Applying to US Asylum - Process of Political Asylum in USA
If you have experienced or risk experiencing persecution in your home country due to your religion, race, nationality, participation in a certain social group, or political opinion, you may be eligible for asylum, which is a form of protection that enables you to remain in the USA. How to Start Requesting Asylum? Within a year of your arrival in the United States, you must seek for asylum. Applying is free of charge. Depending on whether you are applying for defensive asylum, affirmative asylum, or a positive credible fear test, the processes you complete will vary. There are three ways to request asylum in the US: Affirmative asylum For those who are not facing deportation or removal, there is an affirmative process. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) asylum officers analyze and make decisions in affirmative cases. Merit interview for asylum This is for those whose credible fear screening resulted in a positive finding and who were subjected to expedited removal ...