In the world today, there are about 82.4 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. If these people could form their own country, it would be the 20th most populous nation on Earth (about the same size as Germany). Confronted with this problem, the International Olympic Committee created a Refugee Team, which first competed in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The current Games is the second summer Olympics for the Refugee Team, which consists of 29 athletes, representing 11 countries.
Each of these athletes has overcome tremendous odds. Many have suffered severe trauma. Despite these obstacles, they have excelled in their respective sports and have reached the Olympics. You can learn more about all 29 of these amazing athletes at the IOC website, and below, I’ve selected a few of their biographies to give you a sense of the team.
Kimia Alizadeh: Originally from Iran, Ms. Alizadeh is a Tae Kwon Do athlete who represented her country in the 2016 Olympics. She took home a bronze medal in that contest (the first Olympic medal for a female athlete from Iran), and has won or medaled in numerous other international competitions. In January 2020, she defected from Iran, calling herself “one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran who [Iran’s rulers] have been playing with for years.” She added that, she “didn’t want to sit at the table of hypocrisy, lies, injustice and flattery” any longer, nor remain complicit with the Iranian regime’s “corruption and lies.” She currently lives in Germany. Ms. Alizadeh says that she hopes to continue to fight for equality, so that all woman have the ability to follow their dreams.
Popole Misenga: Mr. Misenga competed in Judo for the Refugee Team in 2016 in Rio, and he is back again for the 2021 Games. Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Misenga fled home at age nine after his mother was killed. He wandered in the bush for a week before being rescued and brought to the capital city of Kinshasa. There, he took up Judo. After having some success in international competition, he attended the World Judo Championship in Brazil in 2013. After the competition, he defected and has been living in Brazil ever since. Of his experience on the Refugee Team, Mr. Misenga has stated, “It meant a lot for me, to be able to represent all the refugees in the world on the international sports platform. It gives me strength… representing the millions of persons who had to leave their home and country.”
Rose Lokonyen: Ms. Lokonyen is a runner from South Sudan. When she was ten, she fled from soldiers with her family, and eventually reached a refugee camp in Kenya. “If my parents had not brought us here to Kenya,” she says, “we could have died.” When the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation was recruiting for the 2016 Refugee Team, they held tryouts at Ms. Lokonyen’s refugee camp. Running barefoot, she placed first in the 5,000 meter race and made the team. In Rio, she was the team’s flag bearer. Ms. Lokonyen states, “My dream, my first priority, is to help my parents and my siblings and then after that to help my fellow refugees.” After the Games, Ms. Lokonyen and two others from Kakuma refugee camp will move to Canada to attend Sheridan College on an athletic scholarship funded by the United Nations, Sheridan College, World University Service Canada, and the IOC.
Yusra Mardini: Ms. Mardini is a swimmer from Syria who competed with the Refugee Team in 2016. Her home in Syria was destroyed and she fled with her sister. The pair crossed the Aegean in an overcrowded boat, and when the engine died, Ms. Mardini jumped into the water and helped push the boat towards shore. Eventually, the engine was re-started and Ms. Mardini made her way to Germany, where she continued her training. In Tokyo, she will compete in the 100 meter butterfly. In 2018, she published a book about her experience, Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian – My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph.
Cyrille Tchatchet: Mr. Tchatchete is a weight lifter from Cameroon who fled from an international competition and found himself homeless in the UK. Contemplating suicide and suffering from depression, Mr. Tchatchete found help from a charitable organization and later–after becoming the British national champion in his weight class–he received an IOC scholarship. He received refugee status in the UK, and began studying to become a mental health nurse, in order to help rehabilitate others who experienced similar trauma to himself. Mr. Tchatchete graduated with a first class degree and hopes to pursue a Master’s degree alongside his weight training.
Masomah Ali Zada: Ms. Ali Zada is a cyclist from Afghanistan who received asylum in France. She and her sister were members of Afghanistan’s first national women’s cycling team. They faced many challenges in their home country. They were threatened, insulted and had stones thrown at them. “In Afghanistan, men think it’s unsuitable for a woman to ride a bike, and the Taliban have banned us from sport,” Ms. Ali Zada said. “I have never given up on the bike, but I want to encourage girls to do it, and women’s cycling is becoming commonplace in Afghanistan.” “On a bike,” she said, “you have the feeling of freedom, that nobody tells you that you can’t do this or that because you are a woman.” “I never thought that I would make it all the way to the Olympics but I kept cycling… and now I have done it.”
It is inspiring to see people who have dealt with such adversity rise to the highest level of athletic achievement. It is another reminder of the contributions refugees make to sports and to their host societies. I wish all these extraordinary athletes great success during the Tokyo Olympics!
Hello sir I applied i730 petition in march 2019 now scheduled is april 2019 my processing time is completed but they didn’t send me any approval letter what did i do sir. Thankyou i am very upset for my family.
The I-730 cases are a mess. You can try calling USCIS at 800-375-5283 and try to talk to a person. You can also contact the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is under Resources. They can sometimes assist with a delayed case. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason. Refugee Travel Document (RTD) is eligible for which countries? it any link that we can check the list?
I have never seen such a list. I think you have to check the country embassy’s website or call the embassy to know. If you have a valid passport, you should carry that with you as well, as a back up if they do not accept the RTD. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, like you know, when we come to the country, our names are often mismatched, creating a hard time with all the systems due to names not matching. I successfully changed my names to the correct order First Name, Middle Name, and Last name with the court. However, my asylum case is still pending for over 3 and a half years now. How can I update my EAD with my new court order of name change? Also, How can I inform USCIS of the same? To get a new SSN with my correct name, I read that to change the SSN card, I first need
to update my EA with USCIS.
Hi,
I have had experience with the name changing first hand while my case was pending so here are my insights. I am sure Jason will have some helpful comments as well.
First, you will have to update your name along with the court decree (the true copy, that has a court seal) with the asylum office. So the asylum office is able to run your background check with the new name if your case is successful through the asylum office, plus they would be able to issue you a grant (if you win your case) with the new name which is extremely helpful from the time you have asylum approval to the time you receive your green card (approx about 3 years).
Second, apply for the replacement of EAD to update your name with USCIS and once you have it, go to the social security office and update your name with them. in other words, EAD comes first, then SSC, and then driver’s license.
You might want to obtain a couple of true copies of the court decree for the name change so you have it handy if needed. I hope this helps and good luck!!
Thanks for the comment, How long did your case stay pending before it was approved, I have been waiting since 2018.
I am doing my name change before even my interview, not sure how will that impact my pending case, but I am really not changing anythings its rearranging my name because they combined my middle name and last name, now I am separating them
When you apply for a new EAD, you can include evidence of the name change, such as a court order showing that the name was changed. If you do not have that, maybe you can use an order from the Immigration Court showing the correct name. You would need a cover letter explaining the name change. Take care, Jason
Thanks, Jason,
Does that mean, I do not need to update my new names with USICIS or the office currently having my asylum case? note that my case is still pending.
Or do I have to wait when I apply for a new EAD?
I think you do need to update USCIS (if that is where your case is), but if it is at the court, you can probably do that later. On the other hand, there is no harm in doing it now. If the case is in court, you will need to file documents according to the court rules (talk to a lawyer), but if it is at the asylum office, you can probably just email them the name change – you can find their email if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Anybody knows why `Receipt date for a case inquiry` in Processing Times moving backwards in times?
Regards
This is pretty normal, once a month (usually at the end of the month), USCIS recalculates Processing Times for each office. When the avg processing time increase, the receipt date for a case inquiry moves backward, when the avg waiting time decreases, case inquiry dates moves forward. When no changes in the avg, inquiry dates just move day by day.
It probably means that the backlog is growing and that USCIS is moving even more slowly. They are a real mess. Take care, Jason
Jason, exactly! LOL
Hi Jason,
As you might know about the situation about Afghanistan that the condition so worse now. Even the US government opened programs to bring a lot of Afghans here. Do you think this issue will help Afghan asylum seekers in here as well in order to get a good result from asylum office ?
The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan will likely make it easier for many Afghans to win their asylum cases, as country condition information is very relevant to asylum cases. Also, most asylum cases from Afghanistan involve a fear of harm from the Taliban, who unfortunately seem to be taking over the country. I have also heard some vague talk of TPS for Afghans, but I have not seen any action yet on that front. Even before this latest disaster, we did a lot of Afghan cases and such cases already tended to be very strong – the large majority seem to get asylum. Now with the current disaster, I really do not see how we can return people to Afghanistan. Take care, Jason
Respected Jason
Warm greeting
My friend and his family is trying to come USA from Nepal with a sponsor of a reputed restaurant.is there any way to file green card from restaurant to him and his family or if they come in employee visa what are the processes.
Thanks in advance
Why don’t they seek asylum ?
If I may
“Asylum Seeker”,
You have just confirmed my suspicion about you.
An internet troll that uses reverse psychology.
Sad!
Oh, I am so sorry you feel that way…
Tina,
I think it’s the same guy I was arguing with the other day. She/He just changes the profile. She/He despises asylees. He/She probably has plenty of time on her/his hands and thinks it’s productive to troll this platform. He/she’s not very bright, though.
Is it just me or…I feel asylum seekers or asylees are usually very pugnacious…like when I voice an opinion, or make a comment, I rarely get attacked by Americans in my daily life, usually the feedback is courteous and professional, at least non-confrontational. Please don’t bring the habit from your 3rd world countries to America. It’s probably normal for you guys to do ad hominem in your country of origin but please acculturate if you want to naturalize in the future…that’s my suggestion.
And I asked a very legitimate question, “why not seek asylum, if I may”, it’s also a yes/no question, which bears my consideration for this person’s consent. is there anything wrong with that ?
You’re just a xenophobe. That’s all. Even a 5 year old could figure that out. I doubt people are courteous to you. Citizens or not.
I mean…
Asylum Seeker, aside from the fact that the term “third world” is outdated and derogatory, you seem to have a limited understanding of what the term actually means. In any event, there is no correlation between a country’s economic status and the attitude of its people. You will find that there are people with nasty attitudes in both rich and poor countries. By the way, there are countries that have advanced economy/or are economically wealthy and were classified as “third world”.
I don’t disagree, but I do find a higher proportion of people who come from not so wealthy or democratic countries tend to be more pugnacious…I feel that 90% Americans are chill, at least they rarely call people by different derogatory terms…
My theory is that these people, coming from a country with limited resources, you have to be pugnacious to be able to survive from the pack. So over generations, the peaceful, good ones die off. The only one left are pugnacious, shrewd ones. and they pass off this genes to their offsprings…so overtime, the asylum seekers or asylees from these countries tend to jump under other people’s comment and instead of answering questions, do ad hominem…I guess instead of third world countries I should say developing countries…
@”Asylum Seeker”,
You happen to be an asylum seeker who is also xenophobic, correct?
You cannot hide your xenophobia towards people from some countries.
You believe, and stated that asylum seekers/ asylees would change the culture of this country.
I have inferred from your many nonsense that you are the only one whose culture would have a positive effect on US culture. This thought pattern can only come from a xenophobic US citizen, because the strength of this country is in it’s diversity. Now, you are using derogatory terms like “third world”.Typical!
Using reverse psychology, you are expressing what you think of asylum seekers and expecting us to validate them. You insult the intelligence of members of this community.
How anyone here still believes you are an asylum seeker, and not a Xenophobic troll still beats me.
You stand for everything we stand against, including support for a Xenophobic administration.
One moment, you cannot find a job with “c08”, the next minute, you are not looking for a job because of your anticipated surgery to transform to an alien, so you are considering an illegal means of livelihood. Genuine asylum seekers do not do illegal things, because they are desperate to live in this land of freedom
You ask what happens to people when their asylum claims fail, because you want to know how to live as an undocumented person since your claim would fail, according to you.
Sounds like research to me by anti- immigrant/ Xenophobic entity.
Finally, I would like to be wrong, so please tell me. If you have not held a job since the beginning of this year at a minimum, and you are indeed an asylum seeker, not an internet troll, how are you paying your internet bills? Your posts come in at any time of the day, which means you have consistent internet access?
There is nothing mentioned in David’s comment that suggests that his friend is facing persecution or threat in Nepal so why are you suggesting him to commit fraud by claiming asylum??????
Did David indicate that his friend is facing any threats or persecution in Nepal, No he did not….Do you think Asylum is a joke?????? You think we are claiming Asylum for our personal pleasure or something???????
And what American culture is the just best in the world????????? Any body who has lived here in the U.S for a considerable time knows that there are some good things in American culture but still there are lot more worse things….
You expect us to just blindly acculturate our selves to every dumb thing here…..
I mean I just asked a simple yes/no question…
I expect a yes/no answer.
I mean…if the person I asked doesn’t want me to follow up, then that person should say “No, you may not” and then I will know that he doesn’t want me to ask…
I really do feel like a lot of asylum seekers and asylees need to learn how to be polite as well…It’s very rude and barbaric to inject yourself when another person is asking a third person a simple yes/no question. My suggestion is please acculturate. This is not your third world country of origin, this is America. So it’s probably better to behave like a developed country’s citizen…not some…you know…
Suggesting other people to commit a crime makes you an accessory to crime….You are suggesting something which is illegal…….You should refrain yourself from such posts…..It is illegal behavior…..
I disagree. But I still need to get a yes/no answer from the OP…
Tina is right, he isn’t a asylum seeker. He is a internet troll who play innocent to get our empathy but as a matter of fact, he is a xenophobic. Now, trying to be a eugenicist. If we keep responding to his a obnoxious comments, he will keep doing it. I think we should stop responding to his comments. Whatever names he try to use, it isn’t difficult to spot him out. Just ignore him, it is a waste of precious time.
Personally, I do not think this person is a troll. I just think he has a lot of questions and sometimes they come across as too personal. But I agree with you that if you do not have an interest in his questions, or do not like those questions, it is best to ignore them. Take care, Jason
I mean…I guess you are entitled to your opinion…
I guess asylum seekers and asylees ARE more pugnacious then…after all…
ASYLUM SEEKER: “I disagree. But I still need to get a yes/no answer from the OP…”
MARK: The law does not care about your personal opinion or whether you agree/disagree…….Advising another person who shows no signs of credible fear to claim asylum in the U.S is illegal….
Your first world personal opinions will land you in Jail. That’s a fact according to the law, Not a personal opinion.
I mean…I doubt it…
Ok that’s good that you stand by your opinion.
Please share your personal details here so that I can alert DHS/ICE to come talk to you. You can probably explain to them how it is not illegal to advise other people who are just asking about employment visas to claim Asylum in the U.S….
Please explain this to DHS and ICE…..
Please share your details here …Thank you ….Much appreciated……I am glad that you are still convinced about your opinion…..Just explain this little detail to ICE…..You would be doing the Asylum community a great favor……
You can also probably explain to them why a White/Caucasian person from a 1st world country is claiming asylum in the U.S………..Are things so horrible in the first world developed countries now ????
Personally I am from a sh#t hole middle eastern failed state which was overrun by talibans and terrorists……..Things were terrible enough for the majority Muslim population….I belonged to a minority christian group….I barely made it to the U.S…..
But enough about me…….I am more interested in your story….Why is a white Caucasian person from a 1st world developed country claiming asylum in the U.S??????? Please enlighten us…….
Asylum Seeker,
Not sure who you are trying to fool here. I have read your comments and posts from last few months. The only thing you have done so far is to mislead and confuse other people on this platform about Asylum.
First you told people that employers conatct USCIS and ICE to persecute you. Then you said that asylum seekers can’t find jobs and housing. Then you told a person that an attorney is not needed for interviews. Every single comment or post from you has been misleading and is probably intended to hurt other people.
I am amazed that Jason even replies back to you. Any person can clearly see that your only intention is to hurt, mislead and cause damage to other people on this platform.
I mean I just asked a question here…
Asylum Seeker,
Seriously Man,
Go Troll somebody else on other platforms……Most of the asylum seekers here are suffering from severe depression, trauma, anxiety and fear…..As Tina suggested you are most definitely a U.S citizen who is just hateful and trying to hurt other people here…..
Do you have any idea how difficult it is for us to continue to live our day to day lives here. We Asylum seekers pay thousands of dollars in State and federal taxes, We are the most hard working people in the U.S…..
You are just hateful because may be our skin color is not white……..grow up….Take your hate else where…….
I mean…still. I just asked a simple yes/no question…not sure where all your rant comes from…
That’s not a simple question that you asked….It’s a suggestion to commit fraud which is a crime……..educate yourself
Well…I feel a lot of asylum seekers or asylees probably also need to learn English…
Nobody cares what you think……. Take your trolling elsewhere……..Misleading and hurting other people will not help you…..I don’t need to learn English ….. I am in a technical field and earning close to 300K an year…….Don’t need to know perfect English to do my job…..
May I ask what job do you do or which employer are you working for ? Congrats on your 300K salary, maybe I can see if there is an opportunity for me there, could be conducive.
Yes sure,
That’s what you want…….
You have just confirmed everybody’s suspicions here that you are a 100% troll ……. Your only intention here is to target and hurt other Asylum seekers…….Good luck with your hateful efforts………
Okay, since I get your consent…I won’t turn down money 🙂
So what job do you do or which employer are you working for ?
Find a job in your own field….Don’t get interested in my career…….
Use your English speaking skills to find a job 🙂 lolz…….
I mean…
@asylum seeker, maybe you should start by learning the difference between yes or no, and open ended questions.
With your advanced English, unlike asylum seekers/ asylees( per your last statement), you still have no clue that your question was not a yes or no one?
Well…I wonder how to answer your question…
because whatever I say, you will respond and the thread will continue…
@least I disrupt your trolling, you just admitted, so you’d rather not respond to me.
I mean…that’s your opinion…and you are entitled to your opinion.
This non-response leading to you claim “@least I disrupt your trolling, you just admitted, so you’d rather not respond to me.” is also within one of the many would-be scenarios. I think if I answer in other ways, you will come up with other contents…
🤣🤣🤣
I guess asylum seekers and asylees ARE more pugnacious then…after all…
I do not do such cases, but it may be possible. They need to find a lawyer who does employment-based immigration. You can check aila.org, which may be a good place to start looking for a lawyer. Take care, Jason
Hey David,
In theory, it is possible to sponsor your friends/family H1B, EB, there are few categories.
But practically speaking it is a hard journey, h1b’s, EB’s are more focused on Technical/Medical/Millionaire business/etc.
Even if h1b is picked it may be difficult for you to overcome a problem:
1. The job position you are trying to sponsor them, can this position be filled by current residents instead of bringing someone new from abroad?
To overcome this problem, maybe the position you are trying to offer them is very traditional which Americans cant work, example certain recipe you need for your reputed restaurant like MO:MO Thukpa . this needs a specialized person.
that may help. but i find it hard to believe a restuarant/gas station trying to sponsor someone.
USCIS will easily reject application for selected h1b, EB if that that position can be filled by someone local.
hope this helps!
I am not in favor of EB sponsorship as well. Because you would have to sacrifice your privacy and other people will have access to your private immigration file. It’s not acceptable to everyone.
Hi Jason I have given my interview . After interview I submit the evidence but now when I am going through it . I realize the document has major misspelling mistake of a religious church..which I belong too while it was a translated to English which was issued by church only .. now all my baptism and other has no mistakes(koinoniya) but this one has one letter misspelled( koihoniya)what do I do in this case can I ask the the judge or asylum office to overlook or ignore that document? My individual court date is in 2022
This does not sounds like a big deal, but if you think it could cause problems, you can always send a corrected version to the asylum office. I would scan and email that. Include your Alien number, date of interview, and if you know it, the name and/or number of the asylum officer. Also, include a short explanation about how the error occurred. You can find their email if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Jason, it looks like Asylum Seeker’s case is now with the court.
Hi Jason,
In 2018 I apply for asylum based GC. I have been waiting for over 3 years. Since my case was sent to my local uscis office, I figured their might be an interview. And today I get an email that I will be receiving an interview request through a mail. I don’t know if I have to be happy or scared. Do you have similar cases with interviews for asylees? Do I need a lawyer? FYI. I’m not from Africa, no trig. Just want your input on this.
@Meli
I think you should be scared! Very scared cause they might found something wrong with your case or it could be so easy and you’re just missing few info! Or you might didn’t want to spend some money while filling the I-485 and your wrote stuff different than what was written in your asylum application but i guess it’s not good news at all but jason knows more
@Meli,
I don’t think you should be scared. In fact, some Asylees seeking adjustment of status get interview. It’s commun. As far as why some get interviewed and others don’t, I don’t know. But usually the interview is just going over the application and make sure everything you mentioned is correct and nothing as changed. They could be asking for more questions but most of the time it is basically going over the form.
Jason will advise better on this.
Good luck!
Asylee,
Stop fear mongering and scaring people. This is nothing to be scared about.
MELI,
I think there is nothing to be worried about, it is better at least you know that it is moving, Try to recall the information about your asylum interview and review everything once again. How long did it take to get your asylum decision?
@soul
You’re so annoying like foreal!!!!!! She is worried and you ask how long it took to take a decision!! Go get a life
Seeker,
We all who come to visit this platforms have concerns/worries of our own. You should mind your own business! You do not know the reasons why I ask this question? If you ask a question on this platform, you should also expect others to ask questions and you have a moral responsibility to answer those questions to the best of your knowledge and experience. It is not me who is annoying, I think it is you.
Sorry this response was for asylee.
@soul
No sir that’s personal things I can’t ask anyone when did you apply and your timeline unless the person himself/herself reveals it!! People like you that put their nose in people personal things /experience are the worst! It’s not your right to ask anyone when did you apply or when did you get your decision! You never know maybe this person has expedited the decision or interview due to medical issue so don’t build up ur F case on other people cases!! Stay the heck out of people’s business!
Asylee,
you are the one telling her to be scared. I don’t see a problem about sharing timeline….
Shame on those people who scared you.
Don’t be scared at all. GC interview for Asylees is just a formality. They asked me a couple of questions about my identity and asked if I have medical exam envelope. Then, the officer said you are good to go. Before, arriving home in 1.5 hours my status changed to card being produced. Then, in three days, it said case approved. As a golden rule, it is always good to be safe then sorry. Be prepared for any possible question on your asylum though they won’t ask.
Asylee,
We are a community, we try to help each other by asking and answering questions. I understand almost everything related to a person is personal but answering question like (how long did it to take get a decision?) doesn’t have negative repercussions. It has a simple answer. Again, you should stop insinuating, you do not know my reasons why I ask that question. You can not help, you can simply remain quite.
@soul
You can go FY forreal! Stop asking strangers about their timeline ! You’re just a pos
Asylee,
I am sure you are not one of us. Whatever people like you do, we will keep coming to this country whenever we face persecution. There are still people left in this country who are willing to sacrifice anything to uphold democracy and help people like us who are persecuted. There are a few people like you on this platform (it might be only you changing names) who try to disrupt the friendly environment, but trust me, you will achieve nothing except wasting your time. I suggest you should live us alone and do something elsewhere, where the abilities which you so shamelessly demonstrate on this platform, are required.
Asylee,
Why are you so full of anger, and using inappropriate acronyms .
Soul has remained civil, and there is really nothing wrong with his question.
Have you had AOS interview based on asylum?
How did you come to the conclusion that Meli should be scared?
I think we should be respectful of one another, so this community can remain a place where we respectfully agree and disagree, and apologize when we offend others.
Please stop it, and you do owe Soul an apology.
Thanks!
Asylee,
Why are you overreacting?????? Sharing timeline is nothing serious…I know that I got angry at Asylum Seeker in the last post but in that post Asylum seeker was asking more serious questions about a person’s case……..Sharing timeline should be fine, no issues here…..
I know we all have anger issues from all the delay and waiting but don’t get angry without any valid reason…..
@soul
Go Convince the asylum officer that you faced persecution at your home country don’t tell me that!
Asylee, the questions asked are OK. The requested information doesn’t require answers that would reveal anything about the case. The information also helps us better understand what’s happening at USCIS/EOIR. As community, sharing general information can only help.
USCIS is such a mess now that I don’t know if having an interview is necessarily a bad sign. It may be nothing at all. I have one case where the person was interviewed recently due to a criminal history in his country. I have had other cases (not so recent) where asylees seem to have been interviewed for no reason. If you think there is anything in your history that could be a problem, maybe you want to talk to a lawyer about that, preferably before the interview. Whether a lawyer will make much difference at the interview, I do not know, but it won’t hurt. Usually, the worst case is that they will give you a letter explaining any deficiency and give you time to respond. If that happens, maybe you can engage a lawyer at that point (in other words, after the interview). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Ur Jaddou, who’s Biden nominee to lead USCIS just got confirmed by the senate. Do you think that this nomination (added to the new FY-21 budget) could lead to some substantial changes in the department? Especially in terms of processing times. Some centers like TSC have a long history of hostility or should I say, deliberate non action. Can we expect things to change in that regard?
I do not personally know Ur Jaddou, but I have heard good things about her for many years now, and so I hope this will be a positive development. I think what USCIS needs more than anything is organization. Whether that is her strong suit, I do not know, but in terms of policy changes, I think she will be good for immigrants. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason and all,
Thanks Jason for your help in this platform. I benefited from this platform and was here from 2015.
June 2015 — Applied for Asylum
May 2016— Requested Expedite Interview based on bad situation for family back home and denied
June 2016— Requested Expedite Interview and denied again
September 2016— Requested Expedite Interview and denied again
October 2016— Expedite Interview request Approved and Interview done within a week
October 2016—- Recommended approval
December 22, 2016– Asylum Approved
November 2017— Family joined me here in USA per I730 approval
December 2017 Applied for Green Card
August 2018 — case moved to TSC from NBC
July 29, 2021 — I received the status as I485 card mailed to me. This is done after I contacted USCIS via congress man in early June 2021 and they said after 60 days I will receive a response.
My derivative family still waiting for GC approval after December 2018 application.
Let us continue fighting for fair immigration administrative process. We deserve automatic status change upon application.
Best,
Seta
Thank you for sharing this. It is amazing that so much effort is needed just to get USCIS to do its job. Take care, Jason
Hello,
In terms or a bill passing for undocumented immigrants to gain permanent residence, if that does happen (for example, as an essential worker), would asylees also be regarded as “undocumented” if they have a pending asylum case? Thanks!
It will depend on the language of the bill, but for the original bill, proposed in January, most lawyers (including me) believe that asylum seekers would be included. I doubt that bill will get anywhere, but maybe we will see a new, smaller bill (the essential worker proposal, for instance) that will have more luck. Take care, Jason
Hi
I am Asylee, I applied my green card application before two years and before about two months, my case was transferred from Texas to NBC. After that I didn’t hear any thing. How long will they take to produce the card please? Waiting waiting with hope!!
Thanks
Hi Tesfa,
Can you please share when your case was transferred from TSC to NBC? I am asking because I filled my application last year on October with TSC but it was sent straight to NBC in Missouri.So far no updates apart from fingerprints were taken. I heard that cases at the NBC will will processed by your local field office. Not sure if that is true since USCIS is full of surprises. Anyway I wish you good luck
Things are very slow – you can check processing times at http://www.uscis.gov. Hopefully, you will get a decision soon, but if you are outside the posted processing time, you can call USCIS at 800-375-5283. I expect it won’t be much longer for your case, though. Take care, Jason
One of my friend GC application transferred TSC to NBC on February and he got approved on Jun.Hopefully you will get your good news soon.
Tesfa, unfortunately, no one is able to tell you when your GC will be approved.
Hello JASON and asylees, I have a question. One of my friends has been release by bond from ICE custody, I just wanna know weather ICE should give my friend an I 94 . Also, after receiving the I 94 , is it possible to use it in order to get a social security and ID ? Thank you
They used to do that (I think the category to apply for an EAD was c-11), but I have not seen that in a while, so I am not sure. If he has an I-94 that says “humanitarian parole,” he may be eligible for an EAD. If not, maybe he can ask ICE whether they can give him such an I-94. If not, I think he will need to apply for asylum and once 150 days have passed, he can apply for the EAD (assuming he is a member of ASAP or Casa de Maryland – see my posting of September 23, 2020 for more info). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
So going by this plan that was announced yesterday; when the Department of Homeland Security asylum officers take over cases at the Southern Border, does it mean those cases that have been stuck for ages will be resolved faster?
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/28/1021459810/a-white-house-plan-aims-to-speed-up-consideration-of-many-asylum-claims
This plan is related to border cases and doing them on an expedited basis. It is not very clear, but it seems not to relate to “regular” affirmative cases. We shall see. Take care, Jason
Hi AASTT.
I honestly have not started paying attention to the GC application, because I am not at that point yet.
Secondly, I think Jamie or someone else stated that where we file has nothing to do with where it will be processed.
I guess you just have to file where you are supposed to file, and hope that you are one of the lucky ones that get processed in Nebraska.
Who knows, Texas may get better too.
First thing is to determine the right place to send the application, and hope for the best for what you cannot control.
Another thing is to ask if people who were processed in Nebraska filed from the same region. That may give us an idea, but I don’t know if people that received their GCs from Nebraska may be willing to disclose the information.
Good luck!
@Tina
I don’t think it’s happen by luck but there are specific states that move the application of i-485 to Texas and some other states move it to Nebraska and yeah I’m dying where can i file to Nebraska center i live in KY and Ky usually goes to texas so i will move to ohio (10 mins away of me) only to file from
There and hopefully as i heard ohio cases goes to Nebraska!! I can’t take another 1-2 years waiting for my GC especially texas take that long while everyone says Nebraska takes 5-10 months only at max and i have medical condition so will try to expedite so i can go the 3rd country and marry my gf and sponsor her here
I did a post about expediting at USCIS (for example if you have a health issue) on January 29, 2020 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Good luck my friend. So sorry to hear about your health.
Aasstt- you are so wrong. My spouse and I live in the same apartment (we were granted asylum in the U.S. together) but we filed our I-485s a few months apart. To our dismay, one was sent to Nebraska and the other sent to Texas. I work with asylum seekers and asylees voluntarily. I have encountered MANY asylum-based I-485s. Your address has NOTHING to do with where your application ultimately gets processed (meaning where its eventually sent for a final decision). However, the state that you live in and how you are sending the application- for instance, whether or not you are sending it by USPS, FedEx, etc. (you should check the I-458 instruction for this specific info)- determine where you send the application. There is a difference between where the application is received/dropped off and where it ultimately ends up for a decision.
@Tina, you are correct!
Thanks @Jamie for giving me a hope as I will be filing soon and have to sent it to Texas service center…we were thinking of moving to a Nebraska state but it is not so easy to change states
And also my 1765 and rtd application were processed at Nebraska though I had sent it to TCS
“Texas may get better too.” You are an optimist! Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I have filed my asylum application in 2017 from san francisco and have applied to renew my EAD in March.
Question for you is, how long are the EAD renewal generally taking?
Also generally, how long do you anticipate the wait for 2017 applicant to be?
I would really appreciate your answer because my EAD expiration date is coming and if I get a denial/RFE, I am not sure if the reciept would be enough to extend the EAD expiration by 6 months.
Thank you,
Tori
We have been seeing renewals take 4 to 7 months, but most of my cases are on the East Coast and it may be different for CA. In terms of the asylum case, it cannot be predicted. Your case is in the backlog and very little progress is being made on those cases. You can try to expedite – I wrote about that on March 30, 2017. I think SF also has a “short list” and you can put your name on that as well (it is discussed in the March 30, 2017 article, I think). Take care, Jason
Hi Tori,
I am also from SF and applied for EAD renewal back in November – still waiting for it (Potomac is the office that should be working on it).. My hope is to receive it within the next month or so, but I’m not sure.
So if Potomac is also an office that working on your EAD renewal, their approx timeline on the website – 8,5 – 9,5 months.
My receipt arrived a bit over 2 weeks after submitting an application
Hopefully this helps 🙂
Good luck with the renewal, maybe it will be faster for you
Naya
Hi Jason or Anyone Else,
When I applied for asylum, my i94 was for two more months. It means I was in status. I cam eon B1/B2 Visa in 2015. I have EAD C8 waiting for interview at asylum office since 2015.
The company where I work they can sponsor me for EB-3 Green Card. My question, Can I adjust my status without any consular processing in third country because I was in status when I applied for asylum.
Please clarify. I consulted 2 attorneys and they did not give me clear answer. Have you seen any case like me and he/she got eb-3 without leaving the country?
Thank you.
I have not seen such a case. I wrote about this issue on August 28, 2018 (and also September 6, 2018, but that involves leaving the US). It may be possible under INA 245(k), but I know if no case where that actually worked. I would look around for a lawyer who has done this before – maybe some of the bigger employment immigration firms have done it, since they see a lot of EB-3 cases. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out. Thank you, Jason
Hi Jason,
Can you please take a look on the following judgement?
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-ca6-09-03338/pdf/USCOURTS-ca6-09-03338-1.pdf
Although the case was denied, however the reasons mentioned for denial are interesting and may favor for those who have the opportunity to get employment based green card through AOS.
Case Facts:
Entered in USA = Feb 10th, 1994
Allowed Stay = August 9th ,1994.
Asylum Applied = October 3rd ,1994 (after allowed stay expired) – Applied after 55 days
Case referred to Immigration Judge = July 28th ,2004 – Action taken by USCIS/DHS after 3586 days (9 years, 9 months and 25 days)
I-140 Approved = Jan 30th, 2007 of Priority Date of Jan 13th 2003
Asylum rejected by IJ = May 25th ,2007
Appeal Denied by BIA = Mar 20th ,2009
Motion to reapply AOS = Mar 31st, 2009 – Period from USCIS/DHS Action of Asylum application and apply for AOS is = 1707 days ( 4 years, 8 Months and 3 Days)
BIA denied Motion = Sep 30th, 2009
Another Appeal = July 29th 2010
Decided and Filed = April 13th 2011
Decision Paras:
“The BIA held that “8 C.F.R. § 1245.1(d)(2)(ii) relates only to technical violations of status due to ‘inaction of the[DHS].’…
Thus, once the DHS has acted upon a pending asylum application, the ‘technical’ reasons for the violation cease to exist, and the applicant may no longer be considered to be out of status for technical reasons.”Id.at681.
The BIA also discussed what would constitute “action” on the part of DHS, including when asylum officers approve, deny, refer, or dismiss the asylum application.Id.at680(citing8C.F.R.§§1208.14(b),(c);8C.F.R.§1208.19).”
The “Kukalos” maintain that because they filed their applications for asylum within this 180-day limit, the time during which their asylum application was pending should not count against them because this pendency constitutes a “technical reason” for their failure to maintain lawful status.
Subsection (k) makes no mention of an exception for technical reasons. Indeed this language is only used in subsection (c) of INA § 245. Presumably, if this language was intended to apply to subsection(k) it would have been included in the provision.
Even if we excise the time of “inaction” by DHS (as is allowed under subsection(c)), this would exclude only the time from which the “Kukalos” applied for asylum in October 1994 until DHS referred them to the Immigration Court in July 2004.
That still leaves the short time between the expiration of their visas and their application for asylum as well as the lengthier time from the Notice to Appear in 2004 until the eventual application for adjustment in 2009.
Thus, we find that the “Kukalos” have clearly missed the 180-day mark.
I really do not know. Each case is different and the rules periodically change, and so I would have to really research the specifics of a case to know whether the person might be eligible to adjust status under these circumstances. My sense is that few people, if any, are able to do this, but maybe sometimes it works. Take care, Jason
I totally agree with you.
I did more research and found out that the issue is with the following clause of “a timely request to maintain status” which the USCIS has not yet acted on, considered as maintaining status the person entered in US like B1/B2 or maintaining a lawful status by virtue of pending asylum.
It would be best if you could find a lawyer who has done a similar case before. I do not know anyone who has, and I guess it is pretty rare, but it would be nice to talk to someone who successfully did it. If you can find such a person. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I had an interview in2020 and I am still waiting for a decision. Today I checked the status of my case and it had changed from decision pending to interview scheduled.
What is the purpose of the second interview?
@bonny
They need more evidence or the officer who interviewed is changed ! Don’t panic
It’s hard to know – sometimes, they re-do the entire interview. Other times, they just forgot to ask a few questions. It is best to prepare as if you will do the whole interview again. Also, if you have notes from the first interview, you should review those as well. Take care, Jason
That’s a sign so ur gonna win the case from the officer, and ur second interview, but u will be stuck on background check for maybe 1 to 4 years
Moe
How do you know he will win the case bla bla that’s all bullshit !!! When you’re not attorney or expert don’t predict things
Most likely they need new evidence or they suspect something or the officer is changed and a new one wanna hear him so don’t predict win or lose you ain’t an officer to know how they think and if he was about to win they would never need a second interview
BONNY
Don’t panic.All case its different,but I share with you….
SF office.
I had interview on Aug/2020…. No decision.
I hade second interview on Jul/2021.
And my case it’s Granted.
…That was my lawyer’s advice to me:
Just do not try to change what you said in the first interview. And don’t t try to exaggerate the things you said in the first interview.
Again Don’t panic and good luck 👍
Hello Jason,
I am going to apply for adjustment of status and RTD as an asylee, I am thinking about returning to my home country with my wife and kids, as I have never been back for the last 6 years of pending asylum. My mom is going to have a big surgery for her back bone. Although I understand how risky my travel would be, I am wondering what could be the best evidence to submit along with my application for the RTD for my travel? Does the staying time matter, if it is for only 3 weeks or a month? What is the likelihood of terminating my asylum by the immigration office at the port of entry?
Will that help if I collect statements from those family members whom I will be staying with at the country of my nationality during my travel?
@darin
What you gonna do is like a suicide especially when u apply for the greencard and the citizenship! Think teice before you lose everything especially u will come back without greencard
I think the RTD application asks whether you will return to the home country. I am not sure what the effect would be if you say “yes” to that question. I do not know whether they would deny the application for RTD. I wrote about returning to the home country on January 6, 2016 – maybe that would help. But if you have evidence about why you returned and how you stayed safe, you should keep that ready in case you are questioned. The article I mentioned discusses this in more detail. Take care, Jason
Hi Everybody,
I applied for my EAD renewal on Mar-27 2021, My EAD expires in SEP-2021. I received the letter from USCIS which extends my EAD for 6 months beyond the expiration date. The EAD application is being processed at Potomac service center which has a processing time of 8 to 11 months for C8 category EADs….
I am in California, I read on this forum a few times when other people mentioned that I could apply for an AB60 driver’s license.
I wanted to try this. I went to San jose DMV. I already completed the online dmv application and also printed the AB60 verification page online. The dmv accepted my AB60 request.
Just wanted to let every body know in california that you can get a AB60 driver’s license which is a valid photo I.D if you don’t prefer the paper I.D that extends your driver’s license by just six months
Thank you for sharing the info@Mark.
Hello tina
Can i ask you a question please where are you gonna file for your GC from? Which state?? I’m gonna apply after you and trying to avoid texas service center at most!! Do you know anyone in Ohio that filed for Gc theough asylum that their case moved to either nebraska or Texas service center?
Hi AASTT.
I honestly have not started paying attention to the GC application, because I am not at that point yet.
Secondly, I think Jamie or someone else stated that where we file has nothing to do with where it will be processed.
I guess you just have to file where you are supposed to file, and hope that you are one of the lucky ones that get processed in Nebraska.
Who knows, Texas may get better too.
First thing is to determine the right place to send the application, and hope for the best for what you cannot control.
Another thing is to ask if people who were processed in Nebraska filed from the same region. That may give us an idea, but I don’t know if people that received their GCs from Nebraska may be willing to disclose the information.
Good luck!
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