Stage 2: Filing Your Paperwork

Preparing & Submitting Your Asylum Application

How do I fill out my asylum application?

The asylum application, otherwise known as an I-589, is a twelve-page document that you must fill out with different kinds of personal information. The bulk of your application will be about your personal experiences and what led you to leave your country to seek protection in the United States. The information you provide must be truthful and correct. The form must be completed in English.

For an example of a blank I-589, check out USCIS’ PDF.

Because your asylum application is such an important document, there are many resources available to help you fill it out. You can check out this video and the accompanying presentation, titled "Supporting Asylum Seekers in Completing their I-589 Application."

How do I submit my asylum application?

Once you’ve completed your asylum application, you must then submit it. How you submit your asylum application depends on whether you are applying affirmatively or defensively:

Affirmative Asylum Application

Applying for asylum affirmatively means that, when you came into the United States, you did not receive a Notice to Appear. This can be because

• you entered through an authorized port of entry with a visa and were lawfully admitted to the United States, or

•  the Notice to Appear you received was not given by DHS to the EOIR immigration court (see below). If when you crossed the border into the United States, you did not encounter a border patrol officer or another government official, then it is likely you do not have an NTA. 

You can submit an affirmative asylum application online via the USCIS website. This will require a USCIS online account. It may not be a good idea to file online if you do not know how to navigate the internet or have stable access to a computer. You can also submit a paper copy to USCIS. Please refer to the USCIS website for the most updated guidance on how to file an affirmative asylum application.

On Missing NTAs: Please note that there are many people who received an NTA at the border but whose cases cannot be found in the automated EOIR portal. This means In these cases, what has typically happened is that DHS (CBP or ICE), whose officers you encountered when you crossed the border, has a file for you but has not sent it to the immigration court listed in your NTA. If this is the case, submit a paper copy of your asylum application to the current address for affirmative asylum applications.

Defensive Asylum Application

Applying for asylum defensively means that, when you came into the United States, you did receive a Notice to Appear, your file was sent to the EOIR immigration court, and information about your immigration court case  can be found on the automated EOIR portal. 

Submitting a defensive asylum application requires several different steps. You must… 

• submit your completed asylum application, along with a certificate of service, directly to your immigration court, 

• mail a completed copy to the ICE office in charge of your case (refer to this link to find the right OPLA address for your case), and 

• keep a completed copy for your records.  

You must also send a copy of the first three pages of your asylum application, along with a copy of the instructions, to a USCIS processing center in Nebraska (Instructions in English). 

The copy that is submitted to your immigration court will start the “asylum clock” for your work authorization and the pages that are sent to Nebraska are a request for USCIS to schedule you for a biometrics appointment. When you submit your I-589 to the immigration court, bring your copy of the I-589 with you to get it stamped by the court clerk with the date when you are filing it This is very important because it  will be your proof that you filed for asylum before your one year filing deadline and proof that your “asylum clock” started that day. You will need to submit a copy of the stamped pages in order to apply for your work authorization.

What happens after I submit my asylum application?