Jason Dzubow is an immigration attorney who specializes in political asylum, immigration court, and appeals. He is a partner at Dzubow & Pilcher, PLLC, and his full profile can be found here.
Contact Jason Dzubow about an Asylum or Immigration case:
JDzubow@DzubowLaw.com
(202) 328-1353
HI JASON , WE HAD ASYLUM CASE FROM 2015,I AM MAIN APPLICANT , THEN MY WIFE GOT DIVORCED WITH ME 3 MONTH AGO , I AM WAITING FOR INTERVIEW YET , SO IF SHE CHANGE HER MIND AND SHE WANTS COMEBACK TO MY ASYLUM CASE,WITHOUT A MARRIAGE AGAIN WITH ME, IS THAT POSSIBLE?
you have to be legally married and show the evidence of marriage certificate during the interview. Otherwise, you will have “Yuge” problem.
thanks
so , if she can stay with me in my asylum case , we should get married again , right???
and another question is :
can i add her in my case as dependent person?
If you get remarried and want to add her as a dependent before the interview, that should be possible. Contact the local asylum office to ask about the procedure. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
I think it is not possible. Maybe you could get re-married. Otherwise, I believe she needs to file her own case. She should talk to a lawyer about that, as maybe there is a way to keep her in your case, but I do not think so (unless you are married). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, I’m in New York and I need to know to which office we supposed to send the EAD renewal file because first time my lawyer did it form me a I don’t afford to pay her this time. Thank you very much for your valuable advises and for everything you do for us
If u ar in mew york city u should send to uscis p.o.box 660867. Dallas.tx 75266. I live in new york queens i send the same adress every time and i sent my ead 3 weeks ago i got reciept after 10 days .if u have asylum case and u live in nyc then that is the adress and also u can serch it on uscis
Thank you very much for your respod i really appreciat it . But that the full address nothing more like the name of the office or any more to add
You can check the instructions to form I-765, available at http://www.uscis.gov, and it will tell you where to file. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jasno, but I always feel lost when i try to fine someting in their website , too much information and nothing specific answering my questions
Hi Jason i send my renewal EAD to uscis to dlolas texas and i paid 410 i got recied after a week the receid said paid 410 and biometric 0 (finger print) and i didnt pay for biometric is that fine or i should pay for biometric too ? I alreay got my recied im worry if i did any mistake my card will takes long time . If they need for biometric they will send me another letter or i should call them and ask ? plz let me know about that and how long it will take the new card and can i work and apply for taxi licence with my old EAD? thanks alot jasan
If you got the receipt, your EAD is automatically extended for 180 days (this should be written on the receipt), so you can work, etc., with the receipt. The new card should arrive in less than 4 months (normally) and if you got the receipt, you should be fine. Take care, Jason
Hello
Pls I want to know how long it takes to receive Firsr time EAD. It is over 60 days now. I called uscis and I told them. Pls what do you think.
Thank you
to Which office did you send your application? I sent my application together with my wife to Nebreska service center on March 21 and she is just approved, my status doesn’t change yet. I hope they they will approve it in the next week.
We are seeing people wait 2 to 4 months. If you have your receipt, you should be fine. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason.
I ‘ve married a wife in my home country. How long will take to reunite with my ? I am green card holder.
hi Jason- I have a tps and now have an interview for asylum in end of May . I applied for travel document under tps , can I travel using this document after I go for my asylum interview ? and would they let me back in . I am syrian nationality.
thanks you
If you have Advance Parole, you should be allowed to re-enter the US if you leave. However, if your asylum is granted before you travel, you need a Refugee Travel Document, not AP. Also, since Syria is a “banned” country, you should keep an eye on the news to make sure that the ban is not re-instated. Take care, Jason
HI Jason – thank you for this blog it is very helpful!
I have a complicated case and appreciate your help.
I am a dependant on husband application for asylum .
I am on L1 visa and husband on TPS . we have interview in June for asylum. but my company just let me know that they are sponsoring me for green card . What should I do? shall I not go with husband to interview? how will the interview affect my green card application ? and also can I travel outside US?
really appreciate your help
If you are still in valid L-1 status, the asylum should case should not affect your green card application and you should be able to get the green card without leaving the US. Also, if you are in valid L-1 status, you should be able to travel abroad and return on the L-1. Unless the asylum case is deemed frivolous (fake), it should have no affect on a person with an L-1 visa. Whether your husband can also get a GC based on you, I do not know, and it depends on many factors – you would need to talk to a lawyer. As for the asylum, if you are part of his case, you are required to attend the interview. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I’m looking for some clarification on Part C, question 2.B of Form I-589. The question mentions “applied for or received any lawful status” and the text underneath the checkboxes mentions “lawful residence purposes”.
If an applicant applied for and received a UK 6-month visitor visa in 2012 and used it to visit the UK for less than a week and returned to country from which he is claiming asylum (this trip being the last country visited before applying for asylum in the USA now) – would it be required to make mention of this? I am unsure if the question is asking about short non-temporary visits or lawful residence.
I do no think you need to mention a one-week trip. However, the asylum office will ask you about every country you visited, so eventually, you will need to tell them about this trip and, if you then returned to your country, you will need to explain why you were in a safe country (UK) and then returned to a country where you fear persecution. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason!
Q:
Is it possible to get asylum with 2 citizenship(1 from USSR country and another one from Romania(europe))
Asylum based on nationality and member of politic-social group in country(ussr).
I wanna know my real chances, i know that i have to show fear and etc. in both countries…. I was borned in country(ussr) and all my life was there…..and all asylum case is base on my country where i was born(ussr).
P.s. do u take cases in San Francisco,CA?
if you don’t face any threat in Romania, you are barred from applying for asylum in the USA. because you have permanent residency in a safe third country and you are firmly settled.
Just to be clear, if you have citizenship in Romania, and you are safe there, then you are barred from receiving asylum in the US. You could apply for asylum, but since you are barred, the case would be denied. Take care, Jason
You would need to show that you face a fear of persecution in both countries (well, the USSR no longer exists, so whatever is now your country of citizenship). If you do not have that, it will likely be impossible for you to obtain asylum. I could take a case in CA. If you email me, I can provide info about an initial consultation: Jdzubow@dzubowlaw.com. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason, I’ve already filed an interview expedite request 2 weeks ago and still waiting for the answer. Now, I have again another emergency situation (wife is pregnant, could’t find insurance to cover her maternity, medicaid denied, visited emergency room several times due to severe pregnancy symptoms) Do you think it is a good idea to send again these details as additional supporting documents for expedite request at this time?
It’s up to you, but you might do better to wait for an answer, and if the answer is ‘no’, then use the new information to make a new request to expedite. Take care, Jason
My timeline for EAD(renewal):
January 24 2017 send my and wifed documents.
February 12 receipt
February 13 notice for transfer case(both) in Arlington,VA.
May 9 case was approved(wife is still waiting)
May 10 ead has been sent(wife is still waiting)
Renewal cost 410$(read uscis instructions) don’t pay for fingerprints unless u asked for from USCIS. In instruction for i-765 there’s is no info about fingerprints fees for renewal!
First ead took me about 5 months, which is pretty similar!
Good Luck guys!
5 months? Wow where do you live? I don’t know anybody else who had to wait 5 months. Everybody I know waited up to 3.5 months.
oh shit!! 5 months now…………………………..
4.5 months….2 times in th raw… live in VA.
Jason keep saying that 2-5 months it’s just regular waiting time… unfortunately
yeah, it is still comforting as you get your EAD now. before we were saying it is between 1-3 months,,now 2-5….it is really annoying to wait for such a long time. Mine was supposed to be processed by Vermont (which is the slowest!) but it was transferred to Nebreska. USCIS website suggests the waiting period there is around 60 days,,who knows,,but if your application was transfered to Potomac service center in VA, USCIS website should be pretty accurate, because it is showing 5 more months waiting times in Potomac.
I think 5 months is a bit long, but certainly not unheard of. Most people are 2 to 4 months, but now that they have the automatic renewal, things may be moving more slowly (since the person will not lose the ability to work while they are waiting for the card). Take care, Jason
Jason how are you?
I have a question… my wifes ead still not approved and i already got mine…. should i call them or just give them another couple days? My timeline is above.
It’s up to you, but people who filed at the same time often do not get their decisions at the same time. If she got her receipt, she should probably get the EAD soon. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Hi, I am a Syrian national on TPS with an asylum application submitted in June 2014. I just received a letter in the mail that my interview date has been set at the end of this month (almost 3 years). I am wondering if you’ve seen a general decline in asylums granted to Syrian applicants that is commensurate with the direction that this administration has taken.
If the answer is YES would you mind sharing how bad it is.
.
The attorney who filed my case wants to fly in and help me out and I am wondering if that is worth the investment in case you’re observing more rejections that not lately. (it has been 3 years and I am in financial distress).
I am interviewing at the Chicago office.
Thank you.
I have not observed that. As of now, things are about the same as they were under Obama (slow, but no substantive impact on people from “banned” countries), so I would not worry about that. If you have a good case, you can certainly still win. I do think it is good to have a lawyer with you, but realize that the lawyer’s job at the interview is very small – they take notes and can ask a few questions or make a closing statement at the end. Mostly, they will talk to you. I do think it is very important for the lawyer to help prepare the document and the statement, and to practice with you before the interview. I did a posting on September 8, 2016 about the asylum interview that might help. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason, that is very helpful and comforting. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.
Hi Jason, I hope you are doing fine. My question to you is I want to file for the EAD renewal and I want to make a fees waiver. 1- Do I have to attach the fees waiver with the EAD form or send it first and wait for the reply and then file for the EAD according to their reply. 2- in the waiver form they ask about the reason and I dont work and I have very limited resources meaning like getting jobs for one or two days in the month and some times I dont, I depend on the money that sometimes my husband send me, and dont receive any benefits from the country and I bay for my living expenses like food and rent. do I mention all of that as a reasons for filing the waiver or just say I’m not working in regular bases .
Thank you for everything and god bless you.
1 – You should mail them together. 2 – All this sounds fine, and you also need to attach evidence about it. You have to read the instruction for the I-912 carefully to make sure you are giving USCIS what it needs. The process is a bit tricky, but given the situation you describe, you should be eligible for a fee waiver. Take care, Jason
Thank you very much ,but eveidance should approve that i’m not working . do you think the tax filing document is considered as eviedance
Thank you
A tax filing can be evidence, but maybe I am not understanding your question, sorry, Jason
Hello Jason.
Q:
Do asylum officers gonna have at the interview all visa applications or most recent one?
There is a possibility that my 1st & 2nd visa applications may contain a bit different information. Although the first application wasn’t filled by me, but by my travel agency as i came here on student visa. At my visa interview officer didn’t point on any differences though.Do you think it would’ve showed up? Could this be a problem at the asylum interview if two applications filled differently?
They probably will have that info, and it could be a problem. I suggest you include in your affidavit an explanation about how you got the visa, what you said, and any errors that were in the application forms – and why you made those errors. It is better to address this directly, and is much more likely to result in a better outcome. If you try to hide this, it will only be worse. Also, even if a person lied on their visa application, if they did it to escape persecution, it does not block the person from getting asylum (there is a case about this called “Matter of Pula”). Take care, Jason
Is it possible somehow to check your previous visa application ? I just want to double check exactly what is different!
I do not know if you can get that info. My only idea is to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the US State Department. To file a FOIA with USCIS, use form G-639 (available at http://www.uscis.gov), but it may be a different form for the State Department – maybe you can check their website. Good luck, Jason
i found Application ID nad all information from my visa application!
is it save to retrieve the information? is it possible for officers after to use this info, that i retrieved my application!?
I am not sure what you mean or where you found this info, but the asylum office will already have any information or documents you gave to the government when you applied for your visa or other immigration benefits. Take care, Jason
Greeting, hope u doing well sir,
I have a Question please?
I had my Asylum interview in houston on May of 2015. its been more years since i had my interview, yet i have not recvied any decision.
Please what to do? whenever i go to the Asylum office or email them, they tell
“Your case is still pending with our office due to the completion of security checks. These checks are not done by our office but other agencies”
What to do sir, please? i do not want to live in limbo forever.
i would appreciate you answer and help.
thank you so much.
what to please since
Unfortunately, this is a pretty common story. Besides contacting the asylum office, you can contact the USCIS Ombudsman (a link is at right) – they can sometimes help with a delayed case. Otherwise, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit, but you would need to talk to a lawyer about that to make sure it is the right choice for you. I wrote a blog post about this on February 26, 2015 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason – thank you for this blog . I have a question . Myself and my husband just got notification for asylum appointment . My husband is currently on tps and I am on L1 visa . If fir any reason the asylum was not granted what happens to us can I stay on my L1 visa and my husband on his tps . I appreciate your help on this .
If you are the principal and the case is denied, you should continue on the L1. The situation is less clear for people with TPS (if he is the principal applicant). I think his case will not be referred to the court, but it seems that there is not a consistent policy for people with TPS, and so it may go to the court. You can ask the officer about that at the interview if you want. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason . My husband is the principal applicant ( the one with tps )
Hello Jason . I applied for asylum in November 2015 and waiting for interview in February 2017 my mother had a stroke and heart attck in Pakistan, I wrote a letter to asylum office for expedite the case on humanitarian ground , during that period I request my attorney to get me a travel document which she said she will charge 1800 dollars per passport sin we are three family members, I couldn’t afford it my attorney didn’t cooperate with me , I kept calling her but her assistant said she woud charge 150 dollars to speak on phone on the other hand my mother was in ICU in critical condition so I had to leave the usa in march 2017 along with my husband and kids . Recently I came to know that INTERVIEW LETTER has been received for the date of 5/16/17 . So pl advise accordingly that what should I do . Can I travel back to usa . Do I still have the case . Thank you
Regards..
Hi Anees
From which state did u applied and is it political asylum or religion?
Appreciate if u share ur process it will be a real help.
You can try to return here, but if you do not have a valid visa, I do not see how that would be possible. If you have a valid H1b or L visa, and you still have the job, it might be possible. If you have a valid B visa or most other types of visas, you can try to re-enter, but you risk being arrested and detained at the airport, or being forced to leave the US immediately. Unfortunately, it would be helpful to have the advice of an attorney who is familiar with your case, but it seems relations with the old lawyer have broken down. Anyway, if you have a valid visa and don’t mind the risk of being detained in the US or sent back (if you are denied entry, it most likely would be your choice to leave immediately or seek asylum in court, which would mean you will be detained) then you can try to come here for the interview. If you do get back, the fact that you returned to your country will be a major issue at the asylum interview. Good luck, Jason
Hi jason
I applied for asylum and i had included my ex galfriends name and her date of birth in the form and that waz when we where still together and she waz she aboard. She is now in the US and we broke up and am now seeinf seeing another someless. She is now planning to submit me her own case. Can that affect us because becaause in my form i have her name and date of birthday and we have have a kid which is going to include i her story to.
A girlfriend should not be listed on the form; only the wife. That said, if you explain why you listed her, it should be fine. She should do the same in her case. Remember that they could compare the two cases to look for inconsistencies, and so it is worth communicating with her so you are both on the same page in terms of your cases. Take care, Jason
Thankz jason. By there time i applied i considered her as my wife but not officially married right now am dating another gal bt would it be advisable for us to use the same case or she can do her own case bt as a continuation on my case.
For purposes of asylum, unless you are legally married, she is not your wife, even if you consider her your wife. Whether she joins your case or does her own depends on how strong your case is and how strong her case is. If she has a weak case, maybe she should join you. If her case is better than yours, she probably should do her own case. The advantage of joining your case is that she can get the work permit when you are eligible for it, so that part of the process (the EAD) will be faster than doing her own case. Take care, Jason
Thankz very much for your advise jason. May God bless for the good work ur doing all of us.
For those people who have problem receiving mail vis USPS, USPS recently introduced a new feature called Informed Delivery.
Create USPS account, signup for informed delivery, in order to siginup, you have to verify your address either online ( sometimes doesn’t work) or go to suggested USPS location to verify your address. As soon as as you signup for informed delivery, you will receive an email as soon as someone send mail to your address. You can also download my USPS app to check if someone send you any mail.
Thank you, Jason
Hello jason
Thanks so much for all the help. I think i made a mistake in my wifes name when i was filling my case as spouse .i mistakenly place her middle name as first name but on her passport from africa the names are well placed . Can this affect her? Bcus i applied for (WA)for her and my son but they gave my son and they didnt send hers .and i applied for her first a month before my son……pls do you know wat might be going on? Thanks
If your wife is in the US and she has applied for a work permit, maybe the error on the name is causing a delay. You can easily correct this at the time of your interview, but it will be more difficult to correct it before the interview. Contact the local asylum office to ask whether they can help you fix it. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
dear sir. thank u for your help i have a question. when we enter usa my child was 14 years old. she is going to complete high school graduation this year. now she is 17 and will be going to college . she applied for fafsa and we have ssn and valid work permit under pending asylum. will she be able to get financial aid from government since she went to high school for three years and graduating ? and what is the meaning of dreamer who those are under 14 years. I would be appreciate if you kindly advice in this regards.
Most people with pending cases are not eligible for financial help from the government. However, there are other sources of financial aid, and she can talk to the school about that. As for DACA, you should check the instructions for the form I-821D, available at http://www.uscis.gov. I recommend you talk to a lawyer about that, as some people are recommending that you not apply for DACA, as it could cause problems now that Trump is president. Take care, Jason
Ref to the above question asylum seekers high school graduates can apply for education loan. What benefit they get in college. Will they consider foreign student or resident as the criteria of fee is different .
It may vary by state or by school, but I have observed that asylum seekers do not receive in-state tuition and may not be eligible for federal government loans (they mat be eligible for other financial assistance – ask the school). People with asylum seem able to get in-state tuition and may be eligible for federal government loans. But you need to ask the school, as they may be able to help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
What documents u need to attached with the form in the first place as a proof of what so ever case
Like political asylum or religion security. In which step do we need to submit these documents
Normally, in our office, we send the I-589 form and a copy of the passport. If there are derivatives, we send copiers of their passports and birth certificate for children, marriage certificate for spouse, plus a page 9 of the I-589 for each derivative. Other document can be submitted to the local asylum office later (though they must be submitted a week before the interview in our office, and the rule may be different in different offices). Take care, Jason
After submitting the I 589 when do we have to submit the docs any approx days weeks
In my asylum office (Virginia), we have to submit them at least one week before the interview. The rules may vary at other asylum offices, so you can contact your local office to ask. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Thanku Jason and when approx is the interview date after submitting the form
No one knows – check the link at right called Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin to get some (very rough) idea. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, thanks for your time!!!
I filled I 589 in 2015 and since then I still on pending status , Can I request urgent interview based on humanitarian reason?
You can – I wrote a post about that on March 30, 2017 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
A friendly suggestion: Jason, is it convenient for your to make separate section in this blog where we share timeline of EAD processing (such asservice center, filing date, approval date)? it would be very helpful. Thank you!
It’s not a bad idea, but I do not have the ability to create such a page. If you create something, let me know and I will provide a link to it. Thank you, Jason
Hi Jason,
I know if this is your area but at least you can probably direct me to resources.
As the asylum application is taking so long, I am looking to travel to a different country to work and live there (not through asylum). My personal belief and I might be wrong, is that as an asylum seeker, many countries wouldn’t issue you a visa since you have a pending asylum case in the US. I tried to get some information from some embassies but it’s not very clear. Have you ever seen somebody migrating to Canda, for example, to work and apply for a permanent residency where the only status they had in the US was a pending asylum case?!
Thanks
I have had several clients with asylum cases pending who left the US and went to Canada, so it can be done. I highly recommend you talk to a lawyer in Canada to make sure you are eligible before you go there, as we have seen people rejected at the border and returned to the US, where they are sometimes detained. Take care, Jason
hi Jason
Greetings !!
“USCIS Will Implement New Interpreter Policy on May 1, 2017”
what this mean??
Thanks
dev
They issued some new guidelines (which are quite long), but these do not apply to asylum cases. Take care, Jason
Good afternoon Jason.
I have a question.
I applied for Asylum after my visa expiration date.
It means i was out of status for 9 months.
My question:
Is it possible to apply for EB1-extraordinary abilities visa, while asylum case is pending?
I doubt it, but who knowS?)
you cannot get another visa while your legal immigration status expires in the US.
You can apply and be approved for the I-140, but most likely, you would have to go overseas to get the GC at a US embassy. This may or may not be possible, depending on your particulart circumstances. I recommend you talk to a lawyer about that to make sure you can get the GC before you start the (expensive) process. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason!
I was wondering why are there so many asylum revocations in the New York asylum office? The number is alarming. Why would they be revoking so many asylums? So weird… Anyway! Thanks for this blog, is pretty awesome!
This is really alarming! Could you share link for this info?
Any source for this news?
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Outreach/PED-Affirmative_Asylum_Statistics_-_February_2017.pdf
A lot of the statistics we get from the Asylum Division are hard to understand. I always wonder if different asylum offices characterize things in different ways, and so it makes the statistics unreliable. Anyway, I have not heard about large numbers of revocations in NY, and if that is happening, I do not know why, but it is a good question. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason, Is it possible to apply for asylum after 2-3 years of being n the country
Yes, but filing after one year in the US can be a bar to asylum. There are exceptions, the most common exception is that you have been lawfully in the US the entire time (on an F-1 or H1b visa, for example); another exception is that country conditions changed and now it is dangerous to return, but there are others, and should probably talk to a lawyer about that, as it is a very important issue for the case. Take care, Jason
Hello jason
Pls while on pending asylum, i got into a reletionship with a us citizen. Would you advice i marry and get my gc and status change or wait for my asylum interview. I dont want to drop my asylum and hv issue getting married. Thanks
You can do both cases (GC and asylum) or just one or the other. It is up to you. If you are not yet sure about the marriage, why not just continue the asylum case (since that case is fully in your control, as opposed to marriage, where your spouse can cancel the case), and then if the asylum does not work, or you decide you do want to get married for sure before the asylum case ends, then do the GC case (we try not to cancel an asylum case until the person actually has the GC in his/her hand). Take care, Jason
Thanks jason.
So i can hv bothe cases going at d same time. Then when i get my (gc) through my marriage i can cansel the Asylum case rite?
Sometimes, the cases can interfere with each other and you are forced to cancel the asylum case, but it is preferable to try to keep both cases going and cancel the asylum case only once you have the GC. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason!
Just wanted to let you know that I just got my new EAD 5 weeks after the requested evidence was received by the Uscis.
Very good – Thank you for letting me know, Jason
No problem, sir!
hi Ali after how long u got ur new EAD and did u pay for biomtric or no u just paid 410 $ .cuz i applied for my renewal ead i got recied but i paid only 410 no biometric (finger print) im worry about finger print. If u give some informqtion it will be nice of u . Salam alykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatoho.
Hi, i am applying for assylum in california san-francisco.
My grandmom died recently and i have diabetes problems.I even had medicines for depresson.
Will i be able to apply for fast interview date?
I am of 20 and I am from Nepal.
Thank you so much.
You can try to use these reasons as a basis to expedite the case, but I am doubtful they will work. I did a blog post about this on March 30, 2017 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Hello guys, any one knows how long it is taking to process expedite request at Newark Nj office recently? Thanks!
In most offices, they give you a decision about whether they agree to expedite in about a month. If not, you can inquire about whether they will accept your request to expedite. You can find their contact info if you follow the link at right called Asylum Office Locator. Once they agree to expedite, it could be very fast, or it could take a few months for the interview. Take care, Jason
Thank you very much for your your detailed answer Jason! God bless you!
hey Jason. A quick one. Am from Uganda and I have a pending asylum case and I want to travel outside the US, to South Africa. Do I need to apply for an Advance parole with a pending case. Thank you
Yes – it is much safer that you can travel and return to the US if you have AP. If you do not have it, you could be denied re-entry or detained once you arrive (since you are ineligible to enter). For certain types of visas (like H1b), AP may not be necessary (but they may be necessary – depending on the circumstances), but if you plan to travel without AP, talk to a lawyer first to make sure you can return. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
My wife and my asylum application is pending, we have applied in October 2016. After the 150 day, we have applied for EAD. Mine was received in Texas in March 27. I am expecting to get the EAD. It is supposed to take 30 days, but I hear some people are saying it will take several months. Can you let me know how long it will take currently? Do you think I can get it any time now or I may wait a couple of months?
Regards,
It varies, and I tell people it normally takes between 2 and 4 months, as that is what we are seeing. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Currently I live in maine and my asylum still pending, but I have a work permit, SSN, and driver license
I planing go travel from Maine to California soon but I have a concern.
What document I need show If Custom Border Patrol (CBP) or any immigration officer asked me? Because new administration Trump ask check document for peoples living in US
Thank you
If you are flying, you need a valid ID for a domestic flight. But you should also keep your EAD and license with you, and your passport. Also, a copy of your asylum receipt. You should be fine. Take care, Jason
hi Jason,
Thanks 4 your valuable blog, I have q that, can I put my brother business address as my mailing address for my asylum pending case, as we can change the houses frequently but business will remain same, so I use that my mailing address,
kindly guide ??
Thanks
You have to give them your physical address, but you can give your brother’s business as your mailing address (as long as he knows to inform you if he gets some mail). Take care, Jason
Seems advise should be based on thorough research by author!
Hi Jason
Thanks for all the assists you have been offering. Please O have a question. I someone filled in for an asylum case and while the person is here in USA and happens to win the DV LOTTERY while he is still in a legal status(within 6months in USA) , can the peyrson’s status be changed. That is can the person cancel the asylum case and a change of status done with the person leaving the USA? . Thanks
Sorry without the person leaving the USA
If your status is legal(valid visa and etc.) you can fill adjustment of the status and use your DV GC(congratulations)and you don’t have to leave the country! But if your visa expired as i know you have to leave the country and go in the embassy, but most likely you gonna have a travel ban(if u overstayed more than 6 months). I may be wrong, u have to hire an attorney and he will help u for sure!
Thankss for the information
There are some exceptions to these rules, and it can get tricky, so I think hiring a lawyer is the best bet. Take care, Jason
It should be possible as long as you are still in status (meaning your visa has not expired; if the only status is asylum pending, that will not work). I would highly recommend you hire a lawyer to get you through the process, as you do not want to lose the green card if you have won the DV lottery. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Thanks for all the assists you have been offering. Please O have a question. I someone filled in for an asylum case and while the person is here in USA and happens ti win the DV LOTTERY while he was still in a legal status, can the person’s status be changed. That is can the person cancel the asylum case and a change of status done with the person leaving the USA? . Thanks
Hello Jason,
I’m a Syrian Asylee, I have a green card through asylum. I want to visit my family in Lebanon, but Lebanon only accepts Syrian passport, they don’t accept Travel documents ( I haven’t seen my family for almost 5 years, waiting for my Asylum status to change).. So can I send my passport to my family in Syria to renew it and then use it to go to Lebanon. Thank you!
If that is your only option. The trouble may come when you re-enter the US or apply for citizenship, and then USCIS wants to know why you used a passport from a country whose government you fear. I think you can explain that, and probably be fine, but there is some risk. To minimize the risk, at least get evidence that Lebanon will not accept the travel document (maybe a letter from the Lebanese embassy, if you can get one) and the reason you need to travel (letters from your family). That way, if you have trouble, you will be ready with some evidence. Take care, Jason
hi Jason,
Greetings !!
Finally I got my EAD card for 2 years (California) , after waiting long time (more then 5 months), they sent on my old address, I got doc no from immigration officer, then I watched each movement of my EAD card on USPS tracking, once its arrived in my city post office, I got it directly from post office, now kindly tell me the next step,
Thanks you
Dev
wow! congrats man! it was really slow! which service center is that?
Hi Dev it took 5 months ? Or they send 2 times for you ? It should takes 3 months and also u did agan finger print or no because i see there 85 more for biomitric or something u paid 410 or 495 dolor plz give me some information thanks alot
Hi
This is my first EAD, and service center is Nebraska, California,
Thanks
There is no next step – just wait for your asylum interview, or maybe try to expedite. With the EAD you should be able to get a social security number. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I have applied my case from NY and it is pending.But right now im on an unpaid Accounting training program in Virginia. Is it ok to do an online delivery job like grabhub or amazon flex for the time being until i find a proper job? . will this be an issue?
Thanks
I do not know what those jobs are, but if you are temporarily working in another location, but you kept your address in NY, you should be able to continue the case in NY. However, if you move permanently to a new location, you will need to file a change of address form with your asylum office (form AR-11, available at http://www.uscis.gov) and move your case to a new office. Take care, Jason
i had applied for asylum in july 2015 in LA . It had been long time and am following the Bulltein regularly. Its very slow in progressing. Am thinking to marry my G.f who is a green card holder.
Can i adjust my status without leaving usa ?!
Unless you have some status (other than asylum pending), you would need to leave the US to get your own green card. If your wife becomes a US citizen, you probably get your own GC without leaving the US. Take care, Jason
Hi jason Dzudow thanks for helping people and my work permit will expire in 2 and half months im applying it and i live in new york city so wich office i should send my work permit for renewel and if i apply for renewel how long it will take and if dnt get my new permit by the time can i work after expiration of EAD or i should wait for the new EAD? And the fee is 410 right ? Im really canfiouse with that .thanks alot sir
I cannot answer many of these questions, since I am not familiar with your case. However, once you receive the receipt for the EAD, your old EAD will automatically be extended for 180 days, so you can work and get a driver’s license. Normally, it takes 2 to 4 months to get the new EAD. As for the other questions, you need to check the I-765 form, available at http://www.uscis.gov. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason,
I would like to express my deepest thanks for your efforts in posting valued immigration-related articles, advising asylum seekers and helping them to pass the difficult part of their life.
I’m an asylum seeker, submitted my application back in March 2016 at Houston asylum office, I’m living along with my family in Dallas since I came to the USA. But I just get a job in Chicago last month with an international company having offices all over the USA including Dallas, I’m a Project Manager, for the time being managing projects in Chicago, that why I’m under Chicago office. Now I moved to Chicago and rented an apartment but my family still in Dallas at the same address, my wife works in Dallas and also my daughters at Dallas schools. I’m visiting them every weekend or the second and even my boss allow me to work from Dallas home for some days whenever the work allow. My question to you, do I need to inform the Asylum office of my address in Chicago? Is that mean my file will be transferred to Chicago office? And if yes, what would be the impact or concern with this change?
Please note I’m the principal asylum applicant.
Thank you very much in advance.
Kind Regards,
Amigo
It sounds like your family and address are still in Dallas, you can leave your case in TX. I suppose you could move your case based on your job if you want to, but it sounds like a temporary move and that most of your life is still in TX. In that case, you can leave the case in TX. Take care, Jason
hello Jason, I really appreciate your efforts in trying to respond to our questions on asylum issues.
Sir, I will like you to read this scenario below and tell me what to do.
Actually, I divorced with my former wife since 2016, meaning that she is no longer considered as a relative of an asylum applicant. Now, she has an invitation to attend a Christian conference for one week here in the US. My question is, can she be denied a visa based on the fact that I had included her in my asylum application, even though we are now divorced?
She now has her own life to live and she is no longer my spouse and I hope the consular officer will not refuse her a non immigrant visa on that basis because we are divorced.
Does she need to prove that she is divorced at the embassy before a visa can be granted to her?
Thanks for taking time to respond sir and may God bless you.
Buddy
I am not sure what she will need to get the visa, but the fact that you applied for asylum may affect her application. I doubt it, since you are divorced, but it is difficult to predict, and the embassy can consider any issue they want when reviewing a visa application. Anyway, she should put together the best application she can and try to get the visa. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason
I would like to find out if its normal, I am a main Applicant of a pending asylum case. I have my spouse included on my case. We filled for first EAD, then filled for second renewal card. We both got letters to say they recieved it. Then that it was transferred, but now my hubby is the only one that got his approved. My case still shows that it has been transferred. Is this narmal? Mr. Jason.
It is very common. I do not know why some EADs are faster than others, but it happens a lot. Normally, it takes 2 to 4 months to renew an EAD. If it is more than 4 months, call USCIS (the phone number is available at http://www.uscis.gov), but otherwise, I suggest you just wait to see what happens. And remember that the receipt extends your old EAD automatically for an additional 180 days. Take care, Jason
Hello how do i see the rest of the comments. Its not appear
I am asking cause i wrote a question before and cannot see if you answered it. Thank you Jason
We are trying to fix that, but it may be possible to view it using a different browser. Sorry, Jason
Hello everyone!
Hello, Mr. Jason
On 04/13 I have received a letter from USCIS and it saying that I failed to appear to asylum interview which was scheduled to 04/06. But I never receive the invitation letter. This not first time I’m missing my letters because of post office problems. So next day I went to asylum office and explain the situation. Also I wrote a letter and ask them to reschedule my interview. And today I receive another letter from asylum office saying that on 04/01 they have received from me the notice to cancel my interview and they canceled interview with this reason. Also they indicate that my asylum clock is stopped on 57 days. So I’m very surprised now. First i never received my interview letter, second how can I ask them to cancel my interview if don’t know about my interview date at all. It seems like someone got my interview letter and cancel it. And one more thing that today’s letter from USCIS I have received opened. It’s very strange and I’m so disappointed now. So tomorrow I’m going to visit asylum office again. Did someone of you have similar story?
Currently I have my EAC which is expired on 2019. So if they stop my clock, can I still work with this eac card?? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
This is bad man! it seems to me that some body is trying to damage you and the person has your asylum application details so that he or she can write any letter to asylum office under your name. I believe you should report this situation to your local police and see if they can help. if you know where your letters will be delivered, you can find a way to find out who is the guy behind all of this.
Something is clearly wrong – if you have your EAD, you can work. You would not have the EAD unless the clock passed 180 days. You should ask them about all this. Also, maybe get yourself a PO Box at the post office, or find some other mailing address that is more secure. You can give them the new address when you visit their office. The PO Box is great, but it requires you to go to the post office every few days to check your mail. If you have a trusted friend, maybe you can use that person’s address. Good luck, Jason
And by the way, the EAD is not cancelled – it should still be valid for work and driver’s license. Take care, Jason
Thanks for your help. Today I visit asylum office and gave them my friend’s mailing address. And also they said that my case will be recheduled. But they didn’t tell me how soon it will be done. I hope that I will receive it soon.
Wish all of you good luck!
Typically it is rescheduled in a month or so, but it may be different depending on your office. Good luck, Jason