Asylum
Asylum may be granted to people who are already in the United States and are unable or unwilling to return their home country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.
Every year people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution due to:
Race
Religion
Nationality
Membership in a particular social group
Political opinion
Sexual Orientation
If you are eligible for asylum you may be permitted to remain in the United States. To apply for Asylum, file a Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, within one year of your arrival to the United States. There is no government filing fee to apply for asylum.
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. To include your child on your application, the child must be under 21 and unmarried. For more information see Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal page. If your spouse and children are outside the US and you are granted asylum, you can file form I-730 to have your family members join you in the US.
IMPORTANT! You must file for Asylum within one year of your entry into the United States. If you miss that deadline you may be ineligible for Asylum.
Withholding Of Removal Is Similar To Asylum, But It Does Have Some Distinct Differences.
People who gain withholding of removal status may live and work in the U.S. However, unlike asylees, people with withholding status cannot apply for legal permanent residence. They also live under a final order of removal (deportation), so if they ever travel outside the U.S., they will not be granted re-entry.
An asylum applicant must show either past persecution or reasonable possibility of future persecution upon returning home (not necessarily physical harm), whereas a withholding applicant must show that it is more likely than not he or she will face physical harm if forced to return to his or her home country.
Most people apply for asylum and withholding of removal at the same time since withholding does not have a one-year filing deadline like asylum, and it’s possible that a judge may decide an applicant is eligible for one status and not the other.
Let Our Skilled Asylum Lawyers Help
The Baltimore Asylum lawyer at Moore Law Group, P.A. have successfully assisted clients all over the world with Asylum or Withholding of Removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
If you need assistance with an Asylum or Withholding of Removal matter, the Moore Law Group, P.A. can see you through the process. We take the time to understand your case, identify evidence to be gathered, research country conditions, prepare the application along with the evidence in a cohesive package. We prepare you for your interview at the USCIS asylum office, and represent you at that interview. Time is usually of the essence when it comes to immigration, and we are dedicated to working quickly to expedite your Asylum or Withholding of Removal procedure.