If you believe that your life, or the lives of your immediate family members, are in danger of persecution, you may apply for asylum in the United States.
To seek asylum, you must file a ‘Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal’ with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within one year of your arrival in the United States.
How do you show that you suffered or fear persecution?
In your application, you must provide detailed, clear, accurate information to show that you have suffered or that you expect to suffer persecution due to one of five reasons.
- Race
- Religion
- Nationality
- Membership in a particular social group
- Political opinion
The USCIS will not reject your application for leaving sections blank, but it is important to provide as much information as possible. If you are uncertain of how to provide the correct information, consult a professional.
Who should you include on your application?
When you apply, you may include your spouse and children who are living with you in the application. To qualify as part of your application, your child must be under the age of 21 and unmarried. If your child does not fit these requirements yet wishes to seek asylum, they should file their own application.
If your spouse and children are in another country when you achieve asylum, you may petition to bring them to the United States by filing a ‘Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition’ with USCIS within two years of your approval for asylum. There is no fee to apply for asylum in the United States or to file this petition.
