What to Expect at Your Asylum Interview and How to Prepare

For an affirmative asylum applicant, the interview with a USCIS asylum officer is the one chance to tell your story in person. It is not a hearing in a courtroom, there is no government lawyer cross-examining you, and the setting is an office. It is still the most important day in the case. This guide describes how the interview works and how to prepare so that your testimony matches your application and your evidence.

How Interviews Are Scheduled

USCIS has for several years prioritized the most recently filed applications, which means some new applicants are interviewed within weeks while older applications wait years. You receive an interview notice by mail and, if you filed online, in your USCIS account. The notice states the date, time and location. Washington applicants are scheduled by the asylum office with jurisdiction over the state, and many interviews are now conducted by video from a USCIS facility rather than in person with the officer in the room. Rescheduling is possible for good cause but can send the case to the back of the line, so treat the date as fixed unless you have no choice.

Who Attends

You, the principal applicant, with a government-issued photo ID, your passport and all original documents you submitted copies of
Your spouse and children who are included on the application as derivatives. They are usually asked only brief identity questions
An interpreter, if you are not fluent in English. Under current rules, most applicants must bring their own interpreter, who must be fluent in English and your language, at least 18, and not your attorney, a witness or a representative of your government. USCIS may also use a telephonic contract interpreter to monitor the accuracy of the interpretation. Confirm the current interpreter rule before your date, because it has changed more than once
Your attorney, who may attend, take notes, and make a statement at the end, but who does not answer questions for you

The Interview Itself

Interviews typically last between one and four hours. The officer will:

Place you under oath and verify your identity
Review your I-589 line by line, confirming biographical information, addresses, family members, travel history and any corrections. This is your opportunity to fix errors; unexplained errors discovered later hurt credibility
Ask you to describe what happened to you and why you fear returning. Expect detailed, chronological questions: who, what, when, where, how many times, who else was present, whether you reported it, why you did not leave sooner, why you came to the United States specifically
Ask about any criminal history, prior immigration applications, time in other countries, and whether you could live safely in another part of your country
Ask about the one-year filing deadline if you filed more than a year after arrival, including the facts supporting any exception
Give your attorney a chance to ask clarifying questions and make a brief closing statement

The officer types notes throughout. Those notes become part of the record and are what a supervisor reviews in deciding the case.

How to Prepare

Reread your declaration and your I-589 several times in the week before the interview. Know the dates and the sequence of events. If you realize something is wrong or missing, tell your attorney before the interview so it can be corrected on the record
Review every document you submitted and be ready to explain what each one is and where it came from
Practice telling your story out loud, in order, with your interpreter if you will use one. Practice does not mean memorizing a script; it means being able to answer the same question asked three different ways
Answer the question that is asked. If you do not understand, say so. If you do not know or do not remember, say that rather than guessing. A guess that turns out wrong looks like a lie
Bring tissues, water and any medication you need. Talking about persecution is hard, and officers expect emotion. They also expect you to continue
Arrive early. Security screening takes time, and a late arrival can be treated as a failure to appear

After the Interview

Decisions are usually not given at the interview. For most applicants the decision is mailed within a few weeks, though it can take much longer when the case requires supervisory review or additional security checks. There are three outcomes. If asylum is granted, you receive an approval letter and can apply for work authorization, derivative status for family abroad and, after one year, a green card. If you are not granted asylum and you have no other lawful status, the case is referred to an immigration judge, where you can present it again in a full hearing. If you are not granted asylum but you hold valid status, you receive a Notice of Intent to Deny with a chance to respond in writing before a final decision.

A referral to court is not a denial on the merits. The judge hears the case fresh, and many cases referred by the asylum office are granted in court with a fuller record.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Inconsistencies between the interview and the written declaration about dates, places or the number of incidents. Review and correct beforehand
Omitting events because they seemed minor or embarrassing. Officers read omissions as reasons to doubt the rest
An interpreter who summarizes or softens answers. Choose a skilled interpreter and ask them to interpret everything exactly
Volunteering information about unrelated matters, such as work without authorization, when not asked. Answer truthfully, but answer the question asked
Missing evidence that was promised. If the officer gives you time to submit additional documents, calendar the deadline and meet it

Related Services

Asylum | Deportation Defense | Family Petitions

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and immigration rules change. For advice about your own case, call Ritchie-Reiersen Injury & Immigration Attorneys at (888) 884-7337 or send us a message. Consultations are available in English and Spanish.