Asylee
⏱ Wait required🌿 Quick Summary
- •Who: People granted asylum inside the United States
- •Wait time: Wait required (~12–48 (after 1 year in asylee status) months)
- •Total estimated time: 12–48 (after 1 year in asylee status) months
Description
Refugees are people admitted to the U.S. from another country because they faced persecution or had a well-founded fear of persecution. Asylees are people who were already inside the U.S. (or at a port of entry) and applied for and received asylum protection. Both refugees and asylees can apply for a green card after 1 year. Refugees are required to apply. Asylees are eligible but not always required — consult a lawyer.
Who Qualifies
✉️ Letter Templates
💡 Tips to Speed Up and Prevent Denial
🔴 Avoid Denial
- Asylees: Do NOT travel to your home country under any circumstances while in asylee status or while your green card is pending. Returning to the country where you claimed persecution is considered abandonment of your asylum claim. USCIS can rescind (cancel) your asylee status if you do this, ending your ability to get a green card through this path.
🟢 Speed
- Refugees: File your I-485 as soon as your 1-year anniversary arrives. Do not delay. Being a refugee does not guarantee you will always remain in the U.S. — getting the green card converts your status to something more permanent and secure.
🔵 Quality
- File I-730 for family members abroad as early as possible — before the 2-year deadline. Once the 2-year window closes, this specific path to bring your family is gone. If your family members are in danger, this is urgent.
- After getting a green card, asylees and refugees can eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. The 5-year waiting period for naturalization may be partly counted from the date you were granted asylee or refugee status — not just from when you got the green card. Consult a lawyer to calculate your earliest eligibility date for naturalization.