I Filed my Asylum Application Without a Lawyer. What’s Next?

Many people who fear returning to their home country receive advice soon after entering the United States to file an application for asylum. They’re told to fill out a form and submit it and once that’s completed the process appears to be moving forward: the applicant receives a receipt notice, attends a fingerprinting appointment, and maybe receives a work permit, too. Everything is going smoothly, and the applicant assumes that nothing else is needed to support their application.

Asylum requirements are growing ever more complex and nuanced, almost on a daily basis. Changes in the interpretations of our laws occur when courts issues decisions, and these decisions issued today or tomorrow can impact applications that have already been filed. We cannot base our understanding of asylum laws by relying on advice a friend gave based on their experience five years ago, or based on the outcome of a family member who had a similar fear of return, because interpretation of our laws changes over time.

Many people file basic asylum applications and assume that because they have received a work permit, their application process is going well. In fact, it’s likely that no one has examined the content of the application, sometimes until years after it is filed. An asylum case demands corroborating evidence; an application will not be approved based exclusively on a form that was filed. And, because asylum applications often take years to be processed, it is all but guaranteed that the interpretation of our laws has changed while that application has been pending.

The stakes are high when it comes to asylum applications; if the application is not approved, it’s almost certain that the applicant will be referred to immigration court proceedings, where a removal order may be issued. If you have a pending asylum application and have not been called in for an interview, the good news is that your application can be updated until shortly before the interview. But, gathering sufficient corroborating evidence is an involved process that can take many months or longer.

Ready to take the next step? Consider gathering a copy of what you filed with USCIS and seeking a legal consultation.