How to Apply for Political Asylum or Refugee Status in the U.S.

The United States government provides humanitarian support to refugees and political asylum applicants fleeing injustice and persecution. More information can be found here.

What you will discover:

What exactly does it mean to apply for asylum or escape as a refugee?
What are the requirements for becoming a refugee in the United States?
How can I apply for political asylum in the United States?

Ukraine Update (March 29, 2022): The vast majority of Ukrainians leaving their homeland are heading to Poland. Other nearby nations accepting refugees include Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania. The White House in the United States has signaled that the country is willing to take 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, although specifics have not been extensively reported. If you are seeking to assist and support people in Ukraine, please check How to Support and Protect Your Workforce in Ukraine.

The most well-known humanitarian aid programs in the United States are the refugee and political asylum programs. These programs enable noncitizens who face persecution and tyranny in their native countries to come to the United States and reside, either temporarily or permanently. The application procedure for any program may be difficult and time-consuming. The answers to frequently asked questions might help you better comprehend these services.

What exactly does it mean to apply for asylum or escape as a refugee?

Fear of violence drives the majority of refugees and political asylum applicants to flee their native countries. They are seeking shelter or asylum, as the phrases indicate. Many people travel to the United States to escape conflict or to find freedom from persecution, such as the fear of being arrested for expressing (or just holding) one’s opinions or speaking out against tyranny and corruption.

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a refugee is someone who is outside of his or her homeland and has been persecuted there or has a well-founded fear of persecution there because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Refugees are often relocated from their native nations as a result of war, military action, armed conflict, or civil upheaval.

Political asylum is similar, but it only applies to those who are already in the United States. Political asylum may shield a person from deportation to a nation where they face persecution.

What are the requirements for becoming a refugee in the United States?

A person escaping persecution, violence, or injustice must apply for refugee status in the United States before entering the country and complete specific conditions. These prerequisites are as follows:

Referral from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or a U.S. Embassy, or belonging to a certain group with distinctive features in some nations. For further information, see the current list of priority groups.
Not having been permanently relocated to another nation. This is determined by whether you have been granted residency or citizenship in that nation.
Not being a close relative of a US citizen or a privileged immigrant. If a person has an immediate family who is a US citizen or special immigrant, they may instead apply for an immigrant visa.

If a person fits the aforementioned conditions, the procedure for applying for refugee status in the United States is as follows:

Contact the UNHCR or a non-profit international volunteer organization. If you are unable to contact one of them, contact the closest United States embassy or consulate. Someone from one of these organizations will assist in determining if the eligibility conditions for applying to be a refugee in the United States are satisfied.
Following that, an I-590 form may be required. When these documents are completed, the USCIS will analyze them and conduct an interview to determine if a person is eligible for refugee status in the United States. There is no price to apply for refugee status.
If a person’s application for refugee status in the United States is successful, they and their immediate family members (spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21) will be awarded refugee status. If family members are unable to attend the interview, they must submit a Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, Form I-730.

Contact the UNHCR to begin the process or for help.

How can I apply for political asylum in the United States?

Individuals already in the United States or at a port of entry who wish to avoid deportation to a country where they face persecution may seek for political asylum in the United States.

There are fewer requirements to petition for asylum than there are for refugee status. Unless exceptional circumstances exist, asylum applicants must petition for asylum within one year of entering the United States. This one-year application deadline may be waived in the following circumstances:

Changes in circumstances or situations in the nation of origin or previous residency.
When a dependant on a family member’s asylum claim reaches the age of 21, or when the family link breaks due to divorce or death.
Serious sickness, death of a close relative, or mental, physical, or legal handicap.
Having problems with the application or the legal procedure, or because of inadequate counsel.

Even if a person is eligible to apply beyond the deadline, waiting too long may result in rejection. USCIS advises applicants not to postpone submitting their applications.