STARCHAK IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM
Asylum
  1. Home
  3. Services
  5. Asylum

Need Immigration Help?

Maximum 2000 characters.

(Allowed Attachment Types: ZIP, PDF - Maximum Upload Size: 512M)
(* Required fields)

Asylum

Asylum immigration to the U.S. is available to people who have either been persecuted in their home countries or have a valid reason to believe they will be. You can apply for asylum if you are in the United States illegally or on an expired visa. Unless your situation satisfies a few exceptions, you must file for asylum within a year of entering the United States.

Asylum is intended to protect people victimized by persecution because of: race, gender, religion, nationality, political opinion or party membership, or group membership.

Once you get asylum, you can apply for a Green Card (a.k.a. permanent residency) and, eventually, citizenship to seal your status in the United States.

Attorney Ilona Starchak fights hard for her clients in asylum cases, helping them demonstrate the validity of their fears of persecution and get them the asylum they need.

Asylum Process

Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal
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 (unless an exception applies).
Permission to Work in the United States
You can apply for permission to work (Employment Authorization Document — EAD) if: (1) 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
(2) AND no decision has been made on your application yet.

To apply for EAD, you must file a Form I-765. There is no fee to apply for your first EAD if you have a pending asylum application.

If you are granted asylum, you do not need EAD because you may work immediately.

Bringing Your Family to the United States
If you are granted asylum, you may petition to bring your spouse and/or 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 must file the petition within two years of being granted asylum unless there are humanitarian reasons to excuse this deadline. There is no fee for filing this petition.

Filing for Green Card
You may apply for a green card one year after being granted asylum. To apply for a green card, file a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status.
Menu