Last week, I attended a concert at my synagogue by the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, a group of young Palestinians and Israelis who perform music together. In his introduction, my Rabbi explained the purpose of the evening. We were not going to stop a brutal war or bring back hostages from captivity. We would not be able to give respite in a way that mattered and is necessary to Gazans or end the suffering there. That’s not what tonight is, he said. I wish it was, but it isn’t. Here’s what tonight is, tonight is a gigantic middle finger (his words, not mine) to everybody who tells us that there is no way forward together. Tonight is what happens when you take microphones out of the hands of yesterday’s leaders and put them in front of today’s leaders. Tonight is the only story that we will see 50 or 100 years from now, G-d willing. We’re opening doors, and we’re opening hearts.
In a way–a less melodious or entertaining way–asylum serves a similar purpose.
I experienced this myself last weekend. The day after Iran launched missiles at Israel, my family and I joined my former Iranian client and his family for dinner. While the Israeli and Iranian governments–seemingly run by idiots for idiots–cause harm and suffering, ordinary people are more than capable of sitting together, enjoying an excellent meal (thank you Sarah and Ali!), and sharing a happy evening.
Perhaps the point is trite: People can get along even when governments cannot. But I have always felt that personal relationships are the building blocks of peace, and so while politicians work hard to put up walls and encourage fear of “the other,” regular people continue to make connections that defy these divides.
How does asylum help in that regard?
Probably the most obvious way is that asylum seekers come to our country and integrate into our community. They build personal relationships with neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends. Immigrants do this too, but asylum seekers tend to come from more troubled countries; countries that we Americans often view negatively and with suspicion. When we get to know people from such places, they help us expand our horizons. They might also teach us that our negative ideas about certain countries may not be accurate, and that a bad government, or even a government we view as an enemy, does not reflect anything about the people of that country.
To reap these benefits, personal connections are key. I think back to a semester I spent in Israel during college in 1990. At the time, Syria was probably Israel’s number one enemy, and as a Jewish American, I viewed Syria with deep suspicion. During my Spring Break, I backpacked with two friends through Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Visiting “the enemy” was a life-changing experience. It’s one thing to know in theory that Syrians are human beings, but it’s quite another to spend time with them and see for yourself. To quote from one of my favorite songs, about a Christmas truce during the First World War, where German and British soldiers met in no mans land to share some brandy and play soccer: “The walls they kept between us to exact the work of war, had been crumbled and were gone forevermore.”
Having contact with asylum seekers also teaches us something about ourselves, if we can summon the humility to listen and to learn. When we know more about “the other,” we can better understand their perspectives, and better refine our own views. Also, of course, the more we practice listening to different viewpoints, the better we become at that.
Finally, granting asylum to people in need reflects our national ideals. We protect people who stand up for democracy and freedom, for human rights and women’s rights, for LGBT individuals, and for ethnic and religious minorities. If there can be no peace without justice, the asylum system, though imperfectly implemented, represents the manifestation of our commitment to justice and our aspiration to side with those who work for peace.
I recognize that in the end, these human connections are small in comparison to wars between nations. Even so, they are significant. The Palestinians and Israelis in the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, a dinner between two families, an honest conversation between those who disagree. In these ways, we demonstrate that it is possible to move forward together and we help keep hope alive.
Hello Jason,
Hope you are doing great. We are waiting for our asylum based GC from July 2022, we ask our congress member for our case USCIS informs that they moved our case to Long Island field office for an potential interview waiver request do you know if a case moved to field office how much more time it will take to approve? Also we resides here in VA why they move our case to NY?
Thanks
I do not know how long it takes, but in general, GC cases based on asylum take 1 to 2 years and most do not have interviews. Why the case would be moved to a Field Office in NY, I do not know. If you have moved at all since you filed the case, make sure you did a change of address using form AR-11, which you can do online. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I filling my form I-485 based on asylum. I can’t afform to hire an attorney to adjustment of status. While working on my application, I found part 8 questions (25, 26, 27) difficult to answer. If I was pulled over by a law enforcement officer and got a speeding ticket which was dismissed at the court. Should I answer (yes or no) to questions 25, 26, 27? Thank you for your help!
Normally, a traffic ticket is not a criminal issue or an arrest, but if you are not sure, make your best guess (yes or no), circle the question, write “see cover letter,” and explain what happened in the cover letter. Also, you can attach the “disposition” (final outcome) for any such cases, so USCIS can see it if they need it. As long as USCIS does not think you are lying or trying to hide something, you should be fine. Take care, Jason
Hello Jason and Aslum Family,
Anybody knows the exact fee for asylee greencard application?
Thank you.
JImmy
The fee just went up on April 1. Most people will pay $1440, but there are exceptions, which you can see if you look at the fee schedule on the I-485 web page at http://www.uscis.gov. There is also a fee waiver for those who are eligible (form I-912). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, hope all is well. I have a question to ask. I applied for adjustment of status in 2021 and had my interview last year in the fall. The officer handed me a letter stating that my case needs to be reviewed, and I was told I would receive a decision within a couple of weeks. However, it has now been 7 months, and there has been no movement in my case. I have been reaching out to USCIS every month or so, but some of my service requests have been ignored.
I also requested case assistance from the Ombudsman Office and my Congressional representative, but I have not heard anything back from them. I have exhausted all available avenues and do not want to file a lawsuit at this time. What other steps can I take to expedite the process?
I do not know of other ideas aside from them, but I would expect that the Ombudsman will get back to you, as they usually do. You can follow up with them and with your Congress person as well. Adjustment cases sometimes get delayed for all sorts of reasons, and so this is not terribly surprising, though it is incredibly frustrating. In any event, for now, I would keep following up with the Ombudsman and Congress person and see if you can make some progress. At some point, if nothing continues to happen, maybe you will want to talk to a lawyer about a lawsuit. It is very unfortunate, but sometimes, that is necessary to get USCIS to do its job. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
I have a lawyer who helped me file for asylum and then she moved far away from my state without telling me. That was 7 years ago. My case is still pending with no interview. My affidavit was saved in my school drive and I lost access to my school email after graduation:( is there a way I could get my affidavit? I don’t know if my lawyer is really willing to share it with me 🙁
The lawyer is required to share your entire file with her, so you might ask for that. Also, if the affidavit was filed with the asylum office, you can file a Freedom of Information Act request to get a copy of that (an your entire file). Follow the link under Resources called FOIA USCIS to do that. Finally, most asylum offices allow lawyers to attend remotely by phone or video, so the lawyer may still be able to represent you if you want. Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
First- Happy Passover! May your home and heart be filed with joy and peace ALWAYS!
Second- Finally,My asylum case was referred to the immigration court after waiting for a long time.
Case : from Iran
Arrived with B2 visitor visa in LAX in June 2014
Applied 1st time summer 2014-
Interviewed in 45 days
Final Denial Oct 2014 (no referral to court because of being in status)
Applied 2nd time June 2015
Writ of mandamus March 2023
interviewed April 2024
Referral to the immigration court April 2024
Master Hearing Sep 2024
I couldn’t sleep last weekend-I had 2 attorneys, but I worked hard on my case by myself. I called your office today and talked to Michael P to set me an appointment to consult with you.
After receiving my NTA in asylum office , my attorney recommended me and my elder son (20yrs)that we should think about marriage (My husband is in Iran )!
He said most of the cases before 2020 with no criminal history will be dismissed and I have to reapply in USCIS and then referral to EOIR -I will be in legal limbo for a long time.
I read about practicing PD(Prosecutorial Discretion)but I don’t know how it works for asylum seekers.
Does it mean all asylum seekers from backlogs (before 2020) their cases will be dismissed with no master or individual hearing in immigration court?
Do we have a time to file a motion to hear our case or the dismissal will be applied unilaterally and we have no choice and have to accept?
My only regret is why I didn’t file a writ of Mandamus earlier. I thought about retaliation but never thought sometimes in life we push to pick a lesser of two evils.
Thank you!
Thank you. In terms of contacting my office, I will get back to you later in the week. In terms of your question, Court cases can go forward and that happens all the time. In fact, we just completed a case from 2013 (from Pakistan) last week, and another from Nigeria, which was several years old. So cases are going forward. Indeed, even if you could get your case dismissed, it would not help much. If you then re-filed at the asylum office, they will refer it back to court, as they are not allowing cases to go from the asylum office to court and then back to the asylum office again (this is a relatively new development). In any event, if you have a decent asylum case, you probably want to go forward with the case, though if you do get married, that may be another path to obtaining status. Take care, Jason
@BARBENJ May I ask what was the reason for your case being referred? Was it because you applied twice once in 2014 and again in 2015? Your response would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Liz,
I’ve received a referral notice. The reason listed on my Notice to Appear (NTA) is overstaying your tourist visa. Even though second asylum applications in asylum office usually get denied, I hoped my strong case might make a difference. Waiting for eight years feels like a waste. Starting legal action sooner could help expedite the processing of my case and secure an earlier date for it to be heard in immigration court.
I appreciate your response dear BARBENJ, and I wish you all the best for the future case hearing.
Hi Jason,
Can a derivative asylee who obtained a green card travel to his home country? With his passport? The principal is from a different country from the derivative .
Yes. I do think it is good to be able to explain why they went and how they stayed safe. In this case, they can just explain that the spouse is from another country and they have no fear of visiting their own home country. So this should be no problem (nevertheless, they should be prepared to explain, as the officers at the airport or at USCIS may not realize at first that the person is not the principal applicant). Take care, Jason
As a derivative, I have traveled to my home country w/RTD, my country is different than the principal applicant’s country; I have been pulled aside at the US customs, but that’s about it. 10 min later passport stamped and I was released w/o any questions asked.
For lgbt asylum cases, I feel that there is some confusion in my part.
Because, essentially, one has to prove that they are persecuted or in fear persecution because of … their sexual orientation….
Now…here is the problem…sexual orientation/preferences doesn’t mean a person has to act on it…right ? Whether a person chooses to outwardly manifest such behavior is … a voluntary choice…one can be sexually attracted to a particular sex…without…engaging in a sexual relation…right ?
And if a homosexual man doesn’t engage in homosexual activity but retains his homosexual desire…I … wouldn’t imagine he will be persecuted in any country ? If a homosexual man is persecuted because he engages in a sexual relation with another man, he could easily changes his behavior to engage in a sexual relation with women and not men…wouldn’t that have fixed everything ?
I say this because I was reading some article about pedophilia. It’s a condition manisfested by the attraction of children…As far as I know, no countries in the world allow a pedophile to sexually molest a child…It looks like the pedophiles’ brain structure is a little different, that’s what possibly made them attract to children. aka born this way…If homosexual identity is so ingrained…I would believe that pedophilia is also similarly deeply ingrained ? But the reality is, most pedophiles are able to maintain their moral ground and not act on their primal and animalist sexual desire, and none have claimed that they are persecuted because of this. And if pedophiles can restrain their sexual behavior, so can homosexual men…I would believe ? and that would disqualify them for asylum, right ? because essentially homosexual men can refrain from engaging sexual relations with other men by exerting self-control like a pedophiles refrain from acting on their sexual preferences ?
I welcome opinions. Human sexuality is complex, I think learning of them is important in both a humanity and asylum context. the fact that marriage equality is legalized necessitates the learning of different sexual preferences. It adds to my burden, hence my inquiry.
You also don’t have to practice your religion, but the asylum system recognizes that governments or communities should not put such limits on positive behavior. Obviously, pedophilia is harmful to another person, whereas practicing your religion or being gay are not, and we as a nation believe such characteristics should be protected, even if you could potentially hide them. Take care, Jason
The use of the words “homosexual”- an outdated term- and “behavior”- a word a homophobe would use to describe same-sex relationships- to describe same-sex relations should be frowned upon. Then, in appallingly ignorant and homophobic fashion, you proceeded to conflate consented same-sex relationships with pedophilia. In my opinion, you comment should have been removed- even though you tried to make it seem as if you were playing devil’s advocate- for its absurdity, lack of common sense, and quite frankly, its homophobia. It is an affront to the LGBTQ+ asylum seekers who read this blog!
While Jason welcomes differing opinions on his blog, I’d hope that he doesn’t allow hemophobia (disguised as playing devil’s advocate, appearing to be an ally to, or an actual member of, the LGBTQ+ community, or inviting “titillating” and robust intellectual discussions around a specific topic) to go unchecked.
The objective of my response is not to “school” you on what constitutes immutable characteristics or who qualifies for asylum under current asylum laws. For, that appears to be something that the U.S. government has either already figured out, or is trying to figure out. My objective, though, is to ask you to REFRAIN from comparing pedophiles (people who are sexually or romantically interested in people who can’t consent) to adults who are interested in each other romantically/sexually but happen to be the same sex. Put differently, two consenting adults can’t molest each other. Comments like yours (un)intentionally incite hatred or violence against a specific group of people. Which other group of people are you coming for next?
I almost removed that one, but I gave the writer the benefit of the doubt. But in case it needs to be said by the moderator (i.e., me), I will remove comments that conflate sexual orientation with pedophilia as those comments are factually false, bigoted, and not productive for purposes of this blog. Take care, Jason
Thank you, Jason. I appreciate that
Some of posts have a point.
[ed – deleted]
Honestly, your posts are just getting ridiculous and offensive. They serve no point. If you have something constructive to say, you can post that, and if you want to make analogies, maybe you can find less offensive examples. Take care, Jason
I am so sorry. I think a lot and post a lot, I am always curious…but sometimes it may make people feel uncomfortable due to the nature of the topic…For that, I apologize.
Feeling uncomfortable is fine (and probably good). Posting comments that are needlessly offensive without being constructive was the issue in that particular case, and so I took it down. Take care, Jason
This is my have to respond post…I didn’t intend to follow up…
But what you are saying sounds like (I could be wrong) I intentionally try to post these posts to offend some people.
TBH, I don’t know it could be offensive because I personally don’t find those offensive at all, and I am part of the community involved. But people are different, I totally respect it. Some people view the same post, and feel offended. To that, I am sorry. I cannot know beforehand, but now I know…and for the offense that I unintentionally caused. I am sorry. I will refrain from posting those topics again. With the knowledge that some people might find it offensive.
Ok, but I think if you do your best to not offend people unnecessarily, that is not so difficult. Being provocative or thoughtful is different from that, but I guess it is a fine line. Anyway, it is not such a big deal, as I take down anyone’s posts who I think cross the line, whether they cross the line on purpose or by accident. Take care, Jason
A friend of mine had her master hearing last week and while at it her lawyer persuaded her to tell the judge to withdraw the case because she felt she doesn’t have a chance to be granted an asylum . She eventually succumbed and the judge agreed to withdraw the case and now her lawyer is asking her to get married legitimately as that’s the only
Option she has and her work permit can’t be renewed since she withdrew her case. She’s worried and doesn’t know of the next steps in this case. Please advise Jason. Thanks
If she had a good asylum case, this was obviously a bad idea, but if the lawyer is correct and she cannot win the asylum case, maybe withdrawing was the best choice. Whether there are other options besides marriage, I do not know. Maybe she wants to talk to a different lawyer to go over the possibilities. Also, she could re-file asylum at the asylum office, but that may just result in her case returning back to court – check the Special Instructions on the I-589 page at http://www.uscis.gov, but I believe that if her case was initially at the asylum office and then it was referred to court, and if she now files again at the asylum office, they will automatically send her back to court. Again, if she has a very weak asylum case, this may be a bad idea. Take care, Jason
I wonder whether sometimes, an asylum seeker’s lawyer’s relationship with the DHS/IJ could have a play in the decision.
I imagine the defense lawyer will argue a lot in the immigration court, and sometimes, others may get angry at you (for outsmarting them…I know…but personal bias does exist)…If a defense lawyer does his/her job too well…Could the DHS/IJ…intentionally place more scrutiny on the immigrant ? (to maybe just retaliate the counsel for outsmarting and presenting good arguments, or to trouble the counsel so that the counsel won’t have an easy win ?)
I am worried because if DHS/IJ want to do that, they can. They have great latitude in these proceedings…and asylum is ultimately a discretionary benefit…They can deny asylum even if the immigrant is statutorily eligible for asylum…
I do not think this is a major issue, though I guess it can sometimes be a factor. However, I do think lawyers sometimes develop a reputation as a person who does fraudulent cases. If that happens, it can cause real problems for the clients – even if those clients have completely legitimate cases and are unknowing victims of the lawyer. How to avoid this problem, I am not sure, as it is very difficult to tell the difference between an honest and a dishonest lawyer. Take care, Jason
Hello.
My sister’s husband applied for asylum in the USA and included my sister and their 2 children under his application. When they got a mail from USCIS of the acknowledgment of receipt of he application, the only listed the husband and one child and also just the two of them have appointment for biometrics. They are not sure if they should still expect the other mail for my sister and her child or not.
I want to ask what does this mean please and what next can they do?
Thank you.
I think they should double check the I-589 form. On pages 2 and 3, make sure they checked the box stating that they want to include the wife and other child in the application. Also, they should have included a copy of the marriage certificate and both children’s birth certificates, plus everyone’s passport. If they have done all that, they should be ok, and USCIS should send the biometrics notices. If the boxes on page 2 and 3 are not checked, I think the husband will have to add the wife and child to the application, which can be a big pain in the neck – I wrote about that on March 29, 2023. If the boxes are checked and you still do not get biometrics soon, maybe you want to start by emailing their local asylum office to ask about that. You can find the email address if you follow the link under Resources called Asylum Office Locator. Take care, Jason
Hey Jason,
I have a question, my Asylum has been pending since 2021. Do you think an employer can sponsor me if I have a pending asylum.
I am about to study nursing, in order to get my employer to sponsor me. Do you even think it’s a good idea.
I am going into healthcare as it comes with a lot of benefits of not being laid off etc.
Thank you for all that you do.
It may be possible to get a green card based on employment. I wrote about this on August 28, 2018 and September 6, 2018. If you have no status in the US aside from asylum pending, you probably would need to leave the US to get the GC, though there are exceptions to that rule (see for example, a law called INA 245(k). You would need to talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your situation and have the lawyer map out, step by step, how you will get from where you are now to having a GC, whether you need to leave the US, how you will return to the US if something goes wrong with the GC consular processing, and whether there are any other risks. Take care, Jason
Hi,
Quick question, today i received a text message with the receipt number for my i-131 after two weeks and then when i checked the case status online, it says Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken but I have not received any fingerprint appointment, what that means?, thank you so much.
USCIS frequently re-uses fingerprints, and so they will probably just use the fingerprints you previously did for a prior application. Take care, Jason
Thank you so much, first and last time i have done was when i had applied for i-589 8 years ago.
I think they are probably re-using those old prints, since the whole point of fingerprints is that they never change. Take care, Jason
My friend asylum interview is scheduled for July and he is very worried because the of the last report showing the denied rate at the New York office. Also , as a gay man he doesn’t look gay, at least for heterosexuals’ people because to me I can tell he is. What’s your experience Jason with the New York office in term of LGBTQ cases? Second, do you think my friend should get letters from friends or people who know about his sexual orientation? He has a letter from an ex partner, but because they are no longer together I was wondering if it’s enough to convince the asylum office.
I think USCIS should do better in term of verifying certain things. Not gay all gay guys look flamboyant, maybe they should also hired LGBTQ asylum officers to decide on this kind of cases or probably train officers to understand sexual orientation and gender expression.
Thanks in advance for your response.
The fact that he might not look gay should not matter (I wrote an article on this point on October 4, 2010). However, the NYC office is very bad. I do not know specifically how they are for LGBT cases, but you should assume they are bad. That said, gather as much evidence as you can: Letters from people who know about his sexual orientation, photos at LGBT events, membership documents in LGBT organizations, etc. Also, get evidence about country conditions to show that the situation is bad in his country for gay men. If he has been harmed or threatened back home, try to get some evidence, including letters from people who know about this. If he puts together a strong application, he should have a chance for success, and even if he is denied, he will be in a stronger position to win in Immigration Court (and keep in mind that more than 75% of cases denied at the asylum office are approved in court). Take care, Jason
Jason, do you think Bill Barr will be reappointed as AG if Trump returns to the white house ? Years ago you said Trump no longer likes Barr…but…recently Barr comes out to support Trump…
I never liked Bill Barr’s politics and felt he did harm to our country. But the fact that he will vote for Trump after what he previously said about Trump is a disgrace. Also, he could only say that he would vote for the Republican ticket (at least that is what I heard him say), and he would not even mention Trump by name. What a coward. Take care, Jason
Agreed.
Apparently, people’s dislike of immigrants outweigh their concern for democracy
And one more thing,
Trump appoints bad federal justices/judges very quickly…and his AGs also appointed bad IJs and BIA judges quickly…so that’s also why Biden needs to be re-elected…
Today I read that there are more than 400,000 asylum applications are filed each year and the current backlog is around 3.2 million cases. Of these, approximately 16,000 were granted the status of asylee affirmatively and 16,000 defensively in 2023. That is meager 32 000 granted cases per year, which amounts to 0.02 or 2% of the total applications, with wait time for an interview averaging 10 years, if not longer. This piece of information is so bad. At this point, I imagine everyone knows that the institution of asylum is simply dead in the United States. This leaves only 1 exit: work while you are waiting for your asylum hearing, earn, save and leave forever, doesn’t matter where. One can buy a foreign passport or permanent residence as an investor nowadays for 100k. But hoping something to change in the United States, even after Trump’s failure to get re-elected are close to non, like winning a lottery. This is so bad. And this is so sad.
I think a large part is asylum community (mostly advocates)’s failure to condemn and urge action against foreign persecutors.
They are the reason people come to seek asylum in the U.S.
The asylum advocates for the last 2 decades criticized the asylum system nonstop…as if the asylum system should be know-it-all and should be perfect. They seem to fail to realize that the blame is misplaced. TBH, if I am doing a right but imperfect thing and all I faced is criticism and no acknowledgment or praise, then I’d withdraw my efforts…
On the other hand, I see little to none criticism or any action against foreign persecutors…It may send a implied consent impression to them that it’s okay for them to continue to do what they they are doing…I continue to believe our asylum provision needs to add a punitive clause for foreign persecutors and for every successful asylum application…the punitive method could include visa sanction or freezing assets or prosecuting the persecutors…
I don’t think this info is exactly correct. There are not 400,000 new asylum cases every year, though I think there were about that many last year. Also, there are about 3+ million cases in immigration court, though not all are asylum. There are also about 1.2 or 1.3 million cases at the asylum office (and some asylum office cases have more than one person – a spouse and children, for example). Court cases seem to go faster these days and most are resolved in 1 or 2 years. Asylum Office cases can take 10 years, but they are not being processed in order, and so it is difficult to know. In short, the system really is a mess, but I think it is more of a mixed picture than the info you found suggest. I wrote more about this on October 4, 2023 if you are interested. Take care, Jason
I am extremely worried about this election. I have been through several elections while I am in the U.S….And the upcoming one is my most worrying…
I think it’s old news that Republicans hate immigrants…but…I am also very worried about preserving america as a democracy…It’s just unfathomable that we are just at coin flip in preserving this democracy (Yes, I regard the election of he-who-must-not-be-named as the breakdown of our democracy…if a country elects an undemocratic leader…it’s the beginning…because I feel it will give some sort of license…a permission to elect such people in the future…)
Have you in your life…been through elections where…the contrast between democracy and dictatorship…is so big ?
I agree that the situation is very bad. Anyone, including people who are not US citizens, who is concerned about the election can get involved to help stop Trump from winning. I wrote about ideas on August 25, 2020 if you are interested. Better to take some action than to sit passively and worry. Take care, Jason
LOL what’s up with the overuse of ellipses?!
Hello Jason
I applied to renew my work permit last year Feb and while I checked it oline it says receipt sent in Feb 2023. Last month I called to Uscis office told me that they decline my application and sent the notice but I didn’t review a notice. Online nothing is changed still display the first message which is receipt sent then I applied the second renewal. My work permit was not expired when I applied for the first time but the second time it was expired.
What do you advice me
It is strange that the online message did not change. Have you moved to a new address? If so, did you file a change of address form (AR-11)? If not, maybe that explains the lack of a paper notice. If you filed for a second renewal, hopefully you will get the receipt for that, but if you have not yet filed, maybe you want to file online – that is an option for people filing based on asylum pending, and it will help ensure that you receive all notices. If you already filed by paper, maybe when you get the receipt, it will give you an option to create an online account and link the application to your account (some forms give this option and others do not; I do not remember about the I-765). If so, that would be a good idea. Take care, Jason
It’s strange for renewal decline…In your practice, what could led to such decline ?
There is no way to know until they issue the paper denial letter. It may be something simple, like the person accidentally applied under the wrong category. Once they have the paper letter, they can decide how to proceed. Take care, Jason