Around the world, people leave their homes and countries of origin to avoid mistreatment and discrimination due to race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Asylum is a protection granted by a nation to help people who escaped the nation in which they had faced or feared facing persecution. Asylum allows these people to remain in a nation as a political refugee. To apply for asylum, one must file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal within a year of your arrival and, if applicable, should include the name of your spouse and children in the United States. 

Being granted Asylum allows an individual to live and work in the United States, and also allows you to apply for permanent resident status after one year. In addition, you may apply for asylum even if you entered the United States illegally. Usually, you will be required to ask for asylum at a port-of-entry into the country; otherwise, you must file an application within one year of your arrival. After the form is filed, an interview will usually be conducted by United State Citizenship and Immigration Services within 60 days. During the interview, it will be determined whether your case merits an asylum status and the protections that it grants. If you are not awarded asylum, you will be deported.

Filing Form I-589 does not require paying fees and the process is usually complete within 180 days of filing the application. After 150 days, asylum applicants can apply for employment authorization, which will be granted or denied within 30 days. If you would like to travel outside the U.S. as an asylum applicant, you must obtain advance permission called Advance Parole. Without this, you will be considered to have abandoned your application and you will not be permitted to return to the United States.

The attorneys at our Long Island law firm are experienced asylum immigration lawyers, who have helped many clients complete the forms to achieve asylum status. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please call (631) 643-3084.