Requirements for Applying for Asylum

Asylum is one of the significant benefits on an international scale that the United States recognizes and allows individuals to utilize for their safety and well-being.  It is an advantage to immigrants that is going to allow foreign nationals to substantially remain in a particular country out of fear, indefinitely.  It is a path to citizenship in the United States as you can apply for a green card one year after having been granted asylum, allowing you to be a permanent resident from that point forward.  

Required Documentation

There is a fair amount of required documentation that goes along with asylum applications. This starts with the Immigration Form I-589, which has to be fully filled out. Personal statement by the applicant, or a declaration, is the next piece of the puzzle. This is going to lay out why you are applying and what your personal situation is. Anything that you have to support why you are applying for asylum can be included in your corroborating documents. A police report is an excellent example of this or letters from witnesses stating that you are in danger in your country.Conditions in your home country also need to be documented and included. If you are claiming persecution based on your race or religion, for example, newspaper articles showing that these situations exist in your home country can also benefit you.

Personal Situations

An asylum applicant has to be able to prove that their circumstances are one that meets the requirements of the asylum application, to begin with. Eligibility for asylum is dependent upon proving persecution based on at least one of the following grounds:

• race
• nationality
• religion
• membership in a particular social group
• political opinion

You want to be able to sell your personal situation so that it can be directly linked up to one of these five areas of focus that asylum status resides around. The better that you are going to be able to explain your story, have it understood by the government representative, the better off you will be. A Jacksonville immigration attorney can help you develop this personal story to groom it and make it understandable, clear, and concise.

Attorneys to the Rescue

It is always best to consult with a lawyer before you file for asylum. This is a decision that has to be taken very seriously. It should not be something that is tried simply to gain status in the United States.Our attorneys will be able to work with you to help you assess your current situation before the application process even begins. We can give you an initial guide as to whether or not you have an opportunity for asylum, and also help educate you on the requirements, how to talk through your personal situation with the government, and so on.Asylum is all about protection and any Jacksonville immigration attorney can help explain that in far more detail. You can apply for asylum within one year of your last entry into the country.  Knowing what is required to do so is very pivotal to the process.