My intrepid associate, Ruth Dickey, has been analyzing data from our cases filed at the Arlington Asylum Office during the past few years. She reports her findings here:
In December 2014, USCIS announced that it would address the asylum backlog in a new way: “First in, first out.” Prior to this new policy, the Asylum Offices were trying to complete as many cases as possible within 60 days. Cases that could not be interviewed within 60 days fell into the backlog. Over time, the number of cases entering the backlog grew and grew. Nationally, as of May 2015, over 85,000 applications are stuck in the backlog.
When we learned about the new “first in, first out” policy, we were hopeful that our oldest cases would be interviewed one after another in quick succession. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen—at least not yet (hope springs eternal, even for asylum lawyers). Let’s take a closer look at what is going on at the Arlington Asylum Office, the office where most of our cases are pending.
During 2013 and 2014, we filed 136 cases that are analyzed here (some cases—where the applicant moved to a different jurisdiction, for example—were excluded from the analysis in order not to skew the data). As you can see from the chart below, a large percentage of our cases fell into the backlog during those years, particularly during the second and third quarters of 2013. The low interview numbers in mid-2013 are likely due to the summer “border surge,” when many Central Americans started arriving at our Southern border and requesting asylum. The surge continued into 2014 and continues up until today. Especially in the beginning, USCIS was not prepared for the surge, and so we suspect the low interview numbers during the second and third quarters of 2013 are due to the government’s inability to deal with the sudden increase in applications.
As you can see in the next chart, a higher percentage of our cases were interviewed in 2014 than in 2013, suggesting that the Asylum Office was handling the volume more effectively. Even so, a significant portion of our cases—almost 40%—fell into the backlog in 2014. Given that the government has already interviewed the majority of cases from the fourth quarter of 2013 and from 2014, we are hopeful that once the Asylum Office reaches those cases, it will move through that portion of the backlog more quickly (the Arlington Asylum Office is currently interviewing cases filed in August 2013—about half way through the third quarter).
Since the change to the “first in, first out” policy, things have been moving slowly in Arlington. Only 16 of our backlogged cases have been scheduled for interviews during the first six months of 2015. As a point of comparison, during the same period in 2014, we had exactly twice that many—32 cases—interviewed.
For those people in the backlog who have been scheduled for an interview in 2015 (since the implementation of the new policy), how long did they have to wait? From the date the application was received until the date of the interview, the median wait time was 678 days. The following chart shows the wait times (in days – on the vertical axis) for our clients who were interviewed in 2015. You can see that there is some variability in wait times:
The family that had to wait the longest—809 days—had been scheduled for an earlier interview, but was rescheduled because their file was apparently not in the Asylum Office (where it disappeared to, we don’t know). It took an additional four months to retrieve the file and get the interview. Hopefully, we won’t see this problem again. Another of the longer-delayed cases had been scheduled for an earlier interview, but was rescheduled by the Asylum Office without explanation. This happens periodically, and we even saw it on occasion in the good old days, prior to the backlog.
Once people are finally interviewed, how long does it take to get a decision? The Asylum Office generally tries to make decisions in two weeks. Of the 16 cases from 2015, eight have received decisions. Sixteen cases is a very small number, and so we can only draw limited conclusions from this data. However, the oldest case in the group of 16 has been languishing since January. And, unfortunately, this person is not alone. Many others who were interviewed in 2013 and 2014 are still waiting for their decisions.
So that is a look at what we know now. As we continue to analyze the data, we will post what we learn.
Hi Jason,
I have an asylum interview scheduled This month. What kind of questions should I expect from the interviewing office?
Thank you.
Kirimi
I wrote about that on September 8, 2016. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for your quick response. I will look at that post.
sincerely,
Kirimi
Morning Jason,
I was interviewed on the 28th of July 2015, and still waiting a decision, any expectations about how longer it’s gonna take?
And will Trump’s decisions today of banning visas would affect?
Thanks
I have not seen anything from Trump yet that would affect a pending asylum case, but we do not know what is to come. There is no way to know how long the decision will take. You can contact the asylum office to follow up. You can find the Asylum Office contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Also, you can contact the USCIS Ombudsman and ask them – a link is also at right. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason;
I filed a Nunc Pro Tunc application in January of 2015, a few weeks later I received notice to complete biometrics and finger printing. I’ve been waiting for an interview and we’re now going into January 2017; I understand that there are priority cases, but base on my case when do you think an interview can be scheduled?
Thank you,
I do not know how they schedule nuns pro tunic cases. I recommend you email them and ask (or go there in person). You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hi, I actually I want to know if I have misplaced my receipt number how do I get it? Is visiting the office, the only option or we can get on the call as well. Please confirm. Btw we applied in NYC. It looks like there is 2 years wait time.
You can contact the office to see whether they can help you by email (I kind-of doubt it), but I think you will need to go in person. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator, and you can email them to ask. You can also file a Freedom of Information Act request (form G-639, available at http://www.uscis.gov) and get a copy of your entire file, including the receipts. It may take 6 months to get it, but it is free and avoids a trip to the office. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
My family (husband and 2 sons) and I have applied for asylum in October 2013. We were scheduled for an interview really quickly and then they asked us to show up for another interview and we did. Since then we haven’t heard anything from the Arlington asylum office! The case in in HQ from what I know, I was wondering if you have any idea of how much longer we might have to wait? And are all applications processed in HQ or is our case special? Please tell me if there is any current movement or if there are people with a similar situation who got their decision. Thank you so much
I wrote a post about HQ review on October 20, 2015 that may be helpful. It talks about what types of cases go to HQ review. There is no way to predict how long review will take, and we have never found an effective way to expedite this (though maybe a mandamus lawsuit would work). Good luck, Jason
Asylum office is working SO slow, officers, did you become mad? Is it okay to let people waiting for 4-5 years just for the interview???? And 1-2 years for final approval desicion??? I understand that you don’t care about people because you have a stable salary every month from the goverment, but you are humiliating thousands of people which can’t get driving license, can’t be hired successfully, can’t go to the college. Horrible country.
The delay is a huge problem, but I think you are wrong to blame asylum officers. The ones I know care quite a bit about their work, but they have no control over the volume of cases and can only do so many cases per week. Even the leaders of the asylum division are working hard with the resources they have to process cases as quickly as possible. The problem is that there are simply too many cases. Perhaps your complaint should be directed to Congress, which could – but likely will not – provide some financial help to make things move faster. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied for political asylum in March, 2015 in Arlington, VA. I checked the bulletin since 05 months and They still on September 2013 application. What does that means? That there is nothing going on at that office?
They have been focused on “priority cases,” which generally means people who arrived at the Southern border, asked for asylum, and have been detained; also, unaccompanied minors. There has been some movement at Arlington lately, so we may see the “regular” cases start to advance soon, we hope. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason
thanks for your efforts.
I applied my case in Apr 2014 Arlington Office. when do you think they will call me for interview?
regards,
You probably still have some months to wait. You can track the office’s progress on the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin – a link is at the right. Take care, Jason
This is strange as you should have been interviewed within 2 months of filing just as I was or anybody else who filed in 2014. 2014 was the period they were scheduling interviews on a last in-first out basis – as soon as you file you get interviewed immediately to reduce, according to USCIS, the incentive for people to file asylum applications just for the work permit. The last in first out model was again reversed by December 2014 to first in first out – basically in the order the application was filed.
Hang in there.
Actually, this is not correct. In 2014, some people were interviewed in 2 months (or so) and other were sent to the backlog. In December 2014, USCIS changed the policy to first-filed, first-interviewed, and they started with cases from the backlog. They are still working through those cases. Take care, Jason
Hi Nnamdi.
I hope you stumble on this. Please get in touch with me on greatmum74@gmail.com . I want to talk with you and ask you a few questions please.
Thanks.
Hi Jason, so I had my interview in November 2015, I am waiting for my decision, I don’t know how long it will take, it’s been more than 2 years since I have been separated with my husband, recently my dad passed away and it’s been hard for me, I don’t have any TRIG factor and not in status, I just don’t know what to do. I am thinking of traveling to a third country to see my husband, because the distance is really hard and I am afraid not to lose my husband. If there is anything that I can do please advise me and also on getting the AP?
Than you so much!
You can apply for AP, but you need a “humanitarian” reason – maybe get a doctor’s letter about a health issue or if you are suffering depression. You can also contact the Ombudsman, a link is at right, though I do not know how helpful they will be. Otherwise, I suppose you can try a mandamus lawsuit. In reality, things now a re quite slow and there is not a lot you can do; waiting is definitely a real hardship in a situation like yours. Good luck, Jason
Hi
Thanks fir ur usefull blog. I do t believe that the time table shown on uscis website is correct. I have been waiting for almost two years. According to that time frame i should have my interview any time between october to now but so far nothing been sent to me abiut my interview.
I have had other people say that it is not accurate. In my experience, it is correct. We do have one case that is outside the time frame, but they may be interviewed at a sub-office, which is part of the chart. If they have passed your filing date and you do not have an interview, you should contact the asylum office to see what is the problem. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason ,
Thanks for the great work you are doing here .actually i was wondering to know i have applied in january 2015 in arlington office but still im waiting for interview what do you think how long do i have to wait more or is there any other way to get the interview faster due to family issues or i have to wait can you estimate plz ?
Thank you very much !
John
I did a post on February 26, 2015 where I suggested some ideas to expedite a case – it is not easy. You can check the Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin to see progress at your asylum office. Arlington is moving slowly, and I can’t imagine they will interview you in less than 6 months. Maybe within the year, hopefully…
Hi Jason,
I was in L1A Visa but now I applied for asylum, my question is can I work with the same EAD card and using same SSC until I will not have new EAD and SSC? And how long it will take for interview in New York who applied in September 2015?
Regards
Pratik
You can check the Asylum Office Scheduling bulletin (link at the right) for info about interviews in NY. I am not sure I understand the question about the EAD – you can use it until it expires. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, thank you for this informative website, I have filed last July in Arlington office, looking to the statistics above, does that mean automatically I have to wait for two years ?
No – many of the case (about 50%) from 2013 and 2014 are already interviewed, so hopefully, you will not wait that long. On the other hand, no one really knows, and it depends on how many cases arrive at the US/Mexico border. If you filed in July, I expect you will wait at least a year. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank u for all your help. Do u have any idea which month is Arlington interviewing now? Thank you in advance.
August 2013. You can Google “asylum bulletin” and you will be able to track the progress on that website. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I applied at your office back in June 2014 in VA. I guess I still have 2 years to wait, no?
My question is, since Houston office is the fastest now, would it be a good idea to move my case there? or will it cost more waiting time?
Most of the cases (about 60%) from 2013 and 2014 are already done, so hopefully your waiting time will be less in Virginia. If you move to Houston, it may or may not make things faster. Typically, a move causes delay, but not always, and it is unclear if Houston will remain the fastest office, since there has been little movement there lately. Also, word on the street is that Houston is a tougher office than Virginia, but I really don’t know. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason:
I applied for asylum in September/5/2014 from kansas state but since we have no office we are belong to Chicago office my question is how long do you expect to get an interview?
You can see who Chicago is interviewing today here: http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/asylum/affirmative-asylum-scheduling-bulletin. I am not sure whether you are interviewed in Chicago or a sub-office; if it is a sub-office, this chart does not help you much, but at least it gives some idea of the progress (or lack of progress) at your asylum office. Good luck, Jason
Hi,
My husband had his interview in February 2014 and since then we didn’t the result.How long does it take to get the decision on the case in Chicago?I did apply as well in May 2014 but didn’t have my interview yet .
Thank you!
You will have to look at the asylum bulletin to get an idea of when your interview will be. There is no time frame for a decision. Most of our decisions come less than one year after the interview, but there is really no way to predict. Good luck, Jason
Sir, Thank you for your informative blog.
I applied in Dec 2013 (Chicago office), I live in MN. Can you please, give me an estimated date when my interview will be conducted. my mailing address didn’t change since.
Thank you!
SF
Chicago is currently interviewing cases filed in about June 2013, so hopefully you will not wait too much longer. Good luck, Jason
Dear Mr.Jason thanks for all the useful information.
I have got recommend approval one year ago but, still waiting for the final one . Can you please write something about the people who has recommended approvals . There is no information how uscis process these cases . Are they giving finals same way like interviewing first in first out or there is some other method . Is a recommended approval is a good sign ? I am tired of waiting as I have got many problems back home. I may lose my wife . Thanks again for your time .
Regards
I do plan to write about this when I have time. It seems the delay is related to background checks, and the waiting times are very variable. We will publish some data about this later today. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your help. I have a quick question. It is been almost 2 years since I applied in Arlington. I filed as married. Me and my wife are bored of waiting each other. So, How long will it take if I divorced my wife and married a us citizen. And do I need to drop my asylum case or what shall I do?
Thanks for your help.
Arlington is interviewing cases filed in August 2013, so your interview may be soon. If you divorce and marry a US citizen, you may be able to get your green card that way, but the asylum case could complicate matters and you might be safer if you had a lawyer to help you.
hi there first thanks for everything and i may ask something
i filed in end of Jan and did a change of address ( wish i didnt do that )
and now i apply for EAD its been more then 180 days how ever i did got the Receipt number after the 150 is that a good thing or its going to be a long wait because i delay the case or stopped the Clock
thanks for your help
If you filed a change of address before the 180 days, it might cause the clock to stop. This should only happen if your case moves to another asylum office. If you moved and stayed at the same office, you should be alright.
HI JASON
thank you for helping us by full information and answering our questions,
I Applied for asylum at Arlington in October 2014 as family me and my husband ,we did finger print on December 4, how long may take to get my Interview ?
Thank
Arlington is currently interviewing cases filed in August 2013, so you still have some time to wait. We cannot predict how fast the interview will come. Take care, Jason
HI JASON
I APPLIED FOR ASYLUM ON NOVEMBER 2014,Arlington Asylum Office.
WE ARE FAMILY ME AND MY HUSBAND, HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE MORE .
THANKS
Arlington is currently interviewing cases filed in August 2013, so you still have some time to wait. Good luck, Jason
Hi. Thanks for this wonderful website!! I am Syrian and I applied at Houston office. How much do you think I might wait?
Thanks very much for all your help.
Houston is currently interviewing cases filed in about May 2014 – it is currently the fastest office in the US.
Thanks Jason! They received my application on July 14th, 2015, so you think my interview could be after little over a year or they are proceeding faster?
I hope they will process things faster, as (at least in my local asylum office), many of the 2014 cases have already been interviewed, but we will see.
Thanks Jason! Appreciate all your efforts to help the asylee community.
Dear Jason
Thanks for your information
I applied befor five month single case not family , how many months approximately to get an interview ?
Regards
It depends which office your are in. Even if the fastest office takes a year, so you still have time to wait.
Hello, Jason, I applied for EAD since about 35 days ago. I haven’t received a notice, receipt, approval or disapproval. I am from New York, Bronx. Do you know why USCIS hasn’t yet sent me a receipt in the form of acknowledgement of my application for EAD? Thank you for your response.
I do not know. There have been delays with EADs, but normally you receive a receipt within a few weeks. Can you uncheck whether the post office delivered your application? If not, maybe call the 1-800 number on the USCIS website and see whether they can help you.
Jason,
Thanks for your reply. My lawyer sent in the application; it was sent from the attorney’s office. The 1-800 number doesn’t work as I don’t have a receipt number. I don’t have a receipt number because USCIS hasn’t sent me anything at all to say they have receive my application.
Hey sir…I applied an aslyum case at boston. How long do you think it will take to get the interview.
I do not have any info on Boston – it is a sub office of New Jersey, which is currently interviewing cases filed in about January 2013. Probably Boston is slower than that, but I do not know. Good luck, Jason
Dear Jason
Thanks for your informations and blogs
most of the weekend I check your posts and I try to read all the comments to keep my information updated
but recently there is a question in my mind
According to your posts, Asylum offices are interviewing the people form 2011, and it makes the people who applied recently to be in backlog
but are they doing it in order from 2011 and then
or they choose cases randomly from different years like one from 2011 one from 2014 ?
I am asking this since I filed mine January 15 in orange county and I am just getting depressed since may the whole process take at least 4 years to just to be interviewed not even being granted for asylum !
by the way you mentioned LA office is the slowest one, but I think I read from one your post that the LA office has the best rate of acceptance !
is this true ?
Thanks for your advice
I do not know about acceptance rates for LA, and my guess is that it is not the best, but I do not know. It is the slowest and it is currently interviewing cases filed in 2012. Hopefully, the wait will be less than 2 years, as they have probably interviewed many of the cases from 2013 and 2014, and they have been hiring more officers. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for answering all this important questions. You’re truly a good person.
I want to know about when they will interview applicants from seattle? I file my case since August 2013 and did all my fingerprint and get my EAD.
Thank you in advance.
I do not have information about Seattle, which is a sub office of San Francisco. San Fran is currently interviewing cases filed in about June 2013, and I suspect that Seattle is slower than that. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason
I filed a request I-589 in april 2015
I did my finger print at Tampa,fl. in May 2015
Can i apply I-765, Application for Employment Authorization card.
Thank you
If you want to apply for an employment document based on asylum, but you must wait to mail the application until 150 days after your asylum application was received by the government.
My application I-589 was received april 26 2015,so I can apply I-765 September 26 2015???
Assuming there are no other issues, you can apply for a work permit 150 days after your application was received, so that is about right.
thank you for help.
Hi Jason,
my name is Peterson and i am from Pakistan. we had our Asylum Interview on 22ND May. the Interview was very good except of my Sister. She was a Journalist in Pakistan and the Officer’s asked her to provide some more Proves.
my interview went very smooth but i am still in the dark about our Decision. i have my wife in Pakistan and my lawyer says she is included in my case but her case will be replied or studied after my asylum is approved. is that correct? i am really worried as it has been almost 3 years i am a part from my family. our lawyer has also suggested me not to travel while my asylum is pending.
is there a Way i can call my wife here? if yes Please kindly Share with me.
Please. Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Best Regards and Thanks.
Peterson
Your wife can come here in the same way that anyone else comes here – visitor visa, H1B, etc. However, given that you have filed for asylum, it will probably be more difficult for her to get a visa. If you win your case, you can file an I-730 for your wife (and if you have children, you can file an I-730 for each child under 21 years old) and she can come to the US. The I-730 process generally takes between 6 months and 1 year. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason
Am asking about Portland ( Oregon ) is it faster? If i move my case from Arligton it will be faster ? I did my finger print at Arlington on 12/23/2014 and didn’t get my interview yet
Portland is a sub-office of San Francisco. San Fran is currently interviewing cases filed in about June 2013. This is a bit slower than Arlington, which is interviewing cases filed in August 2013. Since Portland is a sub-office, I guess (but I do not know) that it is slower than San Fran. So probably you are better off not moving to Portland if your goal is to make the case faster. Take care, Jason
i applied for asylum since 10/01/2013 in Aneheim asylum office its almost two years waiting for interview I am so depressed and i want to move to another state i need your advice its better to wait for the interview or move out
thank you
I think your interview will be at the LA office, which is the slowest in the US. They are currently interviewing cases filed in 2012, but I do not know the month. I am not sure whether moving will help, as you are (hopefully) getting close to your interview date in LA. The fastest office at this time is Texas, so maybe if you moved there, it might help. On the other hand, moves always cause delay, so it might not help (or it might make things even slower). We have seen people who moved to Texas get an interview in about 6 months, but we only have 1 or 2 examples of that, so I cannot say whether it will happen to you. If you want to see the list of offices and their jurisdictions, see here: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.type&OfficeLocator.office_type=ZSY. Good luck, Jason
Yeah i am in LA office and its the slowest office i have never heard anyone get an interview thank you for your advice jason !!!!!
dear jason
can I change my pending asylum case (not interviewed) to H1B visa ?
You cannot change from asylum to H1B, but you can file an H1B while your asylum is pending – whether you are eligible for H1B, I do not know, and you should probably talk to a lawyer. If you switch to H1B, you can then withdraw the asylum application or keep it going. If you are granted asylum, the H1B will go away, and you will be an asylee. If asylum is denied, you will still have an H1B.
I got this letter: we are in receipt of your inquiry regarding form I-589 . Your asylum application is under review . An additional review had to be performed on your case and this has caused a delay in processing your case . When the review in this matter is completed, you will be notified in writing of any decision pertaning to your case. What you think . It is a normal and i should to send them an email thank yoy so much for your help. I am waiting the desicion about one year and four months
It sounds like a standard letter to me. You can reply, but it probably won’t make much difference. You might want to contact the Ombudsman’s office to see whether they can help, as you have been waiting for a long time. I discuss the Ombudsman in a posting from February 26, 2015. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Where can we find all these details about which asylum office interviewing cases from which month and year.
Thanks
Supposedly, they will be posting this online “soon”, but I heard that in May and still it is not posted. At this time, the info is not available publicly.
Hello, Jason!
Thank you for all of this information in your blog, it is so helpful! It is the best source!
Can I please take two minutes of your time:
My husband got an EAD denial today.
He applied for asylum on 07/01/2013. Then he had an interview but was referred to Immigration Court in May 2015. Recently he got a mail that the Court will be held in 2019.
When he applied for EAD first time he didn’t include his photos and I guess he missed the deadline date.
But I didn’t understand if it was the reason of denial because the letter also states:
“IJ has restarted the clock in regards of processing your asylum application. Therefore, you are not eligible for EAD because only 108 of the required 180 days have elapsed”.
The question is: Does Notice Of Appeal or Motion actually help in some way? Or is he ineligible to work legally till 2019?!
Your answer will be so appreciated!
But if you don’t have a time can we discuss an opportunity of legal advice on paid basis.
Thank you Jason.
If he showed up in court, the “asylum clock” should start and he should be able to get the EAD. If you call this number: 1-800-898-7180 and type in his A number (also called the alien number) and then push 2, it will tell you how many days on the clock have elapsed and whether the clock is stopped or running. This phone number is a computer system, so you do not have to talk to anyone. Hopefully, that will help, Jason
I am waiting for the desicion after my interview since December 2014, how long can it take to get it finally?
Hi,Artem! When did you file you case? Thank’s in advance!
*your
Unfortunately, it can take a long time. We have had people waiting for over two years since the interview. This is relatively rare, however, and most people get a decision within a year or so. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason;
do you have any idea how long it takes to get schedule interview if someone applied on March 27th 2015 in Texas Asylum office (Houston)?
thank you
I don’t know, but Houston is the fastest office in the US. They are interviewing cases filed in about May 2014.
Hi Jason;
do you have any idea how long to wait to get schedule for interview if applying in Texas specifically Houston Asylum office.
thank you very much
Sit JASON
First of all than you for helping us by full information and answering our quetions,
I did my finger print at Arlington in December 2014 , how long may take to get my Interview ? May less than 6 month ?
Thanks gor your concern
812 days of waiting in total. 130 days after being interviewed 🙁
In Arlington