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Asylum

Have you been persecuted in your home country based on your race, religion, politics, nationality or membership in a social a group? Do you fear returning?

A person in the U.S. who is unable or unwilling to return home because of such persecution (or well-founded fears of persecution) can apply for asylum.

Applying for asylum is a very complex process.  Our immigration attorneys in New Jersey are quite experienced in this field. We are able to help you effectively prepare and present your asylum claim.

An individual should know that generally there is a one-year deadline to apply for asylum.   In other words, a person arriving in the United States has one year from that date of entry to apply for asylum.  After one year, a person will have to show changed/exceptional circumstances in his or her home country, explaining why a timely application was not filed, if he or she wishes to file an asylum application. 

If an individual is not eligible for asylum, he or she may file an application for Withholding of Removal or Withholding of Removal under the Convention Against Torture.  These applications are harder to get approved.   Also, people granted Withholding of Removal or Withholding of Removal under the Convention Against Torture are not allowed to adjust their status to that of a permanent resident pursuant to such a grant.  

One year after a person is granted asylum, the person (called an “asylee”) is permitted to apply for adjustment of status and ultimately become a permanent resident.


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