Refugees & Asylum
Refugee status or asylum may be granted to people who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
Refugees
Refugee status is a form of protection that may be granted to people who meet the definition of refugee and who are of special humanitarian concern to the United States. Refugees are generally people outside of their country who are unable or unwilling to return home because they fear serious harm. You may seek a referral for refugee status only from outside of the United States.
Asylum
Asylum status is a form of protection available to people who:
*Meet the definition of refugee
*Are already in the United States
*Are seeking admission at a port of entry
You may apply for asylum in the United States regardless of your country of origin or your current immigration status. For more information about asylum status,
You may include your spouse and children who are in the United States on your application at the time you file or at any time until a final decision is made on your case. To include your child on your application, the child must be under 21 and unmarried. For more information see our Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for
Withholding of Removal page.
You cannot apply for permission to work (employment authorization) in the United States at the same time you apply for asylum.
You may apply for employment authorization if:
*150 days have passed since you filed your complete asylum
application, excluding any delays caused by you (such as a request to
reschedule your interview) AND
*No decision has been made on your application
If you are granted asylum you may work immediately. Some asylees
choose to obtain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for
convenience or identification purposes, but an EAD is not necessary to
work if you are an asylee.