Asylum

Asylum can be granted to people in the United States who cannot or do not wish to return to their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution generally refers to serious threats or inflicting physical, psychological or economic damage by the government of an individual (or by groups whose government is unwilling or unable to control). To qualify for asylum, the persecution must be for one or more of the following:

Career

Religion

nationality

Member of a particular social group

Political Opinion

Usually, one qualifies for asylum only if you apply within one year of your arrival in the United States. However, there are exceptions to this one-year term, which may apply to your case. In addition, if you do not meet one of the exceptions for submission within one year, you may still be eligible for retention of the removal, which does not contain a deadline to submit it.

You can apply for asylum regardless of your immigration status, which means you can apply even if you live without documents in the United States. If you feel you are a victim of persecution in your home country, contact our offices for a completely free consultation on whether you should file an asylum application or withholding deportation.