Waiting Is the Hardest Part

The asylum backlog–both in court and at the asylum office–is years long. Hundreds of thousands of applicants are waiting, seemingly forever, to present their cases and to receive decisions. Many of these people are separated from children and spouses. Even for those who are not separated from family, the lengthy waits and uncertain outcome can have a serious psychological impact. Indeed, the human tragedy of the asylum backlog is apparent to anyone involved with the system.

Some liminal spaces are more fun than others.

A recent article by Professor Bridget M. Haas, Citizens-in-Waiting, Deportees-in-Waiting, Power, Temporality, and Suffering in the U.S. Asylum System, helps quantify the psychological suffering of those who wait. Prof. Haas followed 26 asylum seekers from seven countries between 2009 and 2012. Only four of the study participants received asylum from the Asylum Office. Twenty-two were referred to court, and the majority of those had their asylum cases denied. Seven of Prof. Haas’s subjects left the U.S. or were deported during the period of her study.

The Professor’s findings largely comport with what you might expect–

For asylum seekers, my data demonstrate that the liminality associated with asylum—of being “betwixt and between” a particular status or identity—is best understood not as a time of transition but rather as a time of rupture, as “a discontinuity of subjective time, in which powerful forces operate to change perceptions of time, space, and personal values.” The discontinuity wrought by asylum-seeking manifests as suspended life.

In other words, the uncertainty of the waiting period leaves asylum applicants unable to move forward with their lives. They are literally stuck waiting. The problem seems to be compounded by the disconnect between asylum seekers’ expectations and the reality of the asylum process—

Most participants had expected the asylum process to last “a couple of days” or “a matter of weeks.” That the process… would be such an arduous and protracted one was beyond their imaginations. Before filing an asylum application… participants had not conceived of a scenario in which their stories and personal histories would be denied credibility or be deemed undeserving of protection…. Ultimately, the disjuncture between expectations of treatment in the United States and the reality they faced was a source of confusion and distress for asylum seekers.

Prof. Haas characterizes the asylum waiting period as one of “existential limbo” where “the very viability of their lives [is] in a state of profound uncertainty.” This manifests in different ways, including “extreme anxiety,” “powerlessness,” and even suicidal thoughts. Asylum applicants had a “sense of being beaten down” by the process. They felt “hopelessness, despair, and futility.” Many felt traumatized by the wait, and “experienced waiting itself… as a form of violence,” which “inflict[ed] enduring psychic distress.” Also, “waiting in limbo was understood as traumatic because of the life-and-death stakes it inhered for asylum seekers and the profound anxiety this produced.”

The state of limbo often prevents asylum seekers from “taking future-oriented actions,” such as furthering their education, because of a “sense that these actions would be done in vain if [they] were to be deported.”

All this rings true for me. I observe my clients’ suffering first hand, and in some cases–especially for those separated from young children–the damage caused by the asylum process can be worse than the harm caused by the persecution.

Prof. Haas writes about her subjects’ coping methods. She notes that “asylum seekers often engaged in activities that offered a distraction from the pain of waiting.” “Other asylum seekers attempted to resist suffering through the refusal to acknowledge the present state of limbo.” Still others turn to their religion for a sense of hope.

These observations align with how I see my clients coping. I also think it is helpful to try to exert some control over the situation. For example, asylum seekers can attempt to expedite their cases. Even if this does not succeed, it provides an avenue for action, which may be better than passively waiting. Asylum seekers can also try to overcome the inertia of limbo by “taking future-oriented actions,” even if that is difficult: Take a class, go to therapy, buy a house, start a family. In a case of giving advice that I probably could not accept myself, I advise my clients to live as if they will be staying here permanently. It’s not easy, but it beats the alternative (of going insane).

Finally, Prof. Haas’s article has prompted me to think about the concept of “liminality” in asylum. The word “liminal” derives from the Latin “limen,” meaning “threshold” or doorway. It refers to the in-between times and places in life.

In Judaism, and I imagine in many other religions, liminal spaces are often viewed as holy. We place a mezuzah (a decorative case containing verses from the Torah) in the doorway of our home. We get married under a chuppah (a temporary canopy that symbolizes the new home the couple will create). We Jews spent 40 years wandering the dessert in order to transform from slaves to free people. And of course, the Bar or Bat Mitzvah marks the traditional transition from child to adult.

Who are these rituals for? And how do they help? Prior to the Exodus, when G-d decided to kill the first born sons of Egypt, G-d instructed the Jews to place blood on their door posts, so the Angel of Death would pass over their homes. One rabbinic discourse explores whether the blood was on the outside or the inside of the doors. Was it meant for G-d, the Egyptians or the Jews? I like the idea that the blood was on the inside of the door, that it was meant to remind the Jewish people of why we were being spared, and of the sacrifice that all Egyptians were making for our freedom. I think there is value in such reminders.

Perhaps by specifically noting these liminal times as transitory, and by recognizing their transformative nature, we can more easily endure the waiting. Whether it is even possible to view the asylum wait time in these terms, I do not know. But one way or another, this period will end. Each of us has only so much control over our own destinies. For asylum seekers, the future is more uncertain than for many others. We are all left to do our best in the time that we have. Put another way, we are all precarious fiddlers on the roof, and so we might as well play the best song that we can.

Related Post

274 comments

  1. […] and wait, with their lives seemingly on hold. To the extent possible, I think it is important to live your life: Go to work or school, buy a house, start a relationship. This is easy advice to give, but much […]

    Reply
  2. Hello Jason,
    First of all thank you so much for the great work for creating such an informative blog and answering all our inquiries.We truly appreciate it.God bless you🙏
    Secondly, I have a question about my asylum case.I applied on 2015 in San Francisco and luckily I got interviewed on Jan 2018 just before the backlog I guess.I have been waiting for the decision since then. I have a lawyer and she had send inquiries through email to USCIS a month ago but we haven’t got any response from them. I want to go there personally to do inquiries. My lawyer said she will go with me but she is very busy. Do you think having a lawyer with you to do inquiries in the office does help more?or it’s the same if I go by myself too.Please suggest.

    Reply
    • I would ask your lawyer because maybe there is something unique about your case, but in my experience, you can go yourself. Maybe she can give you a letter to take with you, or maybe there is an inquiry form for that office. Take care, Jason

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      • Thank you so much for everything Jason! As you had suggested,I asked my lawyer and we went to the USCIS office to do inquiries last month and guess what?they said they had just sent the decision by mail on the day before and after a week later Finally I received the “Recommended approval”. Followed by the “Final approval” yesterday!
        Here’s my time line:
        Applied on -July 2015
        Interviewed -January 2018
        Recommended approval -aug 21
        Final approval- sep 22
        God bless you Jason.Your blog really helped me a lot throughout this tough journey.Can’t thank you enough.Take care.

        Reply
        • Thank you for sharing this and Congratulations! I wish you well in the USA, Jason

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  3. Given the new LIFO rule, is it possible to file in a fresh application? Probably referencing the old application. This might move my situation ahead of the pack. Let me know your thoughts.

    Thanks,

    Reply
    • I have not tried it, and I think it would not work. The procedure for filing a second application (after the first one is denied) is discussed in the instructions to the I-589, available at http://www.uscis.gov. But there are no provisions for filing a new application while the old one is still pending. If you try, let us know what happens. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  4. Hello jason I am waiting for my decision l did my interview 4/2014 now I have a cancer and I send a letter to asylum office about my new situation and I have to do my surgery after one month and I have no answer from them what I have to do
    Thanks

    Reply
    • I am not sure there is more you can do. You might try going to them in person to ask, if they are not too far away. Maybe in a case like this, it would be worthwhile to ask for help from a Congressperson. There are links at right to House of Representatives and Senate – those links can help you find your representative. Maybe they can assist. Good luck, Jason

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  5. Dear Jason,
    Pleasr i have this quick question, I was asked to provide evidence for my initial request for my first EAD application, I just want to ask if I can mail the evidence back to the Service Center that send the mail to me or should I send it to lockbox please help me out. Thanks

    Reply
    • The letter requesting evidence should have an address where to reply. Normally, it is contained in the body of the letter (near the end) and also on the first page on the top right side of the paper. Take care, Jason

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      • Thanks Jason

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  6. How are the days counted when you are waiting for any case or immigration any process? Is it from monday to friday or throughout the seven days a week? Meaning, is every day that come and go included, including the US Gov Holidays, saturday and sunday?

    Reply
    • If you are talking about the 150-day waiting period before you can file for an EAD, all days are counted, including weekends and holidays. Take care, Jason

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  7. Hi Jason ,

    My interview was 3 years ago and so far they have not given me the decision yet. What should I do please ?

    Reply
    • Contact the asylum office and inquire. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. You can also contact the USCIS Ombudsman – a link is at right. If none of that works, talk to a lawyer about a mandamus lawsuit. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you for the reply and help Jason

        One more thing please
        I was following my asylum case through this number 18008987180 which is a number of status of immigration court cases. At first No information was available which I believed was a sign of pending status at asylum office. Now it has some new information about my case but I could not understand the message.

        The automated message is as following :-
        “Pending Asylum”
        “1111 days clock EAD”

        But regarding the hearing date The message is :-
        “the system does not contain any information regarding future hearing date on your case”

        Is that mean somehow The asylum office made the decision and its denied and now they referred my case to the court ?

        Reply
        • I doubt it means that. It may just mean that your case is not assigned to a judge yet. You can call the court directly to ask about this. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Immigration Court. Take care, Jason

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  8. Dear Jason , hope your doing well it’s almost 8 mount my father waiting for asylum decision however last mount he received Emil from Arlington AO they wrote your case is in final decision once final decision reach we mail to you . What you think it’s good he contact with senator or no ?
    Many thanks .

    Reply
    • He can try, but in general, I think asking for help from Senators is a waste of time. In any case, it won’t hurt, so he can try. Take care, Jason

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  9. Hello Jason,
    I have question my situation is My ex Husband applied asylum and I was dependent on his application and I receive EAD ,SSN later we divorce and after one year I got married to US citizen and he filed AOS for me based on marriage and I receive marriage base EAD/AP, we still waiting for interview, if I decide to travel to my home country and come back will I face any issue? Since I was dependent on asylum application.

    TIA

    Reply
    • Typically, the dependent will not have the same issues as the main applicant. However, it depends on the case, and USCIS is being very strict. I recommend you talk to a lawyer before you travel to the home country. Take care, Jason

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  10. Jason,
    or maybe somebody else knows the answer to this: my husband is waiting for the decision on his asylum case, we were interviewed in February,2017.
    I do have certain circumstances which are making me to think going back to my home country (not the same as my husband’s), and my question is – am I eligible for advance parole? should I even try to apply for I-131? My husband doesn’t plan to leave, just me.
    It’s been more than 6 years I haven’t been home, and things are getting serious mentally/physically, so I thought to give this a try. Thanks for the asnwer in advance.

    Reply
    • You can apply for AP and visit your country (since it is not his country) – I wrote about that on September 11, 2017. However, if the case is granted or denied while you are outside the US, it could potentially cause big problems and block you from coming back here. You might want to talk to a lawyer about this before you try it, to check whether it is safe to go. Also, your husband might want to contact the asylum office and inquire about his case. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • I certainly will consult a lawyer, thank you very much for what you do!

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  11. Hello Jason! Thumbs up for being so consistently amazing. Your blog has been a guiding light and an insight window to asylum process. Now having been granted the asylum after 5 years. How long should it take to bring my family to us ( spouse and kids) ? I mean the timeline.

    Reply
    • Assuming you are filing a form I-730 for each person, the waiting time is not very predictable. We have seen it take a fast as 4 months beginning to end; other cases have taken a year. Plus, these days there is a lot of unpredictability (though we have not heard about any such cases being denied). Hopefully, it will go smoothly and they will get here soon. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Hi fida
        can you please helo me answer a few questions?
        Can u email me on manch_p@hotmail.com

        Thank u in advance

        Reply
  12. Hello Jason,
    I hope you are doing well. I was wondering What are the other reasons for decisions after interview taking longer ? I am not muslim or from a muslim country. I had an interview in the field office of omaha under jursdiction of Chicago in August 2017, so it have been waiting for 5months now. Take care

    Reply
    • I wrote something about this on October 20, 2015 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason

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  13. Hello everyone,
    I just want to share my experience and time line in this website as it might help to the readers.
    I filed my asylum in August 2014 at Los Angeles, and applied for EAD in February 2015. I renewed it 2 times. I waited 3 years and 4 months for my interview.
    These time was the most difficult time in my life, even more stressful time than when I was in my country. When I applied for my first EAD, I found Jason’s website. Ever since then, I got addicted to this website. I can’t spend a day without checking this website. I didn’t have an attorney, this website was my attorney. I check everything here, ask all my questions here and read news here. Jason has been an Angel for me. I don’t want to see myself without the help of this website. In the last three years Jason has been everything for me.
    Thankfully, last year the Los Angeles office started to move in a faster pace than any other asylum office. Then my hope increased.
    I got interviewed in December 2017 and officer told me and my wife to come back in two weeks to pick my decision up. After a week she called me and told me not come back to the asylum office and to wait the decision to be mailed to me.
    I have been reading that waiting the decision in mail is another lengthy time(I have friends who are waiting for almost a year). But I got lucky this time. My approval decision was sent with in a month.
    Thank you Jason and people who input in to this website, the likes of Sara and others.
    Finally, I wish everyone good luck, health and blessing to you Jason.
    Haweken

    Reply
    • It is a very kind email. Thank you. And more importantly, Welcome to the USA! We are glad you are here, and we wish you the best of luck. Take care, Jason

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      • Jason, honestly you deserve more than words. I owe you too much. I had a tough interview, but you already made me a better person than ordinary applicant. I had an AO who knows nothing about my country even unable to pronounce its name.
        But thank you thank you thank you…….. I got approved.
        I pray God to pay you.

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        • I am glad this website helped and I wish you well. Take care, Jason

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    • Haweken, congrats! I am so excited when I hear about people getting their cases approved.

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      • Thank you Jimie.

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    • Congraaaaaats, Haweken! So happy for you and your wife 🙂 Celebrate and enjoy your FREEDOM!

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      • I am so so happy for Haweken,
        We guys are still here trying for wait for more than a year now to have the decision. Enjoy your time in this country

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        • Thank you broken, Jason already explained how hurtful waiting is. He also included how we can turn it in to our advantage. So I will not say anything about it. I waited almost 4 years. During this time I got graduated, my wife joined me and we have one kid. It looks pretty good. Still waiting was hurting me.
          I wish you guys have a positive result. Good luck.

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      • Thank you Sara, the wait was bitter but the outcome was sweet enough to forget the bitterness of waiting. Wish everybody the best of luck.

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    • Congratulations Haweken, I filled in the Los Angeles as well and waiting for more than 2 years. This Waiting has been very stressful and depressing for me. Thank you so much for sharing your happy news with us. God bless.

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      • God bless you too Liz. Los Angeles office is moving fast. You will be having your interview soon. Get ready read Jason’s blog. They will be extremely helpfully. And keep your head above water at any time. Wish you good lick.

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        • Thank you so much for your encouragement Haweken. Wish you all the best. God bless. Take care.

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  14. Hi Jason,
    My parents has a pending asylum case at LA office, they filled their case in May 2016. They used to get Medical from social office. At the beginning of this year they canceled their health insurance. My Dad has disability and 64 years old and my Mom she can’t do any job as she never did any and she has language barrier. My Dad he is diabetes. Do you any idea what should we do? We try to get their insurance from other companies but as they don’t do any job they refused us. What should we do now. What is your suggestions?
    I always follow your blog and I really appreciate your help for people who are going through very difficult time while they are waiting for a long time to have they case solved.
    Thanks again
    Nikki

    Reply
    • I think if asylum is approved, they can get some benefits, so you might want to use that as a basis to try to expedite the case – I wrote about that on March 30, 2017. Otherwise, I do not know that they are eligible for any benefits. The best place to ask is Catholic Charters, as they tend to know more about such things. You can Google “Catholic Charities” + your city and find the local office. They serve all people, regardless of religion and maybe they can advise your parents. Take care, Jason

      Reply
    • Hey Nikki,
      To be eligible for any benefit, they need to have proof of residence. If they have their EAD, that can be used as proof of residence and they will be eligible for medical. My wife had the same problem before she has her EAD. Once she got her EAD the social service of the county approved her medical. So your parents may do the same thing. If their EAD is expired make sure to renew it.
      Wish you and your parents good luck.

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  15. Dear Jason,
    I am starting to wonder what are the educational rights of a person with pending asylum? I know you are not eligible to apply for the FAFSA or federal loans, but what about of in-state tuition? I would really be happy if you could walk me through it. It’s kind of confusing for me.

    Reply
    • I do not know much about this, but no one after high school has the right to education in the US, and typically, colleges do not give in-state tuition. Sometimes, you can get scholarships, though, so ask the school about that. Take care, Jason

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    • Hi there,
      I’m assuming that in different states rules might be different, but in Florida I was approved for in-state tuition rates after showing them my ID, vehicle registration and EAD. There is a 12 month residence rule, which means that you are considered a Florida resident for tuition purposes if you can prove that you have lived here for at least 12 consecutive months. If you are in a different state, I advise you to do your own research before asking that question at a school you are planning to attend, because in my case the admissions person told me that I am not a “citizen of Florida” [yep, they can be THAT ignorant :)] if I don’t have a green card or an American passport, but I came armed with print outs of Florida statutes.

      Reply
  16. Hi jasson !
    I have a question My (MCH) on November 2018 in Boston Massachusetts And I am in Removal Proceedings can I file asylum before see immigration judge or I will have to wait on (MCH) and how much time will take usually immigration courts for whole process Asylum cases in Boston Massachusetts.
    Thanks !
    Waiting your Answer plz

    Reply
    • You need to file for asylum within one year of arriving in the US, otherwise, you could be ineligible for asylum (I plan to post something about this topic later today). So it is important to file as soon as you can. You can file the I-589 asylum form at the court window. Bring an extra copy so they can stamp it and you will have proof that you filed. You also need to submit a copy to DHS (the prosecutor in he court case). Really, anyone with a court case should find a lawyer, and so you should try to get a lawyer to help you. But the sooner, the better, as you have to file within a year of arrival. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  17. Hello Jason, thank you for all your help. I’m going to adjust my status after I was granted asylum last year. I have 3 questions about i-485 form:
    1. I was serving in mandatory military service in my country when I was 18 years old but it was a medical department. I never hold a gun im my hand. Should I indicate yes to question: were you a member of party, foundation, military group etc.
    2. My kids who are US cittzens used to have snap (food stamp) benefits for 2 years but not me. Should I still indicate yes That I had public assistance from a government.
    3. Some documents like mariage certificate, birth certificate were translated from my native language into English 2 years ago when I applied for asylum. Can I use them now for adjusting my status or I have to translate them from the beginning with a new date.
    Thank you in advance

    Reply
    • 1 & 2 – I cannot answer specific questions about the form, as I do not know your case. In general, the most important thing is that USCIS does not think you are trying to hide something, so it is usually better to tell USCIS about such things and maybe provide an explanation in the cover letter. 3 – If the old translations were fine before, they should be fine now. You do not need to re-translate them. Take care, Jason

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      • Thank you for your response. I have a couple of questions. I am going to send the forms – I-131 and i-765. Are there any fees for those forms when I send them together i-485?

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        • I do not know your case, so I cannot say for sure. Normally, when a person files an I-485 and pays the fee, the I-765 and I-131 are included. Maybe if you check the instructions on the I-765 and I-131 about fees, it will tell you. Take care, Jason

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          • Jason my last question is about i-94 form. There is a question in i-485. I have to indicate number of i-94 and the expiration date. They arent quite clear. They need i-94 that was given to me at the time of my last entry in USA or the one I was given after granting asylum. This i-94 doesnt expire and is indefinite.

          • I cannot answer specific questions about forms. Maybe you can mention both numbers and explain why you have two numbers, or if you are not sure, talk to a lawyer for some help. Take care, Jason

  18. Jason, how are you?
    I was just wondering, why can’t one get in-state tuition with pending asylum? I guess my basic question, what are your basic educational rights while your case is pending? I know beforehand that you can’t get federal financial aid. Could you give me some more information? I would highly appreciate that!

    Reply
    • I do not know much about this, but no one after high school has the right to education in the US, and typically, colleges do not give in-state tuition. Sometimes, you can get scholarships, though, so ask the school about that. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Few years ago, when my asylum application was pending I was facing similar problem…I was not eligible to receive any kind of financial assistance…However, I met the president of the University I was planning to attend and explained my situation to him and eventually I was classified as in state student while my asylum application was still pending before the court. And as for federal student assistance generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are one of the following:
        • U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card.
        • Conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
        • Other eligible noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Indefinite Parole,” “Humanitarian Parole,” or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”
        • A citizen of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM).
        I think you must approach the president or dean of admissions of the school you are planning to apply for and explain your situation…It is possible that you may be allowed to register as in state student….

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        • Thank you. If you don’t mind my asking, what is the source of this info? It would be helpful to have that. Thank you, Jason

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          • Jason, R H is correct. Generally speaking, people with pending asylum applications are not eligible for federal benefits in any form. There are, however, some colleges that provide financial assistance to asylum applicants. Some states also provide some kind of assistance. It varies from state to state, cities to cities, and colleges to colleges. But applicants for asylum are not eligible for federal assistance.

            Once the applicant is granted asylum/refugee status, he/she will then be eligible for all assistance, including federal assistance. This information is on the website of most universities and colleges.

          • Thank you – too bad there was not a website where such info was collected, but it sounds like people just have to check each school separately. Take care, Jason

          • Thank you, Jason

      • I apologize for posting this question twice! Thanks for answering it

        Reply
        • R H,
          Thank you! In fact some of the students in our school don’t get in-tuitions just because their case is still pending! Just out of curiosity, which University are you attending?

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          • As far as I know, there are no government regulations about this. My clients who have asylum pending seem always to pay out-of-state tuition, but there may be some universities where asylum seekers get in-state tuition. Take care, Jason

          • I attended Trevecca Nazarene university in Nashville in 2012-2014. It is a private not for profit university.

        • No worries – that is why we have cut and paste…

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          • Thank you Jason! You are a great help. Just one more question if you know the answer to it, what percent of young ones seek asylum in the United States particularly those falling under the age of 30. I wish there could be some government regulation for them such as, reduced tuitions, tuition exceptions or some form of aids, because once they are adjudicated, they can contribute a lot and become productive member of this society. That’s jus my opinion although I don’t know whole a lot about this issue.

          • I do not think I have seen statistics about this, but I can tell you that many of my clients are under 30. At a certain point in life, many people would rather stay in their country, even if it is dangerous. Take care, Jason

  19. Hello Everone ,
    We received a notice of interview yesterday and we only have 12 days and our lawyer doesn’t answer our phone call or reply to our emails. I don’t know if we have to prepare ourselves or we need to find a lawyer who will prepare us for the interview . I really don’t know what to do any advice please

    Reply
    • Your lawyer can request to extend your interview.

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    • Hopefully, you can contact the lawyer. You could use another lawyer if necessary, but it is difficult for a lawyer to step into a case at the last minute, especially if you need to submit documents (in some asylum offices, documents are documents are due a week – or maybe more – before the interview). Your lawyer is required by attorney rules to communicate with you, for what that is worth. If you can’t find the lawyer, I guest you have no choice but to look for someone else. You might also contact the asylum office and ask to reschedule – that will get you another couple weeks. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason

      Reply
    • Hi FS,
      Can you share your timeline and the office please.
      Best of Luck.

      S.

      Reply
      • I filed in 6/20/2015 and I received the notice of interview two days ago . The interview will be less thank two weeks from now at Chicago Asylum Office

        Reply
    • FS,

      I found myself in the same situation that you are currently in. My lawyer rarely, if at all, responded to my emails/voice messages. Furthermore, I wrote my affidavit with little or no help and gathered all the evidence myself.

      Firstly, I want to tell you that only you can make the decision as to whether or not you want to extend your interview date. I don’t think there is any harm in extending your interview date if you genuinely believe that you aren’t ready. On the contrary, it’s very disappointing, and a waste of time quite frankly, to have to postpone you interview date, especially when the reason for the postponement is not an unforeseen or extenuating reason.

      Secondly, if you have enough confidence in yourself, and your case doesn’t have any thorny issues/hiccups, it doesn’t hurt to go ahead with your interview as scheduled.

      I would suggest that you read over your affidavits thoroughly (you must be at least 90-100% consistent in your interview), gather any evidence that you can, take the last 2 or 3 days to practice with a friend or family member (I created questions that I believed that the AO would ask me and talked to myself as if I were talking to someone, as I wasn’t comfortable doing it with someone else), use Google, reputable sources (Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, etc.), and US embassy reports in your country of origin, to find reports on the country condition. Also, don’t forget to rest the night before the interview and avoid caffeinated beverages as much as you can!

      If there is no report on your country, ask friends or family members to write letters and have them signed by Justice of the peace/Notary public. These letters can be scanned and sent by email. If you got psychotherapy, you can have the therapist send the AO a report of your mental state. If you are or were a apart of any organization in the US, ask them to write a letter to the AO detailing your experience with them (this can also include the contributions you have made to the organization/ people in your category of asylum applicants). If you were a apart of any organization in your home country that has any kind of relationship with people who are in the same category of asylum applicants as you, ask them to send a letter (it would be good if they have a letter head).

      With regard to the aforementioned, you are essentially building your case so as to demonstrate to the asylum officer that you are in fact eligible for asylum. Always bear in mind that a part of the asylum officer’s job is to determine if you are eligible for asylum.

      All of this can be done before the asylum interview date. You have to approach it wisely and aggressively. Don’t be afraid to sometimes step back, rest, re-group, and go again. Constantly remind yourself that you have come thus far and it’s all or nothing. It is possible.

      Now, let us know how your interview went. We believe in you.

      Reply
      • Thank you for the comment. If a person postpones an interview, the delay is only for a few weeks (usually) and so it is better to have extra time if it is needed than to be unprepared for the case. Also, don’t forget that some office require that documents be submitted in advance (in my local office, they must be submitted at least one week in advance). Good luck, Jason

        Reply
  20. Hello

    Thanks for this article !! I’m new here , I have to apply for ayslum but I understand it”ll be a long process !!! Ohhhh God !!!

    Reply
    • Well, one good thing is that you know what you’re getting into, and can be as mentally prepared as possible. We came here in 2014 thinking our case would take a few months to resolve because that was the timeline back then (at least in my state), and then we encountered the backlog.
      Jason’s post is all about the dynamics of this waiting period which is very helpful for those just starting the journey like you. You can also read about people’s experiences in the comments, and be inspired to spend yours in a healthy and constructive way.
      Good luck!

      Reply
    • You can always try to expedite the case – maybe that will help. I wrote about that on March 30, 2017. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
  21. Hi Jason

    I m pending asylum and applied in early 2016 in Denver Colorado and i got my first work permit on time but the second work permit is more then 4 month! I haven’t heard back yet from the renewal!

    Can you please tell me is Colorado is considered to be field office or main?

    What do u think the delay in work permit in Colorado where my friend he got his renewal in 25 days in Virginia?

    Please reply

    Thanks
    HZ

    Reply
    • Many renewals are taking 7 months or so. You do get an automatic 6 month extension of the old permit – I wrote about that on January 25, 2017. You can try call USCIS to ask about the work permit – the number can be found at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you very much Jason

        You didn’t reply can you please tell me I applied from Denver Colorado is this state considered to be field office or main office like Virginia

        Thank you

        Reply
        • If you check the Asylum Office Locator (a link is at right) and enter your zip code, you will see where the interview will take place (the main office – they do not give you info about sub offices, and I do not know whether there is a sub office in Denver). Take care, Jason

          Reply
  22. Tomorrow I’m visiting my local DMV, in NY, to see if I can get them to remove the “Not for federal use” on my driver’s license. I’ll let everyone know what happens but I hope to be successful.

    Cheers,

    Reply
    • Good luck, Palma! Thanks for letting us know 🙂

      Reply
    • PALMA, how did you application go with the NY DMV?

      Reply
      • Hello everyone,

        Unfortunately, I was not successful. They told me they could not give me the REAL ID until my asylum case was approved. So I have to wait for my interview and then some, in the best case scenario.

        Sorry folks,

        Palma

        Reply
        • Thanks for the for the update, Palma. I’m sorry you weren’t successful.
          Hope you get your interview date soon.

          Reply

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