Jason Dzubow is an immigration attorney who specializes in political asylum, immigration court, and appeals. He is a partner at Dzubow & Pilcher, PLLC, and his full profile can be found here.
Contact Jason Dzubow about an Asylum or Immigration case:
JDzubow@DzubowLaw.com
(202) 328-1353
Dear Jason,
I have a serious concern with regards to my sibling who is about to file her visa application in our home country. She was being hired for an exchange program by the Dept of State. I have a pending asylum case, filed cancellation of removal and filed adjustment of status for LPR and got an individual hearing scheduled next year.
Does this affect her application? Does the consular office knows about relatives status in the US?
Please advise. thank you.
The consulate might know about your case. She should assume that they do know, and she should not lie to them about your status. Normally, if a sibling is applying for a visa, they are not so affected by their brother or sister having a case in the US, but that is not always true and your case could make it more difficult for her. Hopefully, she can get the visa. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I just read about the new rules that domestic violence is not a grand for asylum anylonger in the usa
My case was reffered to immigration court but i am waiting for court date. I filed asylum for myself, husband and two children because my husbands family wants us to be part of a traditional religion which we declined because we are christians.They have attacked us severally and now threthened us with death. I believe my case is a domestic violence related case.
Kindly help confirm if my case is regarded as domestic violense
and please what do you think i can do. Does this mean i cant win my case?
I wrote something about the new case yesterday. It does not exactly block domestic violence cases, but it does make it much more difficult to win. I think your case might be based on religion, which is a different protected category. I do think you should talk to a lawyer about this, as the environment now is not easy, but I suspect that the new case will not block you from asylum. Take care, Jason
Good Morning.
I feel very traumatised, I have tears in my eyes. I read up on the new rule of Mr. Sessions, it sadness me. I am currently pending asylum, I have a very bad case. It’s about, gang members & my family, for years this has been going on. I have to send money home, for my mother to pay for her protection, everyday I call home & something bad happens. I have sleepless nights due to all the trauma I went through. I always fear, even though I am here in the USA, my past life back home is hunting me. Today I read that I might have to go back & face my faith. Can you please help me, tell me if I can go to any other country, i have a little daughter now, and I would hate for her to go through all the pain I had to go through. If I am no longer welcomed here, could I apply to any other country. And thank you for all your help.
I think the new case is not as bad as it is made out to be – I wrote a post about it yesterday, which might help. Talk to a lawyer here to see how strong your case is. If you need a free lawyer, I wrote about that on September 22, 2016. Also, if you are sending money to your mother to pay off criminals or terrorists, that could have a negative affect on your case, so if you can, talk to a lawyer about that as well. Take care, Jason
Hi Mr.Jason ,
We filed affirmative asylum and had our interiver
on August 2017 still waiting for the decision. Any idea
that how long it takes as it’s almost 10 months after the
interview.
Best Regards.
Murad S.
It is very variable and unpredictable. You can contact them to inquire about the status of the case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Mr.Jason,
Thanks for your feedback, so we had our asylum interview at one of the service Centre in Omaha , Nebraska so for case status inquiry do we need to contact the service center or the Concerned asylum office which is Chicago Asylum Office . Please advise .
Thanks & Best Regards ,
Murad S.
Contact your asylum office – it sounds like that is Chicago. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason i have a question. I m working on my i 485 application. My question in 2007 i plead guilty to loud party at court and fined me $100. Do i need to mention that on my i485 Application since its not criminal.?
I don’t know, but I think it is better to mention it, and include a copy of documents related to the ticket (if you have them). It certainly won’t hurt your application, but if you don’t tell USCIS and they think you are trying to hide it, it could affect your case negatively. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much Jason…
Hi,
Thank you Jason for your great work. I applied an affirmative asylum in Atlanta two weeks ago. I then realized Atlanta is the toughest in the nation in asylum cases. The court approval rate is so low compared to other states. My question is about the USCIS in Atlanta. Are they also equally tough? I research a lot to learn the approval rate of USCIS in Atlanta, but got no result. Since Atlanta is a division of Arlington office, does the approval rate of Arlington include Atlanta?
Thank you
For affirmative cases at the asylum office, the interview is conducted by an officer from Arlington, so I think it is ok to do an affirmative case in Atlanta. However, you are correct that the court there is very difficult, and so if the case goes to court, it will be hard to win in Atlanta. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
I appreciate your usual support. Can we check our asylum case and EAD online? Is it important to create account at uscis?
Just ead.
You can check the EAD, but not the asylum (though if asylum is granted, apparently some people get a message that a new EAD is being produced). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, this is Kaleb. I’ve told you before that I’m a second year international student at a college in NY. I’ve decided to stay here for the summer with my dad, who applied for asylum 4 years ago. I was just wondering if I can apply for a work permit under my father. He has a work permit and he told me that I’m included in his application. What do you think? Thanks!
If you are under 18 years old When your father filed the asylum application . It is very easy for you. Just apply for ead. First time is free
If you were included as a dependent in his application (meaning that a separate page 9 of the I-589 was submitted with your photo, and you were fingerprinted), then you can apply for a work permit based on the same scheduled as the principal applicant. Take care, Jason
Hi,
I got here on a F1 student visa and entered the country legally. I applied for asylum at SF asylum office on 03/15/2018 (in my third month). I have a valid SSN and EAD. I am awaiting my interview and as of now my case is pending.
The current political climate is extremely worrisome, do you think it’s a possibility that I might get picked up by ICE for no reason? I pay my taxes, tuition and credit card bills. I don’t even have a ticket. Please let me know.
I have not heard about any cases where a person with a pending asylum case was picked up by ICE, unless the person committed a crime or had a warrant for arrest, so I think you should try not to worry about that. Take care, Jason
Hi Mr. Jason
Is there a college that offers in-state tuition for asylum seekers with pending applications? Or is there a way to do it?
If not, then if I be granted Asylum at one point, which colleges offer in-state tuition for me?
Thank you so much
Minnesota State University (different cities)
University of North Dakota
North Dakota State University
and many more schools (contact them or stop by their office of domestic students in your current state)
I know these schools admit you as domestic student with your pending asylum application.
Hol, are you sure about tthose?
Because I contacted them and they kept talking about scholarshpis to be charged in-state tuition.
I do not know – you have to reach out to the particular college(s) that you are interested in attending. Most places seem to offer in-state tuition for people with asylum granted, but again, you need to ask the specific school to be sure. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, As you know, Mr. Sessions wrote in his rulling “Generally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by non-governmental actors will not qualify for asylum,”. What about non-governmental actors like militias? In my country, the government is weak and can’t protect its citizens from armed groups and militias and must human rights violations and prosecutions are committed by armed groups and militias, does that mean we don’t quilify for asylum in the U.S?
Hi Jason, I agree with Khalil. Like Afghanistan? If someone worked with US-gov and escaped the country. Afg gov cannot fight back the Taliban and other insurgents. I assume these groups are more than domestic violence?
They target people who they view as “infidels” and Westerners/spies. I think such people will still be able to obtain asylum. Take care, Jason
I think Mr. Sessions would love to block all asylum seekers, but I think the new decision does not do that. The law protects people who face persecution on account of a protected category. The decision affects members of a particular social group, but militias tend to be political or religious, and that is why they target people. I think his decision may affect some aspects of that (you will have to be more careful about showing that internal relocation is not possible), but I think his decision will not have much affect on such cases. At least I hope so. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, with Jeff Sessions’ new Asylum policy which removed gang/domestic violence from asylum ground, are latin America cases mostly dead?
I don’t read the decision that way. The AG is trying (and will) limit certain cases, especially women and children fleeing domestic violence, but such cases are not dead. I will try to write something about this soon, but many people will be writing about it and thinking of how to combat his decision. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
I had applied for EAD for me , my wife and my daughter. When I checked online two of them got approved and one still shows the same status “that we have received the application”. What could be the reason for this.
Second after receiving the work permit what is the procedure to acquire the Social security specially for my 8 year old Child.
Thanks for helping us always.
If you did not apply ead for your 8 years old child, you did wrong. Because everybody has to be apply for ead otherwise you can not get social security number. Don’t think she or he child. And does not need
It is very common for applications filed together to be decided at different times. It is too soon to worry about that. You can apply for the SSN at the same time as you apply for the EAD, using form I-765. If you did not do that, you will need to contact the Social Security office to get the card. Take care, Jason
Social security office does not accept application without ead card.
Yes – either you can apply for both at the same time using form I-765, or get the EAD and then apply for the SSN. Take care, Jason
Hello,
But I applied 1765 Ead form for all of us and tick and mark the option yes to issue ssn too for all of us. But need to know that what will be after this step. Ssn will come by mail. Or still I have to do something to get the SSN.? Specially for my child how would i get ssn. I have applied the seprate form 1765 for my child to.
Thanks
It will come in the mail. If you filed for your child for an EAD and SSN, that will come in the mail for the child too. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much Jason 👍
Really appreciated.
Hi Jason,
I m an asylum seeker waiting since March 2016, means I submitted my application in those days waiting since then. I applied first in Arlington office and then transferred my application to new York office in may be around somewhere in July 2016. I am still waiting for my interview call and I m not sure that even new york office is applying that new LIFO policy or not. I contacted my lawyer few times but couldn’t get a satisfactory answer regarding my interview. My two kids and my wife living in a very high mounted fear in my country of persecution for almost last 3 years without me. I m not sure when I will recieve my interview call and when I b able to bring my family over here to help them out of living in fear and scare. Me and my family members are so much depressed and waiting for any miracle from almighty who will dig us out of this situation.
Sorry to hear that. Most applicant are same situation. That is why they are here. So nobody can do anything. Maybe you can try to expedite the process by petition.
This sounds like a strong basis to try to expedite the case. I wrote about that on March 30, 2017 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Thanx for the replies brothers but I dont know what would I need to expedite my application or interview? I mean what document do I need? And thanx Jason but I couldn’t find March 30 2017 written article about it, can you plz send me the link ?
You can Google “Asylumist Expedite Asylum Office” and you will find it. Take care, Jason
Hi , My friend applied for asylum at San Francisco in Jan 2017 and still there is no interview..how much time could it take??
Just god knows. I think that at least 18 months
No one knows, but it will probably take years. Your friend can try to expedite the case – I wrote about that on March 30, 2017. Take care, Jason
Can I apply for work permit after the 180 days without biometrics or interview?
Thanks again!!
It is not related with interview. Biometric has to be for asylum application. You don’t have option for that
I applied for assylum. Isn’t the same as I – 589?
Yes it is.
You should be able to, but ask the local asylum office about the biometrics, and see if you can get that done. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, well done for the good job.
I applied for 1-589 through an antorny in December 2017, and received an acknowledgement receipt later in Dec.
But till date, am yet to get a biometrics invitation.
I know it does not take this long to get a biometrics invitation.
My attorney said to be a little bit more patient.
Am worried really, whenever I try checking the status online,it keep saying the number I entered is invalid. This is the same number on the receipt from USICS.
Please what can I do?
Appreciate your response.
You can check just ead application by ucsis website. It is not normal for biometric. I am also waiting for jason answer.
You cannot check your asylum status on-line, so that is normal. However, you should have received a biometric appointment months ago. Contact the local asylum office and ask them about this – maybe they can help. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello Jaison.
Hope u r doing good. i am pending asylee, and recently applied for ead after crossing my 150 day and now 180 days have passed. I only recived my username from uscis and when i login its say that thy will mail the decision by 9 june in both way approve or deny. And till now no answe. So my question is
– they will deny my ead? But y thy can deny n if thy will how the asylum people can work ?
-by when i can receive the decision ?
Awaiting for ur reply
Thanks
–
What kind of username you have? Can you share website for it. I don’t remember about username or website for ead. By the way if you have good background they should approve.
After applying ead after 2 weeks approx i get a usrner from uscis to check the statust of the ead process.
Thanks
Could you share link for it. How you check it
From the time of filing until receiving the card, we see people wait between 1 and 4 months for the EAD. Also, if USCIS says they are mailing it, it often takes a couple weeks to arrive. So I think it is too soon to worry. Most everyone gets the EAD. If you don’t have it by the end of the month, maybe try calling USCIS to ask – you can find their phone number at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason.
When we check online on case status and they said card was produced. What does it mean ? Can we start work or we have to wait till we received the card physically?
Thanks
You have to wait until you receive the card (unless you have an old card that was extended for 180 days when you applied for the new card). Take care, Jason
This is the first time I have applied for ead after crossing 180 day.
They produced the card and it will come. So can we work now legally or we hv to wait for the card.
Thx jason
You need the card. Take care, Jason
hi i applied since october 2015 and still didn’t get any date for my interview yet. i just to know if they are interviewing people from 2015. thanks
i forgot to add that my case is pending is New York
At this point, I think the only way a 2015 case would be interviewed is if the person expedites or short lists the case. I wrote about that on March 30, 2017. I do not know if offices are still doing the short list, but you can contact them to ask (supposedly, Virginia is no longer using the short list, but you can still try to expedite). You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I got my interview since March 20 , 2018 and the interviewer, AO, said me that he will send the decision result with mail. Now, this is June and I haven’t received any mail yet. I want to know that what would be late the decision? Is this be negative for me?
There is no any reason for late decision. Just wait some people are waiting about 5 years.
It is very common to wait, and it is not a negative sign. You could email the asylum office and 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,
Many thanks for your help!
I just got the individual hearing date which is April, 2021. I want to apply for expedite hearing . Just want to know when can I apply for the expedite hearing and is there any court fee for the expedite hearing?
Thanks.
There is no fee and you can apply any time – I wrote about this on April 20, 2017 – maybe that would help you. Take care, Jason
Hi there, Again!
I’m so excited to ask all questions I have because I saw what a wonderful job you are doing here by answering all these questions pretty clearly and I really appreciate it when you say “I don’t know” some times which makes me feel a lot more confident in your answers and more comfortable with listening to you.
I got three more questions;
1) does Chicago office operate on LIFO framework? based on your knowledge.
2) my receipt # has the 0’s (000) after the first two digits that refer to the year, it that OK? since they refer to workdays.
3) when I called (800) 898-7180, and entered my A-number-that has 9 digits- it told me that it doesn’t match any of the records they have, is anything wrong here?
and again, thank you sooooo much!!!
1 – Yes, we just did a case there. I think we filed in March or April, person was interviewed in early May, person was granted on May 29, though we only received the approval letter yesterday. So these days, I am liking Chicago. 2 – I don’t understand your question, sorry. 3 – That number is only for court; it does not work for the asylum office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I’m an Iraqi international student here and have already applied for Asylum within the one year period, received the notice and gone for the bio-metrics. I have three questions;
1) on the notice it says that my application is pending as of (the date I entered the US not the date that I filed asylum), is that OK? or is there a mistake? note that the notice date is alright (which is when I filed the case)
2) if that’s a mistake they’ve done, then should send them a mail to request correction? and will this affect my case in anyway?
3) as of the late policies of the president and the intent to process later applications before early ones, how much time do you think it would take for them to make an appointment for me? I filed in mid April.
and thank you so much!
The “received” date is right though.
1 – Normally, the blue receipt paper should say the date that the I-589 was received by the asylum office, so that sounds strange to me. 2 – I would email the local asylum office and attach a scanned copy of the receipt. You can also go in-person if it is convenient. You can find their contact info/office hours if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. 3 – If they have an interview slot for you, you should get an appointment in the next month or two, but not everyone will be interviewed. If you are not interviewed quickly, I really have no idea about the wait time. Take care, Jason
Do you think it might result in delaying my interview since that the date is more than a year back now so I’m not considered in the LIFO policy?
On the top right-hand corner of the reciept it has the right date(April) and it says Form: I-589, although, in the text it says it’s pending as of May of 2017 which is when I came here.
I think this will make things clearer.
I hope someone replies to see if that’s the case for everyone or it’s just me.
Everyone who is not “current” (filed in the last couple months) is probably effectively in the backlog. When those cases will be interviewed, I do not know. But if you filed in April, you probably will get an interview soon. Take care, Jason
Yes. I’ve filed in 12th of April and did my Biometrics in the 14th of May.
I called them today and they said “send us a letter explaining the issue with a copy of your receipt “ and I did mailed them that.
Shalom Jason,
Your client from Chicago who was interviewed the first week of May was granted asylum as of 29th May 2018. Congratulations!. It was fun working with you. Thank you for all the help. Cheers!
That’s great and I think I know who you are, so that is even better. Congratulations, Jason
haha It was past 5pm at your end when I learnt, and I knew since you respond to some messages between 6-7pm, this was the fastest way to break the news. 😉
Congrats! You are a lucky person. Would you please share your timeline and country of origin?
Hi Jason,
My brother is asking for asylum but his case is turning a total nightmare, first, he did not receive a receipt of his case (in Miami), then he moved to ATL and since it was taking too long, he asked to immigration services on the phone about it but since he did not have a case number, they could not do much. He went to Miami and they mentioned that he had a receipt and the biometrics and they will send again. He wait the time they asked him to do but nothing happened. He had to go again to Miami and this time they check that his address was still in Miami, so somebody change it to ATL. They promissed this time he will receive the documents accordingly but it was 2 months ago. Not sure what to do. The worse is that he does not have his case number yet and they have been rejected several times over the phone because they cannot check anything 🙁
He might try emailing Miami rather than going there in person. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. He could also file a Freedom of Information Act request – form G-639, available at http://www.uscis.gov to get a copy of his file. The problem is that this will take several months. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
My nephew went to his interview in Miami and he received a denying letter and his case will be examined by the court on July. My nephew is very young and he does not have any money. Can he go without a lawyer to court or is there a way that the court assign an attorney for him? He moved to ATL a couple of weeks ago, since he has a court day already, do you recommend for him to request the case to move to ATL? Also, he sent his case in January 2018 and had his interview in April, since the 180 days passed already, can he request the employment permit?
When did you filed your application?
He filled at the end of January 2018
If the 180 days have passed, he can file for the work permit using form I-765, available at http://www.uscis.gov. You can check how many days have passed if you call 800-898-7180. Enter his Alien number and press 2 – the computer will say how many days have passed. He can do the case without a lawyer, but that is probably a big mistake, as a lawyer helps a lot in court cases. Maybe he can find a free lawyer – I wrote about that on September 22, 2016. He has to tell the court where he lives (using form EOIR-33). I will say that Atlanta is generally considered the most difficult court in the US, so if he can stay in Miami, maybe that is better. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason!
Hi Jason
Thank you in Advance.
I have applied and did my interview by my self(i have no Attorney) last march 28,2018 but I did not receive any decision till now. I heard some people who made their interview at the same time and received their decision. Is their any thing i can do to know my case status?
There is not much to do – 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. Many people are waiting for months after the interview, so your situation is not so unusual, even though it is obviously very frustrating. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
It’s seven months we are waiting for our decision from the Chicago office. Our case was expedited and based on that we submitted documents to expedite the decision as well. How long does it take them to answer? Do they always respond? It’ about 3 weeks already. Should we wait more or we can inquire? Thanks in advance.
Wait times after the interview are unpredictable. You can contact them to inquire about the case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason – I have my citizenship interview coming up in few weeks. I received a green card based on asylum in April 2012. I have made two trips to the country of precaution since I was granted asylum. 1st one was in December 2014 for 4 weeks when I heard my father was shot dead in car snatching incident and the second trip was in February 2016 for 2 weeks after my mother had a major surgery. Both trips were made on my country of origin passport since my refugee travel document was expired and trips were unplanned and matter of emergency.My lawyer who has helped with Asylum has passed last year, unfortunately. I am not sure if I must take a lawyer with me to the interview.
I am extremely nervous if my citizenship case could be denied based on those trips? What is the best course of action here? I am based here in San Francisco. Thanks for your advise and time.
I think you should have evidence of the reasons you returns, in case you are asked. Also, if you have evidence of how you managed to stay safe on these trips, you should bring that too. I would only present such evidence if they ask you. Whether to bring a lawyer is up to you – lawyers do not do much at these interviews, but the officers may treat you better if a lawyer is present. Probably the worst case is that they request more info from you about the travel and the original asylum claim. If that happens, you probably would want a lawyer to assist you. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, My name is Kaleb and I’m a second year international student at a college in NY. My father came to the US and applied for asylum about 4 years ago. Until this day, we haven’t heard any response and I don’t know if that is a good sign or not. It is summer now and I wanted to go back home to see my mother and sibling but I am scared that the embassy from back home will deny to renew my Visa due to the fact that my father applied for asylum. My education is my priority so i am now staying here with my father. What do you recommend me to do? Do you think I should go back home for break just like everyone else or stay here until my father’s faith has been decided? Hope to read your response on this. Thank you
If you go back, you do take a risk of being unable to return. I think the risk is especially high if you were under 21 at the time he filed for asylum (in which case, you can obtain asylum if his case is granted). Also, if your visa (the page glued into your passport) has expired, and you need a new one from the embassy, it may be difficult to obtain. The short answer, though, is that I do not know, but I do think the fact of your father’s asylum case may make it difficult for you to return here. You may want to talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your case, but I think no one can tell you for sure whether or not you will be able to return. Take care, Jason
Thank you for your reply Jason. You’ve helped me more than you can imagine. My college doesn’t actually require an up to date visa as long as I don’t travel outside the US. Which means I’m good for the rest of my college life. Take care.
Hi jason i filled my i589 in march 2018 when i be able to apply for EAD . How long it will takes after you apply for EAD AFTER 150 days do i have to fill by myself or through attorney. Plase guide me
Thanks for ur advice
You have to wait 150 days after the “received” date on your receipt. It normally takes 1 to 4 months to get the EAD after that. You can do it yourself or use a lawyer. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I will be going for my asylum interview in few days but the problem I have is that someone filed the asylum for me and there are so many inconsistencies in the form and in my story but wrote No in the section where they asked was the form filled for you. I want to ask can I tell the asylum officer at the interview that I did not fill the form myself. Is there any penalty for that? Thank you
What did you answer it when you filed? Form asked who filled this form. If you said I filed that I recommend keep same. Otherwise you could get some problem.
I disagree. I think it is much better to come clean and tell the truth now. It will only get harder as time goes on (and the lies accrue). Take care, Jason
I think you have no choice. The alternative is to lie, which will create even worse problems. In my experience, if you explain what happened and why it happened, and apologize, it is the best path. Whether it will work here, I do not know, but I do not know what else you can do. It seems to me that many asylum seekers have this problem, and so hopefully, they will accept your explanation. The stronger the case is, in general, the more likely this approach will work. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason, my ead card was determined undelivered but i already filed a change of address with USCIS abd dont know why they hadnt effected it. The post office has done theirs but USCIS is yet to do theirs.What can i do?. I already got a refferal notice to immigration court and i havent even worked at all to save upmoney to get the service of a lawyer
You can call USCIS to ask about the matter – the phone number can be found at http://www.uscis.gov. Or you can make an Info Pass appointment and go in person to ask (see the link at right called Info Pass). It is better to file the AR-11 on-line, if you did not do that. But – at least in theory – if you filed the change of address and USCIS mailed the card to the old address, they should re-send it to you. But talk to them and ask. Take care, Jason
thank you
Hi Jason,
if i file the expedite hearing ( individual), how sooner the hearing will be ? just want to know your guess ( per your experience). And also, is there any fee for expedite hearing?
Judge asked my lawyer to update I-589 ( what does it mean?)
Thanks.
There is no way to predict that, as it depends on the particular judge’s scheduled. I wrote about that on April 20, 2017. The I-589 may be old or out of date, or there is new info in your life (like a new address, job, spouse, child, etc.), so the judge is asking that the form be updated to reflect new info. Take care, Jason
hi Jason. I filled April 2017 and I have of interview. Approximately when can I be expecting an interview. I am confused when to expect an interview date with this new system of backward interview?
Most people who file under the new system should expect an interview soon, but I do not think everyone is getting an interview, since there are too many applications for everyone to be interviewed. If you do not have an interview in another month or so, you can email the asylum office and inquire. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
She can expect interview for April 2017 in month or so ? What about December 2017 in Arlington VA?
There is no way to predict in either case. I think most cases filed in April should get interviews soon, but there is no way to know for sure. As for the 2017 case, I have no idea. We are still waiting for some cases from 2018 to get scheduled, and I do not know when they will get to the December 2017 cases. It could be relatively soon, but it may take a long time. Take care, Jason
Hi, I wanna share my timeline with you and hope it helps.
I filed on March 15th 2018, interview was on May 9th and I got recommended approval on May 23th 2018 from San Francisco asylum office. God bless you all and don’t lose your hope.
Thank you – and Congratulations on the recommended approval! Hopefully, you will get the final approval soon. Take care, Jason
Congratulations Imi60, happy to hear that one from the LIFO has granted Asylum.
Hi Jason
i was interviewed on 9th april 2018 and AO said decision send by mail within 10 days but still i didnt recieve anything from USCIS.
if i go to USCIS to check my status, is it possible?
or what is the reason for delaying and this is a positive sign?
It is pretty common that asylum officers give you an estimated time until the decision, and that turns out to be wrong. I do not view that as a bad (or good) sign for your case. You can contact the asylum office to inquire, or go in person. You can find their contact info and office hours if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
I really thanks for your reply. I just want to confirm with you if I go to Anaheim asylum Office personally to check my case status, it is possible?
I do not know – You can email them to ask. As long as it is a main office (not a sub-office), you should be able to go. You can find their contact info and office hours if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hello
I request an expedited interview in Houston , How long does it take to respond , l.After how long of waiting of their response I can call them to ask for it.can u tell me how I can to do ?
Thanks so much
We did that and it took probably 6 months before they scheduled the interview. If you made the request more than a month ago, it would be appropriate to call or email and inquire. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
I have been waiting for my asylum decision for more than 3 months. This morning, I received two msg notifications from USCIS account saying that my cases were updated and I was so excited to hear that. But to my surprise, the ‘updated’ cases are actually not my asylum case but my and my wife’s EAD application, which were finalized 1 year ago. I checked USCIS website for update but nothing was updated in there, even the last updated date is last year when they mailed our cards. I know if they approve my case, my asylum case ID should be recognizable in USCIS case status checking app but out old EAD application case status should not change. My asylum case number is still not recognizable yet. Maybe USCIS app is testing message notifications and send out random notifications…any one has received such notifications?
I received it. It is second time. I think that some technical issue
Thanks for the response. yeah..then I don’t read too much into that.
I received similar email today. My heart almost stoped. It seems a glitch.
Hi, Jason,
It is sad day for me as today I had my master hearing today and the judge gave me April 2021 date for my individual hearing. (Almost three years). My attorney asked the judge to reconsider the date and give sooner date. the judge told us to apply for the expedite hearing.
Just want to know will it be better to apply for expedite individual hearing and this will not be affecting on my case too?
Thanks
You can try to expedite the hearing – sometimes, a hearing date becomes available sooner, and you may be able to get it. I wrote about that on April 20, 2017. Good luck, Jason
Hi. Which states are you living?
Dear Jason,
Can you please help me with such question?
I provided i-589 to USCIS in 2015. My wife and child from my native country are dependant. We are waiting for first interview invitation from USCIS. Now my wife is pregnant.
1. Do we need to inform USCIS that we have one more child after his birth?
2. Do I need to add kid into to case (He’ll be usa citizen)
Thank you very much!
1 – You can do that at the interview. Bring a copy of the birth certificate. If the child is born here, the child will be a US citizen, so he or she will not be part of the asylum case. 2 – No, but you need to tell the officer at the interview. Take care, Jason
Hey jason i wanted to ask a question , not even my lawer answered me this so i hope you will ! Would it be a problem for me to apply for greencard ? I was approved for assylum from sfo. And after 1 month i mooved to texas. And now i realised that there is a small typographic mistake on my i94, just one letter more is added on my first name . But still i dont know if i have to correct it or not and how ? Plus i recently got my work authorization and even in that my first name is printed on where it states surname and my surname is printed on given name. What should i do ? Anyone please help and i wanted to know if this would cause some problem while appliying for greencard ?
You might want to contact the asylum office and ask whether they can correct the I-94. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Whether they can or not, I think you can apply for your GC (assuming you are eligible). You will need to explain about the spelling error, but that should not block you from getting a GC. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, i have a question sir, what is going to happen if you fail adjustment of status interview? specially people who granted asylum at the court?
You will continue with asylum status, unless they try to take your asylum status away (for example, if they think you committed fraud or committed a crime). If that happens, you will have an interview at the Asylum Office and could then be sent to court. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason…
Hello Jaison,
I have a question. I hav applied my asylum case in california. And am planning to move in Arizona. Still I have to transfer my case from CA to Az. Below are the states and there service center are same. Plz tell me.
If u live in :
Arizona
California counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, or Ventura
Guam
Hawaii
Nevada counties of Clark, Esmerelda, Nye or Lincoln
California Service Center
P.O. Box 10881
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-0881
Please let me know that I have to transfer the case or not. Thanks
If you move, you have to file a change of address with the asylum office. If your new address is under the jurisdiction of a new asylum office, your case will move automatically. To know whether you will move to a new office, follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator and enter your old and new zip codes – you can see your old office and your new office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, thank you so much for the very informative blog. My name is Bilal and I recently graduated from college in PA. I’m planning on spending much of my summer in D.C. and am thinking about applying for asylum based on my sexual orientation (I’m gay) and religious beliefs (I’m atheist). I’m from Pakistan. Given how experienced you’re in the area, and based on the limited information I’ve just provided, do you think I could make a claim for asylum? Also, what’s your availability in terms of taking up cases at the moment?
The situation you describe sounds like a basis for asylum, but it might depend on the specific threats (if any) that you are facing in Pakistan. Also, in general, a person must apply for asylum within one year of arriving in the US. You may meet an exception to that rule, but you should be aware of it – I wrote about this issue on January 18, 2018. If you would like to schedule a consult with me, you can email me at jdzubow@dzubowlaw.com. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason, is there a way I can join the US military and expedite my citizenship? Im currently an asylee awaiting interview date with an EAD. I came here legally.
I think you cannot join the military as an asylum seeker, but I am not sure – you can contact a military recruiter and ask. Take care, Jason
They only hire you if you have approved asylum
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your help!
Just want to know, will it be better to have my own translator in individual hearing ? though I can understand and speak english.
When should i request for the translator for individual hearing.
Thanks
The court supplies a translator in court. You have to bring your own at the asylum office. If you need a translator in court, it is normal to request that at the Master Calendar Hearing, though you can contact the court later and make the request. I have noticed that people’s English level goes down a bit in court or the asylum office due to nervousness and unfamiliarity with some of the technical words that are used, so it may be better to use a translator if you have doubts about your English under such circumstances. Take care, Jason
I have applied for asylum in 2017. The person whom i love, in india (my home country) and having liver cirrhosis. He needs a transplant and i want to be a donor. Can i take advance parol and go India for donating my liver and come back while my asylum case is going on. I am very upset. Please help me.
This is just my opinion. Sorry to hear that. I don’t think so you can go to your home country during asylum case. I think that advance parole for 3. Country not your home country. Maybe you can go to very close county to help or he can come to US
It would be far better for the asylum case to meet in a third country – I certainly agree with that. Take care, Jason
You could probably do that (assuming the liver is compatible). However, it would potentially cause your asylum case to be denied. If you do it, make sure to have evidence about the reason for the trip and be prepared to explain why you went back. I wrote about AP on September 11, 2017 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
If she went and come back to US, how she can enter?
She can use Advance Parole to re-enter. The return trip may very well cause her asylum case to be denied, but that is not a certainty. Normally, I would advise against such travel, but if the situation is life and death, she has to make that decision for herself. Take care, Jason
Thanks jason and mike for showing me path. If i get all medical tests done prior to apply for AP, and than after donating my liver, getting all proofs from hospital of full procedure, is there still chances for my asylum case to be denied?
There is certainly a chance that they will deny your case if you return to your home country. However, if you have evidence of why you went, and how you stayed safe while there, you may be able to win the case. Any return trip to the country makes an asylum case more difficult to win. Take care, Jason
Yes, 2018. New York.
I had an interview with asylum officer, She was very young and seems very inexperienced, maybe even this was her first interview. From the very beginning, I felt that something was not right. The questions were very superficial and did not cover even 10% of my problems. when I tried to answer in detail, they stopped me and asked me to answer briefly. Even at the end of the interview, when I said that I have letters of evidence, and I want to see them, I was refused. I’m also not sure that the translation was correct, because during interview they did not find an interpreter on line who was supposed to confirm the correctness of the translation. I received a refusal and my case will be examined by the court. I am very disappointed in the system of dealing with cases of refugees. I did not expect this and do not expect justice in the future. What can I do? Can I contact the UN and complain?
I think the only effective thing you can do is to prepare your case and do a good job in court, hopefully with the help of a competent lawyer. We have seen many cases that were denied by the Asylum Office and then granted in court. It sounds like in your case, you had an officer who was pre-disposed to denying. I do not know whether you had a lawyer with you at the Asylum Office, but if you did, the lawyer perhaps should have intervened (or at least made sure in advance that all evidence was submitted prior to the interview). In any event, if you have a strong case, you should have a good chance to win in court, as long as you present the case effectively (which a decent lawyer can help you with). Take care, Jason
When did you apply ?
I aplyed 04.04 and interviewed 08.05, at the decision they wrote that i had material inconsistencies between testimony and applycation, but I’m sure that it’s imposible. I suppose that the translation was probably not of high quality, because they did not find an interpreter who could confirm the correctness of the translation. Dear Jason, how can I get interview records to learn about what inconsistencies are specifically referred to, since the answer they gave me, is of a general nature, and it is not clear. P.S. I was interviewed without a lawyer
Sorry to hear all that. Do not stress, you will be fine at the court. You said you applied 4/4 and was interview 5/8 of 2018? Where did you apply? In Arlington, VA? Please let me know. Thanks.
You can get a copy of your entire file if you file a Freedom of Information Act request, form G-639, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Often, this does not get you the asylum officer notes (they are redacted), but you can try. If that does not work, there is no easy way to get the notes. Maybe you could go to the Immigration Court and review your file – you might find the notes there. One area to think about for inconsistencies is differences between your asylum application and your visa application – comparing the two is a common technique in asylum cases. Take care, Jason