Political Asylum- Who Can Apply?
Applying for Political Asylum in the United States requires you to demonstrate that you have a well-founded fear of persecution or that you have been persecuted because of one or more of the following:
- Religion
- Nationality
- Membership in a particular social group
- Political opinion
- Race
In general, you must file a Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, within one year of your arrival to the United States. 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. There is no filing fee to 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
To apply for employment authorization, you must file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (EAD). There is no fee to apply for your first EAD if you have a pending asylum application or if you have been granted asylum.
If you are granted asylum you may petition to bring your spouse and children to the United States by filing a Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition. To include your child on your application, the child must be under 21 and unmarried.
You may apply for a green card one year after being granted asylum.
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