Official Asylum Information – USCIS

Every year, people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or because they fear suffering persecution due to their:

• Race

• Religion

• Nationality

• Membership in a particular social group

• Political opinion

  
  

You can only submit this application if you are physically present in the United States and are not a U.S. citizen.

Currently, the option to submit an I-589 Form, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal online is only available for certain affirmative asylum applicants. Affirmative asylum applicants cannot submit an I-589 Form online if:

• They are in removal proceedings in an immigration court or before the Board of Immigration Appeals;

• They are an unaccompanied minor as defined in 6 U.S.C. § 279(g) and are in removal proceedings;

• They fall within the categories of applicants who currently must submit their application by mail to the Asylum Vetting Center as indicated in the Special Instructions section of our I-589 Form; or they have already submitted an I-589 Form that is still pending with USCIS.

  
  

If you are eligible for asylum, you may be allowed to remain in the United States. To apply for affirmative asylum or asylum defense, submit the I-589 Form, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, within one year of your arrival in the United States. Visit our page on How to Obtain Asylum in the United States for more information about affirmative asylum applications or asylum defense.

You may include your spouse and children who are physically present in the United States as dependents in your affirmative asylum or asylum defense application at the time of submission or at any time before a final decision is made on your application. To include your child in your application as a dependent, they must be under 21 years of age and unmarried. For more information, see our page on I-589 Form, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal.

If you have been placed in expedited removal proceedings, received a positive credible fear determination, and USCIS has retained your asylum application for further consideration in an Asylum Merits Interview, please visit the page Asylum Merits Interview with USCIS: Processing After a Positive Credible Fear Determination.

If you have a pending asylum application with us, you can check the status of your application at Check Your Case Status Online. All you need is the receipt number we provided you after you submitted your application.

For more information visit: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/asylum

Notice: Noah's Ark is not affiliated with USCIS. This resource is shared for informational and educational purposes only. The information provided does not constitute legal advice and does not replace the guidance of a qualified immigration attorney.