Every year people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution due to:
- Race
- Religion
- Nationality
- Membership in a particular social group
- Political opinion
"Call 469-649-7880 Now for Your Free Consultation with a Dallas Immigration Asylum Attorney"
If you are eligible for asylum you may be permitted to remain in the United States.There is no fee to apply for asylum.
You may include your spouse and children who are in the United States on your application at the time you file or at any time until a final decision is made on your case. To include your child on your application, the child must be under 21 and unmarried.
Permission to Work in the United States
You cannot apply for permission to work (employment authorization) in the United States at the same time you apply for asylum. You may apply for employment authorization if:
- 150 days have passed since you filed your complete asylum application, excluding any delays caused by you (such as a request to reschedule your interview) AND No decision has been made on your application. If you are granted asylum you may work immediately. Some asylee choose to obtain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for convenience or identification purposes, but an EAD is not necessary to work if you are an asylee. To apply for employment authorization, you must file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. There is no fee to apply for your first EAD if you have a pending asylum application or if you have been granted asylum.
Filing for Permanent Residence (Green Card)
You may apply for a green card one year after being granted asylum. To apply for a green card, file a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status. You must submit a separate I-485 application packet for yourself and, if applicable, for each family member who received derivative asylum based on your case.
How Long Does the Asylum Process Take?
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides in Section 208(d)(5) that the initial interview for asylum applications filed on or after April 1, 1997 should take place within 45 days after the date the application is filed, and a decision should be made on the asylum application within 180 days after the date the application is filed, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Instead, the Asylum Division is prioritizing asylum applications for interview scheduling as follows:
- First, applications that were scheduled for an interview, but the applicant requested a new interview date;
- Second, applications filed by children; and
- Third, all other pending affirmative asylum applications will be scheduled for interviews in the order they were received, with oldest cases scheduled first.
For asylum applications presently pending interview scheduling, we are unable to predict how long the process will take now.
Regardless of your individual circumstances, working with an experienced Dallas Immigration Asylum attorney is an important choice you can make to help improve your visa status. Call 469-649-7880 to speak with a Dallas Immigration Asylum attorney today for a Free Immigration Asylum law consultation.