PTSD (Post Trump Stress Disorder)

It’s been more than 100 days since President Biden took office, and I have to say, I don’t think my clients or my fellow lawyers are feeling a whole lot better about the U.S. immigration system. This gut feeling is now backed up by data, thanks to a new report from the American Immigration Council (“AIC”), which shows the slow pace of improvement at USCIS.

As you may recall, the Trump Administration spent four years trying to dismantle the U.S. immigration system. And while certain immigrants (from Norway, for example) were theoretically welcome, most were not. The Administration never managed to amend the immigration law, but it did implement a number of rule-making, personnel, and policy changes designed to block non-citizens from obtaining legal status in our country.

For asylum seekers, these changes included making it more difficult and much slower to obtain a work permit, rejecting asylum applications for nonsensical reasons, focusing resources on fraud rather than adjudication, lengthening the Green Card process for asylees, and dramatically slowing the follow-to-join process for overseas family members of people granted asylum. The Administration made other changes that increased the backlogs in Immigration Court (where we recently passed 1.3 million pending cases) and the Asylum Office (386,000+ pending cases). Also, overall processing times at USCIS increased by 61% between FY2016 and FY2020. On top of the bureaucratic barriers, Mr. Trump’s Attorneys General issued decisions narrowly interpreting the asylum law, thus making it more difficult for applicants to obtain protection. 

How immigration lawyers imagined our lives post-Trump.

During the campaign and the transition (to the extent there was a transition), Mr. Biden pledged to un-do the changes of his predecessor. As a result, asylum seekers and their advocates were anticipating rapid improvements. And to be fair, there were some important changes: Among other things, President Biden repealed the “Muslim ban” (on his first day in office), revoked the public charge rule, and eliminated the “no blank space” policy. He also worked with Congress to introduce the U.S. Citizenship Act (which seems unlikely to become law) and he proposed an increase in the USCIS budget to help deal with the asylum and naturalization backlogs (which hopefully will be implemented, but which won’t have any effect until FY2022). These are all positive steps, but they have brought little relief to asylum applicants currently stuck in affirmative or defensive asylum purgatory.  

As the AIC report notes, there is still much to be done, including stabilizing funding for USCIS, reopening consular processing services (75% of which remain fully or partially closed), ending duplicative interviews, and rolling back “extreme vetting.”  

In asylum world, I was hoping that several Trump-era policies would have been reversed by now. One prime candidate for elimination is the Trump Administration’s rules on work permits, which increased the wait time to apply for an asylum-based EAD (Employment Authorization Document) from 150 days to a full year, and which made it more difficult and burdensome for certain asylum seekers to obtain a work permit at all (including those who filed for asylum outside the one-year deadline, those who entered the country without a visa, and those who have an arrest history). Another change–and my personal pet peeve–is the Last-In, First-Out (“LIFO”) asylum interview policy whereby new cases receive priority over old cases. Under this system, asylum applicants who have been waiting for years for their interview are left in eternal limbo, without even an interview date to look forward to.

In a sense, I think asylum seekers and advocates need to give the Biden Administration some breathing room. One hundred days is a long time, but not a long time, especially given the mess that needs to be cleaned up. But by the same token, we have to hold the Administration to its promises. A case in point was Mr. Biden’s campaign pledge to increase the Refugee Cap, which President Trump had reduced to historically low levels. The Biden Administration seemingly reneged on its promise and (briefly) announced that it would keep refugee admissions at Trump-era levels. After a burst of indignation from advocates, the new Administration reversed course, and earlier this week announced that it would increase the cap from 15,000 refugees to 62,500. I suppose this goes to show that advocacy can make a difference.

But even this is a bit disappointing. It’s not hard to know what changes are needed to make life easier for asylum seekers. Speaking for myself, four years of the Trump Administration’s hostility and mendacity has left me with little energy to keep pushing the government to do the right thing. We all worked hard to help elect Joe Biden. Now, I just want the Biden Administration to reverse the Trump-era rules, so I can get on with my life and do my job. This situation brings to mind an anecdote from President Obama. After they lobbied him on a particular issue, he told a group of advocates, “You’ve convinced me. I agree with what you’ve said. Now go out and make me do it.” Even though President Biden may be on our side, I suppose we still have to push him to get the job done. 

At the beginning of Mr. Trump’s term, I described his policies as mendacity tempered by incompetence, and indeed, many of his regulatory changes were blocked by courts. But by the end of his Administration, the anti-immigrant rules were being implemented at a breakneck pace. We are still in the ramping up period of the new Administration. It takes time to get people and policies into place. Even so, we need the Biden Administration to do more, and to do it more quickly. After four years of Trump, many of us were hoping for a break. But we’re finding that once we ascend one peak, there are many more ahead. Mountains beyond mountains. And so we must keep going.  

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146 comments

  1. Hello Jason

    I need help in this questions.

    Form I-601 is for those individuals who are outside the U.S. Could daughter over 21 years old, file form I-601 for her Father if he is outside of USA ?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • I think the person who needs the waiver is the one who files the I-601. Once (and if) the waiver is approved, the person can try to return to the US with a visa. I do not do such cases, however, and so you should talk to a lawyer who does in order to be certain and to decide how best to proceed. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  2. Hello Jason,
    Please what is the mailing address of form I-601 for a person who is deportation in 2018 from USA and now her daughter filed I-130 and he has interview for immigrant visa . is this one
    USCIS
    Attn: I-601 Foreign Filers
    P.O. Box 21600
    Phoenix, AZ 85036-1600
    or different?.
    Thank you and God bless you for your help

    Reply
    • I am not sure I understand whether the person is in immigration court or has been deported already – the mailing address varies depending on where the person is. If you look at form I-601, available at http://www.uscis.gov, you can find the Direct Mailing Addresses and look to see where to mail it, depending on where the person is located. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • He is already deported from USA.

        Reply
  3. Hello,
    My cousin come to USA with tourist visa and stay less than 6 months and travel back to her country. She decided after 2 months to visit again us here in USA. In airport immigration border did not allow her to come in because you must stay in your country at least 6 months and to travel back to USA. They put a seal “Cancel” in passport where is show visa and prevented to enter in USA for 5 years.
    Please what are steps that she can follow to receive any visa to make sure to allow her to come in USA?.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • There is no such rule, but presumably the officers at the airport suspect she would violate her visa. She can just re-apply for a new visa and maybe she will get it. Otherwise, she would need to talk to a lawyer who does non-immigrant visa cases for some help. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  4. Hi Jason thank you for your help.

    I applied my case since from Dec 2017, Haven’t got any single hearing. I badly want to meet with my mother and father. My question is this, What if my parents come to US on visiting visa, does it can effect on my pending asylum case? My Cousin who is been living over here since from last 30 years and on legal status of Citizen, he is going to sponsor them for visit.

    My Second question is this, I am going to marry with my Girl friend, who is White US born, and most likely will file the new petition on marriage base, Can I keep my asylum case open too while filling new marriage base petition?

    Reply
    • A visit from your parents should not effect your case. However, if there is something specific about your case (for example, you said in the case that your entire family faces persecution), you might need to explain why they also did not seek asylum, but instead returned to a country that is unsafe. We normally keep the asylum case open until the person gets a GC, and then we close the case. I wrote something about this on August 6, 2018. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  5. Hi Jason,

    How are you ?

    My asylum case is pending since August 2016.
    And I am an injured employee from my work place due to a robbery attempt. The robber hit and broke my right eye and the doctor suggested for an eye surgery.
    I am alone here and I need someone to help me during surgery.
    Is it allowed the law to invite my wife or elder son to attend my surgery as I need help ?

    Looking forward to hear from you.

    Regards
    James

    Reply
    • You can try, but it is likely difficult for them to get a visa, especially since you have a pending asylum case. Talk to a lawyer who does visa cases and maybe the lawyer can help. Also, there is a visa available for victims of a crime – the U visa. It is worth looking into, as that may be an alternative path for you. Also, you could use this problem to try to expedite your asylum case – I wrote about expediting on March 30, 2017. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you Jason.

        Reply
      • Hi Jason,

        My Religious asylum case is pending since August 2016.

        I got robbed at work place 2 times and latter I recognized that the robbery was arranged by my employer only for Insurance money.

        And I told my employer that I recognized the robber and now my life is under threat. If i open this information to Police either the Employer or the Robbers will end my life.

        I became sick due to the hit during the robbery attempt and past two years I am under treatment.
        I had been to psychologists & Neurologists still I am very much scarred to go out and even to live in my bed room. My anxiety level is very high. Also I am under treatment for my Right Eye as it was totally damaged when the robber hit with gun.

        I sought asylum due to the persecution in home country. However, my life is under threat here as well and no one knows what will be tomorrow.

        I feel go back to India, whatever be the result. At least I can see my family there. Also If survived, I trust I can get reasonable treatment over there.

        Is there any restrictions to go back to India, under my above circumstances ?
        What are the documents required ? My passport is valid through 2023.
        Can I buy my ticket and fly as a regular passenger ?

        Looking forward to hear from you.

        With Thanks, Regards
        James

        Reply
        • You can leave the US, but if you do, your asylum case will eventually get called for an interview and then referred to court, where you will get a deportation order. This will make it harder to return (and possibly harder to get a visa to other countries such as Canada). You can avoid this by emailing the asylum office and asking to withdraw your case. You would probably do that after you leave and submit to them evidence that you left (maybe contact the US Embassy in your country and they can give you proof that you left – there is a form to fill about this that the embassy should have). You can find the email for the asylum office if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. You might also talk to a lawyer who does civil and/or criminal law about this whole situation. Maybe there is something to be done to protect you, and maybe you can sue the employer for harming you. It might be worth a conversation before you decide to leave the US. Good luck, Jason

          Reply
  6. Dear Sir

    I am an Asylee and I have filed my Green card application 11 months ago. still pending. Now i have to renew my work permit. Do I have to pay the fees for USCIS ? I am confused as some people are saying that i do not have to pay for work permit and file copies of I-485 application receipt.

    kindly clarify this.

    Thank you very much.

    Reply
    • You should filed together with ur EAD application and I485.

      Reply
    • We used to use the I-485 receipt as “payment” for the EAD. However, at some point, USCIS started rejected those. The reason is that your EAD is based on category a-5 (asylum approved) and the I-485 cannot be used to “pay” for an EAD in that category (it works for c-9, adjustment based on a family relationship, for example). So now we have our clients pay or do a fee waiver. Of course, as an asylee, you are permitted to work without an EAD, but it is much more convenient to have one. The problem is that the wait time for the GC can be long (we see most cases take 1.5 to 2 years, but some cases take longer). In short, if you are applying to renew, you probably need to pay. That said, you could try to use your I-485 receipt in lieu of payment and see what happens since that has worked in the past (a few years ago), but I think it will not work today. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  7. My Individual hearing is end of October this year in San Francisco. Do you know if EOIR is actively doing those hearings or are all those hearings being postponed and being rescheduled due to COVID?

    Reply
    • Most of my cases (but not all) are still being postponed due to Covid, but I do not know about SF. In any event, they are basically going week by week, and so what is happening now does not tell you much about what will be happening in six months. I would assume that the case will go forward and prepare accordingly. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  8. Hi Jason and the Asylumist Community,

    I know you have probably been asked about this and there might not be a clear answer, but I am desperately seeking an answer based on experience and I would deeply appreciate your thought on this:

    I have F-1 status and my wife has F-2 status. My wife applied for Asylum 2 years ago and I was included as a derivative applicant. We were interviewed 1.5 years ago, still waiting for a decision. My wife has used her Asylum EAD to work for more than a year. I have an approved I140 based on EB2-National Interest Waiver and want to apply for I485 based on the approved I140. Our F status is valid till 2024. Our NIW immigration attorney tells us that If my wife used the asylum EAD card, her underline visa status would be invalidated and she may not be eligible to file I-485 based on my NIW if she fail to maintain nonimmigrant visa status for more than 180 days since her entry. Her only option is to leave US and apply from abroad which will close down the Asylum case. My question is:

    1- Isn’t my wife still in status? Because even if her Asylum case is denied she won’t be sent to court because she is in-status. Can USCIS assume her in-status for one purpose and out of status for another purpose? The School DSO also says that as our SEVIS is still active we are both in status. I have asked other attorneys and most have told me as long as the F-1 holder not uses the EAD to work, using EAD by the F-2 holder should not be a problem. So I am very confused.

    When I asked about any exceptions, the attorney said there are 2 exceptions:

    Exception 1, technical violation exception. If she has a pending asylum filed prior to her F2 expiration, there is an old USCIS case which may allow her to claim this exception based on her pending asylum. This exception requires that no action has been taken by USCIS on the asylum case, such as transfer or interview.

    Exception 2, there is an exception under INA 245K that indicates the period of time when you have a valid work authorization should not be considered as out of status for the purpose of filing I-485. Your wife could benefit from this exception if she has approved an asylum EAD card before she is out of status for more than 180 days. However, the language about this exception in the regulation is not very clear so it is difficult to predict how the USCIS will view this exception. We have not had successful experience with either exceptions yet.

    2- Do you know anything about these exceptions and if they are implemented?

    3- What are the risks if she files I485 inside the US?

    4- If I file I485 and get approved and do not include her, will she be able to apply for Green Card from inside the US after I get my green card? Is it a very lengthy process?

    Thank you so much

    Reply
    • 1 – I have not seen a clear, definitive answer on this point. My guess is that she would be considered in valid F-2 status, but I do not know that there is any regulation or other authority to prove that, and so she might just need to apply and make her best case to USCIS. If you have an attorney helping with the case, the attorney can work with you about how to best approach this issue. 2 – I know the exceptions are in the law, but I have never heard of anyone successfully using them. I suspect that they are sometimes used, but I do not do employment-based cases and do not know a lot about those. 3 – If it is denied, she will lose the money and could be considered out of status (if USCIS determines that she is out of status). In that case, her only “status” would be the pending asylum case. 4 – It depends on the case, but it is doubtful. If she is denied a GC based on her job because she is out of status, she will also likely be denied a GC base don a petition by you (assuming you have a GC). However, once you become a US citizen, you can file for her and she can get a GC without leaving the US (marriage to a US citizens is a more powerful relationship for immigration purposes than an employment-based GC or a petition by a spouse with his own green card). It seems to me that you both likely have a path to a GC, but you need to work with a lawyer to review the specifics and make the best possible case you can. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Jason in reply to your respose above: “I know the exceptions are in the law, but I have never heard of anyone successfully using them.” I think you said you don’t know anyone that USCIS has deemed them in violation of their status due to using EAD, so why the person was trying to use the exception? Shouldn’t the person try to use the exception once their request for I485 is rejected?

        Reply
        • I think I was referring to INA 245(k), which is basically used for employment-based cases. For such cases, it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer to map out the entire case, so you know in advance (before you start spending oodles of money) what to expect. However, for an F-1 person in valid status who is doing an employment-based GC, no exception should be needed. The question is whether working with an EAD causes the F-1 person to be out of status, and I have not seen that happen. Filing for asylum could also cause an F-1 person to go out of status, since the F-1 requires that you leave the country at the end of your studies and the asylum application is a request to stay permanently, but I have not seen that happen either. Take care, Jason

          Reply
    • Which countries are you guys from…

      Reply
      • Asylum Seeker,
        Which country are you from?

        Reply
        • A not so LGBTQ-friendly country…

          Reply
          • I did not think you would disclose your country of origin.
            It was just a polite way of reminding you to not ask questions that you will not want to answer. You keep asking people questions that you will not answer if asked.
            No hard feelings, please.

          • Curiosity kills the cat…

  9. Filed in Miami feb 2015 still no call for an interview.

    Reply
    • They will probably not call for a long time…

      Reply
      • @ASYLUM SEEKER………………Please stop spreading false information and panic/worrying messages………..How do you know they will not call for a long time………Find something better to do with your time if you have too much of it…….Most of your messages are just ridiculous……

        Reply
      • That’s why I used probably…

        Reply
        • Yeah good probability/guess would be that if Mark has already waited for more than 6 years then his interview might be sooner rather than later but the correct answer is that no body knows exactly…….He has an option to request the asylum office to put his name on shortlist……..I am waiting for 5 years and I also have that option but I am choosing not to use it because I don’t want to be called in for my asylum interview on a 1/2 days short notice……..

          Reply
          • My two cents, prepare for the interview for 6 weeks after that put your name on the shortlist, so you will be prepared for 6 weeks + a 1/2 day

          • That’s a very good advice but I just joined a new highly demanding job 3 months ago, I want to settle into my new job before I can appear for my asylum interview. Right now I don’t have the time to prepare for my asylum interview and deal with the demands of new job simultaneously. Also the asylum office is 2 and a half hours away from location. Also I am expecting to receive some additional evidence from my home country in a few weeks.

            Also I just moved to this new city a few months, I want to settle down a little bit before I can deal with the asylum interview.

            I will follow your advice after 5/6 months and request the asylum office to put my name on short list. Right now I don’t even have an attorney. I cancelled the attorney in my old city because she was useless, she practically did nothing for me. I prepared the whole case and evidence myself. I believe that an attorney’s role is negligible for the asylum interview. Attorneys play a more important and significant role if your case moves to court otherwise you can probably prepare for the interview yourself.

          • Speaking as a lawyer, I do not agree that the attorney is not useful for the interview. I do think it helps to have a lawyer prep you for the interview – to identify issues you need to prepare for, and plan how to answer. At the interview itself, the lawyer does very little (though in rare cases, it is helpful to have a lawyer at the interview – if the officer is a jerk, for example – but that is very rare). So if you have to choose, it is more useful to have the lawyer prep you for the interview than to have the lawyer attend the interview. Take care, Jason

          • Thank you Jason,

            I will keep that in mind. I will contact and seek an attorney for my interview in a few months but I feel confident enough that even if I have to appear for my asylum interview by myself then I will try to do my best……….I paid my first attorney 4000$, my interview never got scheduled in the last 5 years, I moved to a new state for a new job, My attorney refunded half of the fees back to me……..She never really did much in my case………She said that she will prepare me once my asylum interview is scheduled and once I receive the notice………….Since I am the one who wrote all the declarations and gathered all evidence including court records and affidavits from my home country then I have a good understanding about my case…..

          • It’s not really a question of understanding your case. It is about understanding any legal barriers that may arise based on the facts of your case. You need to address things like traveling through a third country, return trips to your home country, any interactions with non-state actors, any arrests, etc. Some cases have no “issues”, but in my experience most do. Generally, these issues can be overcome, but the chances of that are increased if you know and prepare in advance. I did a post on July 7, 2016 that addresses these points. Take care, Jason

          • BTW I have consulted with a few attorneys for 1 hours consultations and most of them think that there are a good chances of approval for my case. I understand that there can always be complications but I remain hopeful.

            I am from a middle eastern country and my case is based on religious persecution grounds….

        • Asylee,
          Do not limit your choice of attorney to your state.
          Trust is the most important thing in choosing an attorney.
          I initially prepared my case myself, but had to hire an attorney outside of my state to review and update my case. Everything was done via email, and phone.
          Even if you have great confidence, you could atleast pay an attorney you trust to review your prepared case, and advise accordingly.

          My interview notice was very short, so my attorney could not attend due to the pandemic. Now I am glad, because that saved me some $$$.
          I think it is more important to file a solid case than have an attorney at the interview.

          My AO did ask me before the interview started if I was sure I would be okay without my attorney though.

          Reply
          • Thank you Tina,

            That is great advice. I will try to keep it in mind. Well said……….

  10. Hi Jason, I received interview notice and I have my wife on my application. Is it possible that my wife may also be interviewed? Can AO ask questions to my wife in separate office?
    I was praying for my interview call and now when I have confirmed interview date, suddenly all incidents are haunting me as if I was attacked in my home country some days ago. My fear which I thought was gone, is actually there and more fearful this time. 😢

    Reply
    • They could interview your wife if she is the dependent, and so she should be prepared for that. Normally, they only ask her the “bar” questions (are you a terrorist? are you a criminal? etc.), but sometimes they ask more than that. I did a post about what happens at an interview on September 8, 2016 – maybe that would help. Good luck with the interview, Jason

      Reply
      • Thanks Jason for your reply.

        Reply
    • @Ron,
      To encourage you, be human, do not suppress your true fears and feelings, and do not exaggerate them. Be respectful and polite.
      From my understanding, whether your spouse will be interviewed at all will depend on your own interview.
      If your interview has inconsistencies, or things that do not add up, but the AO determines that you have a solid case, s/he may talk to your spouse separately in an effort to get to the facts.

      There was a case that a dependent child was interviewed separately after her parent’s interview.True story, and not read from anywhere.That case was ultimately approved.

      In my case, my dependents were only asked the bar questions.

      In another case, the principal and dependent spouse were together at the interview. Interview was unusually short, and the case was denied with the speed of lightning, so it all depends.

      I cannot stress enough how important it is to be respectful and polite. Remember that the AO is a human being, and will not derive any pleasure from returning a person to harm, except there is doubt about the past and future harm.
      Good luck, and please share the good news when you receive it. It may encourage others.

      Reply
      • Tina, thanks for putting light on my emotions. It is time to raise sleeves and fight for our right! Hope it goes good.

        Reply
    • Hay Ron: My wife was also with me, she is also a witness so she filed her affidavit too, she was so prepared, but they did not ask her anything, only the normal questions as Jason explained, so it can be nothing, but she should be prepared.

      Reply
      • Thanks Seeker for sharing your experience.

        Reply
      • Seeker, which office did you go for interview? Any update after interview? Mine is in Houston TX.

        Reply
    • Hello Jason
      how are u
      I am looking forward to reading your book
      Inadvertently, I missed adding my adopted sister’s name in my student visa application. When I was applying for a visa, she was living here in the USA. Now, I am here in the USA too and am planning to apply for my asylum application and I’m not sure if I am supposed to add my adopted sister to my asylum application. Is there any way to rectify the discrepancy between my visa and asylum application?

      Reply
      • Thank you. As to your case, now is the time to correct such errors. You should include her in your asylum case and you should explain the error. You can make this explanation in your affidavit or anywhere in the application. I doubt it is a big deal if you correct it now, but if you do not list her, and USCIS knows about her (very likely, since she is in the US and may have listed you on a form), that will be a real problem. We have “cleaned up” many cases like this, and it is almost always fine. Take care, Jason

        Reply
  11. Hi Everyone!!

    Hope everyone is safe and sound. Is there anyone who has just been interviewed at Houston Service Center? And also is there anyone from Houston who has been waiting for for his/her first affirmative interview since 2015?

    Thank you!!!

    Reply
  12. hello Jason,

    I would like to ask you a question regarding asylee waiting for his green card but have a RTD left 11 month .
    I m planning to take a trip to 3 rd country which is not my country so my mom was born there and have Citizenship but not me . therefore I would like to see her In that country .
    would that be causing a problem with the CBP officer.
    and is that safe to travel with RTD AN come back safe while you have AOS pending .

    thanks

    Reply
    • All this sounds like it should be fine. As long as the RTD is valid and you do not miss any appointments related to the AOS, you should be fine. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  13. Glad to see Jason shares my feeling against the LIFO system.

    Reply
  14. Hi Jason,

    I hope you are doing well. I have a pending asylum case in court. If I get an I-140 approved (based on employment NIW) would it be possible to ask the judge to terminate proceedings and grant the I-485 ? I know judges do that for approved I-130 (marriage-based), but I wasn’t sure if the judge would look at, and grant the I-485 based off of I-140.

    Thanks
    Hisham.

    Reply
    • Maybe, but you probably need to leave the U.S. to get a GC. I wrote articles about this on August 28, 2018 and September 6, 2018. Those may give you an idea, but you will have to talk to a lawyer to be sure, as these cases depend on the specifics of the situation. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
      • Hi Jason,

        With respect to this inquiry, do you assist with this ? and can I make a consultation with you regariding this ? (EB2 NIW for pending asylum if I-140 approved).

        Thanks
        Hisham

        Reply
        • I do not do a lot of employment based cases, and so I think this is not something I could take on now. Take care, Jason

          Reply
          • Hi Jason

            Thanks for your note. If I take care of the I-140 and the filing, and if it gets approved , will you take over the rest ? Or do you still suggest I retain an employment-based attorney ?

            Thanks
            H.

          • I think you are better off with an employment-based attorney. Take care, Jason

  15. Hey Jason and asylees, a friend of mine crossed the southern border and has been detained in Houston processing center , 2 weeks ago she has been interviewed by an immigration officer and now I checked her A number and noticed that she has a master hearing on May 17th . I just wanna know what will happen and also want to know if at that hearing she can ask the judge for bond payment in order for her to be released and pursue her case outside?
    Please advise me . Thank you

    Reply
    • It sounds like she “passed” the credible fear interview (initial evaluation of asylum eligibility) and so she will now get to present her asylum application to a judge. She should prepare an asylum form (form I-589, available at http://www.uscis.gov) to give to the judge (plus one copy for the DHS lawyer – the prosecutor). She can also ask to be released on bond. It will be more likely that she will be released if she has prepared the I-589, and if she has evidence of friends in the U.S. who can support her and help ensure that she attends all future court dates. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  16. Jason,
    What is the status of the LIFO interviews in VA? What percentage of your recent LIFO have gotten their interviews?

    Reply
    • More people are getting LIFO interviews – maybe 50% of my cases or more are being interviewed these days. We are still filing only the I-589 and the passport to get started, but we are completing more of the work and pushing the clients to gather all documents, so we are ready if an interview comes. Also, they are giving little notice before an interview, which is making things very difficult. Depending how things go, we may start filing completed cases. We shall see. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  17. Hi,
    To all pending asylum applicants who had their interview and are still waiting for the decision, may you please sharing the waiting time to have a decision?
    I will start with myself, I have been waiting for two years, three months and 8 days!.

    Thanks,

    Reply
    • Are you a muslim man ? Usually, these groups take longer to do security check…

      Reply
    • Most of my cases are probably resolved in less than 6 months, but we have a number that are pending for 1, 2 or more years. Aside from emailing the asylum office, inquiring with the USCIS Ombudsman, and seeking help from Congress, you can also try a mandamus lawsuit – we wrote about that on October 2, 2018. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
  18. Are asylum seekers the saddest people on Earth…Persecuted in their home country, stranded in asylum backlog…could it be worse ?

    Reply
    • The answer is probably no then…

      Reply
      • Stop focusing on the negtive and try to see the bright side. Yes life is not fair or easy but at least be grateful for what we have and the possibility of what we can achieve in the future. Hopelessness and despair is a disease that east you from inside……I applied for asylum in JAN 2016, interview still pending still but after 5 years of extreme depression I finally feel happy now. You will never find happiness if oyu keep living in the past and keep focusing on the negative. You will both your physical and mental health this way…..

        Reply
        • Asylee, I am glad to know that you’ve chosen to be happy and not let the process get to you/the better of you. However, I am not sure if it is fair to tell people how to grieve or process trauma. Asylum applicants have a right to feel the way they do.

          Reply
          • Jamie,

            But it is fair to tell people to have hope and be positive and try to feel happy and not continue ruining their physical and mental health while wallowing in despair / hopelessness / depression.
            No body ever told me that 5 years ago. I suffered severe physical ailments due to my depression. The asylum backlog is affecting thousands of Asylees..Same case for EAD delays……..I wish I could have realized 5 years ago that worrying and depression would not have solved anything then at least I would not have ruined my mental and physical health. Now I suffer from Type-2 diabetes because my depression caused this.

            What good is going to come out of spreading negativity and despair here. Asylees have enough of that already……….

          • I did a post that discusses this point on January 9, 2018 if you are interested. Take care, Jason

          • If somebody is suffering from trauma or anxiety and depression. My best advice from personal experience would be to seek treatment with a psychologist/therapist. Most of the health insurances cover this and usually you just have to pay 20$/25$ for each visit. The therapist can also write a psychological evaluation report for you which might also help your asylum case.

            I recovered from my trauma and depression after I started seeing a psychologist and was finally able to recover from a lot of mental and physical issues. Now I am living an active physical life style while exercising and doing outdoor activities like hiking and running.

            Yes there are a million issues with USCIS and but you can not control everything so what’s the point of worrying about it…..

            For the last 5 years under the Trump administration when Stephen miller was implementing immigration policy, every day felt like a source of depression and anxiety when we could not even predict what trump administration was going to do with the asylees…….Atleast this administration is a thousand times better……

      • And to answer your question. Yes It can be a lot more worse than what it is now………..Yes there is asylum backlog and yes there are lots of delays in issuing EADs and Green Cards from USCIS processing centers but you can imagine that It could be a lot more worse.

        Reply
        • The world is filled with evil people who persecute asylum seekers.

          Reply
    • I think it could be worse, but it could also be better if USCIS and the courts made some basic changes to help cases move more quickly and provide people with more information about when their cases will be heard. Take care, Jason

      Reply
    • @asylum seeker- I saw many of your posts. It looks intentionally creating unnecessary feelings. You ask people country, mention Muslim frequently for unsuccessful scenarios, now you send desperate and lowly message for asylum seekers.

      Asylum seekers are highly resilient and strong people who always dare to sail against the wave.

      This platform is a support place and God bless those who are freely serving us.

      Thanks,
      Seta

      Reply
      • Thank you SETA. Those are my thoughts exactly.

        Reply
      • I don’t see a single asylum seeker in real life…I don’t have any information…So that’s why I ask…

        A lot of times, I feel that I am alone…

        Reply
  19. Thanks for all your help, you are our angel giving us hope and making us stay positive.

    I am an Asylee, recently me and my family went to a vacation. I received a traffic ticket from other state and sent me a notice to suspend my license. One of the wrong things I did is I paid the ticket quickly which means I accepted as guilty. I am not sure what to do from now.

    1. Currently my I485 is pending, is this issue gonna have any impact on my green card application?
    2. If not now, is this gonna effect at the time of naturalization?

    Reply
    • Assuming it is a traffic violation only (and not criminal – like reckless driving or DUI), there should be no effect. To be on the safe side, you can inform USCIS about this at your interview, or mail them a copy of the ticket. I suspect that this is not necessary, but without reviewing the actual charge, I do not know. Maybe do a consultation with an immigration lawyer and see if they can advise you. But if this is really just a traffic ticket (such as an illegal turn or failure to stop at a stop sign), it is not criminal and has no effect. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • It wasn’t any DUI nor any accident involved in it. It’s only speeding ticket driving 100mph of the 70mph speed limit zone happened in Iowa which is considered as a serious violation. One of the wrong step I did is paid the ticket and plead as guilty but I wasn’t expecting that paying the fine will result in suspending my DL for 90 days.

        Is this really gonna hurt me ?

        Reply
        • I’m not a lawyer, but “REGULAR” speeding tickets won’t lead to the DL suspension. Did you have any other tickets? To lose your DL you should gain 6+ points depends on the state. Also, 100 mph is a lot and in some states you could’ve gotten a “reckless driving” charge.

          Reply
          • I know I was stupid to drive 100 mph speed and I regret doing that😔.

            No, I didn’t have any other tickets nor gained any points on my DL record. DL suspension Notice I got it from Iowa but I hold IN license. Not sure how it’s going to be but I’m worried that whether it’s going to have any impact on immigration.

            What exactly happens to a person who is charged with Reckless driving charge?

        • It may be a reckless driving conviction, which may be a criminal offense (I do not know the law of Iowa, so I do not know). You might have an immigration lawyer review the arrest and court documents to be sure – that is probably the safer approach. Take care, Jason

          Reply
          • Thanks for your reply.

            Just to make it clearly there wasn’t any arrest nor the court appearance anything like that. There wasn’t any conviction (criminal offense)

            I just got a regular speeding ticket and once I paid it, I got letter saying DL suspension for 90days.

          • I understand, but I do not know what the rules are there, and I do not know if this counts as a criminal issue. If you are certain that it is not, you should be fine. But if you are not sure, talk to a lawyer. Take care, Jason

        • In Iowa, traveling 25 mph or more over the speed limit is automatically considered reckless driving which is a simple misdemeanor (the least amount of a criminal charge) in Iowa. Seek immediate help from a driving offense lawyer in Iowa. I know [redacted]. He is an expert in the area and familiar with immigration law as well. He has helped many of my immigrant friends with simple misdemeanor cases getting dismissed with minimum attorney cost if he knows you have tight budget. He has free consultation as well. Hope it gets resolved soon.

          Reply
          • Sorry – I have to redact any names of lawyers in these posts, as it creates liability issues for me. Take care, Jason

  20. I hope this email finds you well,

    On the 09/25/2020 I applied for asylum while in detention. I was released on bond then I moved to VA. After 150, I applied for EAD as member of ASAP. after a 194days my EAD was still not processed so I requested a change of venue believing that my EAD will not be subjected to subject to a discretionary denial because my case has been pending for more than 180days .

    I got a mail from USCIS saying my EAD was denied because i caused a delay by requesting a change of Venue from San Antonio Immigration court to Arlington Immigration court

    I think USCIS decision was wrong because I change my venue after the 180days. They delayed in processing my EAD .

    My question is, will I have to wait until my clock starts counting before I can reapply for EAD or Is there any solution for me, from a legal point of view ?

    Do you have any idea on how to resume my clock …..Is currently on 194 . My next master hearing is on the 09/22/2021 in VA

    Best Regards.

    Reply
    • I have some cases where this happened, and I think they are simply wrong about the clock. That said, it is difficult to fix. I have tried two main ideas – First, I wrote to the court (the Court Administrator or the judge’s clerk) and asked them to re-start the clock. Second, I tried to do the Master Calendar Hearing in writing. If the judge accepts that and schedules an Individual Hearing, that should “cure” the delay and re-start the clock. I have had very mixed success with this, and it always takes a long time, but those are my two ideas. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • I appreciate your quick response on this matter, Is not possible for you to file a 2nd application for EAD as my representative explaining to them their decision was wrong legally ?

        Reply
        • I doubt it – it sounds like the problem is with the clock, not with USCIS. That needs to be fixed with the court. Take care, Jason

          Reply
          • I appreciate for your quick response sir. As regards to to advice you provided above, If I succeeed to do the master calendar hearing in writing and the judge accept and schedule me for an individual hearing, will it make my clock to resume counting before the merit hearing ???

          • It should, since the clock stops due to applicant-caused delay. Once the delay ends, the clock should start. That said, the clock is a complete disaster and so you never know – what works with one judge does not work with another. Certainly in any motion to do the MCH in writing, you should request that the clock re-start. Maybe that will help. Take care, Jason

  21. Hello Jason,

    I and my wife both have immigration cases, but her case was administratively closed in 2015 for the reason: Upon joint request by both parties and prosecutorial discretion. At that moment we weren’t married, we got married in 2018. And I have an individual hearing in July 2022 and want to know if she can be added to my case.

    And Question is:

    1.Can we reopen her case and add her case to mine and go to court on the same day July 2022?
    2.She lost her i-589 and other evidence which she submitted at that moment, is there a way to request it from Immigration?
    3.If I added her case to mine does she also needs to go to court and questioned by the judge and prosecutor?

    God bless America!
    God bless you, Jason!

    Thanks,
    John

    Reply
    • 1 – She should be able to file a motion to re-calendar her case and consolidate with your case. 2 – You can do a Freedom of Information Act case to get a copy of her documents. Do that soon, as it takes time. There is a link under Resources about this – it is called FOIA EOIR. 3 – Yes, probably. She has to go to court, but whether she needs to testify depends on the case. If you have a strong case and she has a weak case, for example, you can add her as a dependent to your case and if you win, she wins. She may or may not be asked to testify. All this, you should discuss with a lawyer. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you so much for this information Jason.

        Reply
  22. America has become more than a hell for me. I have been waiting for my asylum decision for almost 5 years. I applied for my EAD renewal back in December but never deceived it and It expired last month. With the extension letter, the DMV doesn’t want to renew my driver’s license. Now, I don’t know where to turn to. Being a parent and see how more likely I am to lose my job because of USCIS caused delay is crucial. It is sad to experience such devastating things in a country which is doomed to be democratic

    Reply
    • USCIS is a mess and these delays are common, and causing a lot of harm. That said, the receipt extends your EAD by 180 days and the DMV should recognize that. I think you should try again with them, and if it does not work, ask to speak with a supervisor. In many cases, it seems the DMS is not familiar with the immigration law and maybe a supervisor would have a better understanding of that. Good luck, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you Jason,
        I will try to go back. I have kept my job but still don’t have my driver’s license renewed

        Reply
  23. Hi Jason, today i got the approval notice for I-730 of my wife, They say in the notice that the application has been sent to the NVC then it will be sent to the embassy, my question is how long it takes until the NVC send it to the embassy? Is there any website that i can find the processing time?

    Thanks, Marco

    Reply
    • You can Google the NVC to find more info. Unfortunately, the process is slow and – for some countries – seemingly not moving at all. The NVC website has a process to make an inquiry, but hopefully that will not be necessary. The next step is that they should email you that the case is sent to the embassy and asking for more information about your wife. Pre-Covid (and maybe pre-Trump) that took a couple months. These days, I think it is not predictable, but we have one case (from Afghanistan) that went to the NCV in January and we have still heard nothing (despite 3 inquiries). Take care, Jason

      Reply
  24. Hi Jason,

    really appreciate your service.
    One of my friends’ friend has to face some serious situation.
    He has come to USA with a crewman visa in the year 2015 and has applied for Asylum.
    His case is still pending. Last year his mother has to undergo bypass surgery and he has applied for advance parole and left USA around March 12, 2020. According to the advance parole, he supposed to back before April 5, 2020. unfortunately, due to covid-19 his country international airports were closed and he was unable to comeback.
    He went to the local US Embassy and he was asked to contact USCIS.
    His country’s airports were open temporary around September 2020 and he was trying to comeback. However, as he did not possess a valid visa to USA (as AP expired), his country immigration authorities did not allow him to come.
    One of his friends has met an attorney in NYC and that attorney has filed I-131 application on November 16, 2020. it was denied. Attorney has told that she could file I-131 application again few months later.
    Thus, he is still in his country. (more than 1 year)
    Is there anything can be done for him to come to USA?
    If so, will you be able to handle that sir ?

    Thanks for your time sir.

    Reply
    • I know of no way for him to return. The I-131 was maybe the best hope to get back. I do not see how filing another one could help, but I do not know the case, so maybe there is a possibility for him. As far as I know, he would need to return as any other visa applicant, and many visas (such as B and F visas) would most likely be denied due to the old asylum case. He might have more luck returning with an H1b visa. The fact that he first entered as a crewman might also be an issue, as there are lots of restrictions on that visa and some may affect his ability to get a new visa. In short, he needs to have a lawyer research ideas for him, but I doubt there will be any solution other than applying for a new visa. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • beside
        on the story did you think if an asylum will go the same process
        and would no have no help??

        Reply
        • I do not understand the question, sorry. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  25. Hi Jason; hope all is well; I’m waiting for my asylum decision for about 3 years and 4 months; and contacting my senator/representative was not really helpful. My last option is to file a mandamus against USCIS but it seems somewhat difficult to find a good attorney in NYC who’s specialize in Mandamus. Please let me know if you have any suggestion for me. Thanks

    Reply
    • What’s your reason to want to expedite ?

      Reply
    • I can pretty much say contacting a US senator or representative is pretty much useless. I emailed mine, got one response with a PDF I should print, fill out, sign then mail back and I never heard back since. Sent a follow-up reply to the email to their assistant, never heard from them.

      You can bet that petition we were asked to send in to help asylum seekers fell on deaf ears.

      Reply
      • My experience is that is varies by office – some are pretty good and have helped people expedite. Others, not so much. Take care, Jason

        Reply
    • Hi Bard,

      May I know if your online status says “Application Pending” or “Decision Pending”? Than you so much,

      Best

      Reply
    • -Reason for expedite: 3 years and 4 months waiting;
      -Yes US senator or representative are useless
      – it said Decision is pending from day of my interview which was 01/20/2018

      Reply
      • I mean waited for that long is probably not a strong enough reason……

        Reply
    • Before you try that, you might try the USCIS Ombudsman – they sometimes help with delayed cases, and a link is under Resources. As for the mandamus, I cannot recommend attorneys here, and I do not know anyone who does that in NY anyway, but you might try contacting a local immigration charity (you can find a link to a list of immigration charities in a blog post I did on September 22, 2016). They can probably refer you to some lawyers who do mandamus cases. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  26. Dear Jason
    I m an asylee (the beneficiary from approved i-730) and I am about to apply for the Green Card after one year presence here in the US. I m filling out I 485 by myself and I reached to Part-2 in page 4 ( Info about your immigrant category).
    if you are the principal applicant provide the following info:
    3. receipt number of underlying petition
    4. Priority date from underlying petition
    my question is should I leave 3 & 4 blanks because I m not the principal and I am the beneficiary as I mentioned earlier or I should fill out with my spouse info ( the principal)?

    if you are a derivative applicant, provide the following info for a principal applicant:
    principal applicant name (5a, 5b, & 5c), then
    8. Receipt number of principal’s underlying petition
    9. Priority date of principal applicant’s underlying petition.
    As you know in I-797A Notice of Action (my I-730 approval) there is a notice date that I became an asylee since that date. My second question is if the required info is only about the principal applicant, so where should I mentioned about the i730 approval date so uscis can count on it as a one year physically present in the US.
    As you know there are two different dates [ my spouse(the principal) approval date to become asylee and my i730 approval date to become asylee derivative) and I did not notice anywhere in i485 requires i730 approval date.
    Thank you in advance for any kind of clarification.

    Reply
    • My assumption for these is that you (the derivative asylee) are the principal applicant for the I-485. Also, I have assumed that there is no petition – there was a petition (the I-730), but that was for asylum; there is no petition for the GC. Nevertheless, we try to give the info for both the principal asylee and the derivative. We include copies of approval notices from the asylum and the I-730, and we explain the situation in a cover letter. I do not recall that we include the principal’s application on the form, but you can – as long as you make it clear that that is for the principal asylee. As far as I know, there is no guidance from USCIS about this (I could be wrong – you might try searching the USCIS website), and we just try to give them all the info and copies of asylum approvals for you and the principal, and we have not had any trouble under those circumstances. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thank you Jason for your reply.
        So basically I should leave [
        3. receipt number of underlying petition
        4. Priority date from underlying petition ] & [5a, 5b, 5c, 8 through 9] blanks because simply i don’t know what they mean by receipt number of underlying petition & Priority date from underlying petition. I only have a receipt number and date from i730 approval but I m not sure if it fits underlying petition meaning.
        appreciated as always.

        Reply
        • I think if you include all the info in the form (on the supplement page) or a cover letter, and all the documents, you should be fine. But if you are very worried about this, you might have a lawyer review the filing. Take care, Jason

          Reply
  27. Hi Jason
    My case was referred to court because of some material inconsistencies in interview at AO. I am suffering from PTSD and also taking sessions from a therapist. My lawyer advised me to get a letter from the therapist about the condition and treatment i am getting. Do you think it might help me in my court hearing? Would judge consider that i am suffering from trauma thats why it’s hard to remember things ? Have you seen any difference in court decisions lately ? Since the biden is in office than trump ?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • I think such a letter is helpful to show that you have PTSD and that may be good evidence for your case. Except in rare cases, I am not convinced that such letters will give you an excuse for not remembering things. Unfortunately, the way they test credibility is to compare your statements in court with past statements and with other information they know. If you are not consistent, it can cause the judge to conclude that you are not telling the truth. Maybe a letter will help in that regard, but I am doubt it. In terms of cases, most of mine are still being postponed due to Covid, but I have not seen big changes in how things are working – some changes in the law made it more difficult for certain applicants to win, and those changes have not been undone (yet), but generally, good cases still win. Take care, Jason

      Reply
  28. “Cursed Robot” , technical problems “.
    🤣🤣🤣

    Reply
  29. I have applied for my GC January 2018. Finger print taken and then No reply so far. When I ask USCIS the same pre-written email reply was being sent to me as background check is not complete. I know many people with such notice and I suspect this is USCIS way of frustrating asylees from adjusting their status. I hope for Biden to fix unnecessary delays but no action so far.

    What is the hope then?

    Thanks Jason for this platform.
    Seta

    Reply
    • Are you a muslim man ? I was told that USCIS do more background checks for muslim men.

      Reply
      • Thanks Jason for your time. I am not Muslim. Originally from Ethiopia . Within the last three years I have travelled more than 10 countries for work with I131 in fact non Muslim countries. Sometimes I suspect this may cause a problem on my I485.
        Best.
        Seta

        Reply
        • I do not think it will, but I guess you never know what causes a case to be delayed. Take care, Jason

          Reply
    • A background check after you received your Asylum approval? and applied to adjust your status? That doesn’t make sense. As an Asylee you already went through “vetting”. Do you have an arrest record? If you don’t mind me asking.
      Anyway, it looks like you are still within “normal processing time” which can go up to 3 years according to the website. Is your application treated at the Texas Serive Center. USCIS recently posted a request for public insight on how to more effectively adjudicate immigration benefits. The Texas Service Center was mentioned here multiple times for their unethical practices.

      Reply
      • Yes Corey it is Texas Service Center but I have no criminal violations even traffic ticket.
        Best

        Reply
    • The next step is to make an inquiry with the USCIS Ombudsman (a link is under Resources). They can sometimes help with delayed cases, and there is no harm trying. If that fails, you might consider a mandamus lawsuit. Take care, Jason

      Reply
      • Thanks Jason
        Seta

        Reply
  30. These people can be very frustrating. I submitted my EAD renewal application and it was received on 10/23/2020 (send to Potomac) and a notice was issued. My current EAD expired on 1/12/2021 same as my DL. Despite having the renewal notice the DMV issued me with a 3 month DL which has now expired. I have a to go to work I have a family to feed. It has been over 6 months since my application was received what pray, am I supposed to do?

    Reply
    • You are not alone. Mine is at Nebraska since Dec 4 2020 and my EAD expired just like yours + DL. The only good thing is DMV ( NY ) approved my application for a duplicate where it wouldn’t have any ” restrictions ” so the only dates visible will be DOB, DOE and date it was issued, that’s it.
      Also, try calling USCIS, then say ” Technical problem “, when that cursed robot asks a question, say technical problem again and it will connect you to a representative. They won’t be able to help you immediately. They’ll create an inquiry on your behalf, then you’ll get a response in 2 weeks. The response I got was the same useless email so I wish you good luck

      Reply
      • “Cursed Robot” , technical problems “.
        🤣🤣🤣

        Reply
      • I may try this hack myself. Thanks, Jason

        Reply
    • It is really outrageous. You should try to call USCIS at 800-375-5283. Explain that it is an emergency and that you need to have the EAD as soon as possible. It is not easy to reach a person, but you can try. You can also make an inquiry with the USCIS Ombudsman (a link is under Resources). There is no harm in doing that, but it is not quick. Take care, Jason

      Reply
    • I I had the exactly the same situation. I submitted my and my wife I-765 in Sept. 2020 and my EAD expired in March 2021. So, I was so worried to lose my Job because for two consecutive months, the processing time (according the website) went back to August 2020 when it hit Sept 2020 (nobody knows the reason why). So, 2 weeks ago I decided to call USCIS and talked to a officer. The officer was very nice, I explained all my situation and he submitted a service ticket to expedite my application. I immediately thought that it may not be helpful but I got surprised when the next business day I did receive an application update saying that my card was sent to production. Then, 2 days later I did receive an email from USCIS saying that they received the service ticket but they cannot expedite the application because it was already approved. Last Saturday, I did receive my EAD card finally.

      On the other hand, my wife application is still pending (217 days) because we did not call to expedite her. So, we are planning to call USCIS to see what we can do about her EAD application.

      Call them as soon as possible and explain your situation. Let them know that you are so worried to lose your job if the new EAD did not arrive on time.

      Reply
      • How you talk with officer?
        Which number you call?

        Reply
        • This is the procedure I followed:

          By Phone: Call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283.

          When the automated machine asks “How can I help you?”, loudly say ‘Rosario’ or ‘Infopass’ to reach a representative.
          Once you reach a representative, let them know you are a member of ASAP and a member of the Rosario class.
          Ask for a service request number. Sometimes USCIS representatives will not want to give you a service request number, but you should keep insisting.
          You will need to provide the following information:

          (a) your I-765 receipt number
          (b) your A-Number
          (c) the “received date” on your Form I-765 receipt notice (Form I-797, Notice of Action).
          Write your service request number down and save it.

          You can see more information on this website:

          https://asylumadvocacy.org/work-permits-for-asap-members/

          Reply
          • This is very helpful – Thank you. I have heard about the Rosario trick, but have not tried it myself. Take care, Jason

          • Thanks to this post, I’ve now applied to become a member of CASA and ASAP. I will be following this procedure to see if I can expedite my EAD renewal.

          • No problem. The purpose of this blog is to help each others. I have follow this blog since I did introduce my Asylum in 2014 and still waiting for the interview in Miami Office.

            FYI, the membership for CASA Maryland has a fee associated but the one for ASAP is totally free. They will send you a membership card to your email and you will need to print and send it with your application for renewal.

    • Same here Dear,
      Applied in Oct, Received date Nov 6 and my current EAD card already expired in January still not any update

      Reply

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