The process of obtaining asylum

Florida residents who are refugees from their home country may be interested in some information on the application process for asylum. This requires timely filing of forms and other legal matters, but the benefits of avoiding persecution in another country and the ability to bring family members for asylum can be great.

Those who are facing serious persecution in their home country may seek asylum in the United States. This persecution can come from any number of recognized causes. Political opinions, race, religion, group membership and nationality are all reasons that people have emigrated to the U.S. as refugees. However, in order to have this refugee status recognized and asylum granted, the specific process dictated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must be followed.

This process involves filing an application for asylum within one year of the date that the person arrives in the U.S. At any time after the filing but before a final decision is rendered on the person’s case, they may add their spouse and any of their children who are under 21 years old to the application. Additionally, they may apply for permission to work in the U.S. if 150 days have gone by after filing and no final decision has been made. One year after a person is granted asylum, they may begin the process for permanent residency if desired.

While people can file these forms by themselves, an attorney may be able to help streamline the process and ensure that everything is filed in a timely and proper manner. This assistance may be crucial in getting a favorable asylum decision from USCIS. The attorney may also be useful when there are other issues, such as an attempted deportation.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services , “Asylum “, December 02, 2014