Asylum
You may apply for asylum if you have a well-founded fear of being persecuted if you return to your country. Your well-founded fear can be because of your political activities, religion, race/nationality/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or membership in a particular social group. You may apply for asylum at the U.S. border or port of entry, after arriving in the U.S., or while you are in removal proceedings.
If you are in the United States, you MUST apply for asylum within one (1) year of your last entry into the United States. Some exceptions do apply to the one-year rule such as extraordinary circumstances, and changed circumstances.
If there’s been no decision on your case within 150 days of your application, you can apply to obtain a work permit (work authorization document). If you file an affirmative asylum application, you will eventually be called for an interview at one of the Asylum Offices after submitting your application. If USCIS grants you asylum status, you are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) 1 year after receiving your grant of asylum.
Please note that while your asylum application is pending, or after your asylum is granted, or even after receiving your green card based on your asylum claim, you SHOULD NOT travel to the country of persecution and you SHOULD NOT renew your passport issued by the country of persecution. If you must travel, you need to apply for a Refugee Travel Document and use this document in lieu of your passport. If you have a pending asylum application or you are granted asylum and you need to travel outside of the U.S., please consult with an immigration attorney before finalizing your plan.
Contact our Virginia law firm for advice on seeking asylum
Asylum applications are complicated. Having an immigration attorney who has experience dealing with asylum applications and USCIS forms is essential to a successful asylum application. Attorneys at Partovi Law LLC. are highly experienced in preparing and filing asylum applications. Please call us at 703-752- 6148 to talk about your case.