant from Nepal. I came to New York in 2012 in tourists visa and applied for Asylum. Since I cannot go back to Nepal because my life is in danger there so as my family. My cause is in immigration court. My individual hearing is in June 2018. I have recently heard in News about denied of nepali asylem applicants from the high Court. Now my questions is what are my chances on my cause? Since immigration high court has denied one of nepali asylem cause therefore what impact there will be for my cause and other nepali asylem cause? What are our chances. We cannot go back because we have left nothing in our country . . .
My another question is how many nepali asylem seeker has won their cause after President Trump became the President?
Plz help me and tell me what should I do.
I do not know anything about a “high court” decision involving Nepalis. If you have a claim for asylum, you can apply, and cases will be reviewed individually. If you qualify, you can get asylum, and we have won some cases from Nepal in the last few years (though not since Trump has been president, but I think that is not so relevant to individual cases). I will say that country conditions in Nepal have improved and there is less problem with Maoist violence (at least according to the country reports), and so if that is the basis for your claim, it may be quite difficult to win. But again, it depends on the individual case. Take care, Jason
Hello Sir!!!!
I am asylum applicant from Nepal. My individual hearing is next year in 2018. What are the chances of winning my cause or winning any asylum applicant cause since President Trump became the president? I am so worried and depressed because of this. Do you know how many Nepalese have won their cause in 2017 so far? Is it very few chances or what it’s like? I cannot go back to my country because my life is in danger. Terrorist Maoists will kill me but I don’t have any proof to proof it. Plz help me
Given the available country condition information about Nepal, my experience is that such cases have become more difficult to win (this was true well before Mr. Trump became president). Most info that is available about Nepal indicates that the Maoist insurgency is largely over. However, whether you win or not depends on your individual case, and it is important that you try to get evidence. Take care, Jason
I have applied for asyulem on Feb 2017 I don’t know that when will be my interview because my small kids are in my country in bad situation.
You can ask to expedite your case – I did a posting on March 30, 2017 that might help. Take care, Jason
Hi. I want to file my asylum application now but my support/affidivate letters are not ready yet. Should I wait till my all support letters get ready or should I just first file I-589 to uscis . Pls suggest ..
You can do it either way. In our office, we file only the form and passport (and the form that says we are the lawyer, plus other documents if there are dependent family members). Since your interview will not be for a few years, it is better to submit the affidavit and evidence later, to make sure that everything is up to date at the time of the interview (or if you choose to expedite or short list, you need to submit all the evidence at that time). Take care, Jason
Thanks sir . I am coming to your office on 12 th July at 9:00. I want to discuss with you my case .
As long as you have an appointment that day, that is fine – see you then, Jason