USCIS is currently experiencing delays in issuing receipt notices for Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal. Due to these delays, you may not receive a receipt notice in a timely manner after properly filing your Form I-589. For the purpose of meeting the one-year filing deadline, the scheduling priorities for affirmative asylum interviews, and eligibility for an Employment Authorization Document based on a pending asylum application, your filing date will remain the date we received your properly filed Form I-589 (not the date we process it). If you did not properly file your application, we will reject it and note any deficiencies in your filing. If you do not receive your receipt notice in a timely manner, please do not submit multiple Forms I-589, as this could cause further delays to your case.
Properly filing your Form I-589 will allow us to process your form with fewer delays. Please review the reminders below to ensure that you file your Form I-589 properly:
- You must file your asylum application within one year of your arrival in the United States (one-year filing deadline), unless you can demonstrate changed circumstances that materially affect your eligibility for asylum or extraordinary circumstances directly related to your failure to file within the one-year period.
- You must type or clearly print your answers in black ink.
- You must provide the specific information requested about you and your family, and answer all questions on the form. If a question does not apply to you or you do not know the requested information, write “none,” “not applicable,” or “unknown.”
- If you submit your application and it is missing information, we may return it to you as incomplete.
- You are encouraged to attach written statements and supporting documentation in support of your application. Your written statements should include events, dates, and details of your experiences related to your asylum claim.
- Write your Alien Registration Number (A-Number), if you have one, your name (exactly as it appears in Part A.I. of the form), the date, and your signature on each supplemental page and on the cover page of any supporting document.
- Follow the instructions in the “Where to File” section on the Form I-589 webpage to determine where you must submit your Form I-589.
- If you are applying for asylum as an Afghan national who has been paroled under Operation Allies Welcome, please review the Asylum-Related Frequently Asked Questions for Certain Afghan Parolees Under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) page.
Please note: Do not send any Form I-589 to the Vermont Service Center (VSC). The VSC does not currently process Forms I-589, and sending your Form I-589 to the VSC will result in additional delays.
We continue to experience receipt issuance delays for other workloads at some service centers. We are working diligently to reduce these delays across all USCIS form types and remain committed to providing receipt notices in a timely manner.
