Can Someone Help Please

A

aliwa

Registered Users (C)
I applied for asylum on 4/11/08 and am scheduled for an interview on 7/30/09.
I know som many people adviced me to get an attorney but due to financial problems, I didnt afford one. I have talked to a few attorney here and there after paying 100-200 consultation fees and I have learnt alot from them, I have also tried to read US asylum law. I am still an F1 students and if I am denied asylum, I can still finish my school as i try to immigrate to Canada thru the point system.
My question for you brothers and sisters is: what are the general questions aylum officers ask, i know each and everyone here had his or her own unique case but the officers look for similar things when interviewing. are evidence from friends authentic. Do i have to prove everything I say or the officer can as well admit verbal argument. If in the past goverment has been unable to protect a persecution can I use that.
Thanks all
 
ASylum can be given using only 4 or 5 criteria such as religion, political opinion etc. (make sure you apply based on one of these). also you have to prove past persecution and establish a "well founded fear" of any future persecution.

I will still advise to hire an attorney if you can afford at all. You build history in this country and while it is true that you can still continue on with F1, you will have to explain asylum application in future.

good luck,
 
you can try to find a pro bono legal clinic in your area to talk to a lawyer for some advice before your interview. you don't have that much time left. so, will be hard to find a legal clinic. Try to find as much evidence as you could online regarding the country situations. Try to get affidavits from your friends and family about your specific case and experiences in the past if you had any. what is the base for your asylum?
 
I never used/hired any lawyer (I wouldn't recommend it it though) starting from filling out the asylum application till I got my GC now. I just got in the same situation like yours now .... no money! Thanks Lord other than minor problems everything ran out (rather) smoothly.

On interview ... don't get nervous. Even your avidavit is your real experience, but if you are having a breakdown ... it will ruin everything!. The officer will be trying to get the real information in any way they can and they have been trained to do so. Don't get taken on. Don't lead the interview into argument ... just be calm and stick to your story. Be honest if you forget part of the details. Anyhow that must be the horrifying episode of your life that you actually want to leave behind. Don't beg .. don't rumble nor wander around. Be polite and have respect even if they sound like they get suspicious on the truth of your case. Don't memorize your avidavit word to word ... if your story is real ... words will come out of your lips naturally.

Ok .. wish you best luck!
 
Lazerthegreat said:
ASylum can be given using only 4 or 5 criteria such as religion, political opinion etc. (make sure you apply based on one of these). also you have to prove past persecution and establish a "well founded fear" of any future persecution.

I will still advise to hire an attorney if you can afford at all. You build history in this country and while it is true that you can still continue on with F1, you will have to explain asylum application in future.

good luck,
Click to expand...

You do not have to prove past persecution in ADDITION to establishing a well founded fear of any future persecution. One of them is enough for an Asylum grant. The difference is, if you claim past persecution and can back it up, the burden of proof is upon USCIS to try to refute your claim. If you show fear of future persecution, the burden of proof is upon YOU, the applicant, to show that you will be persecuted if you return to your home country. (The former is easier than the latter)
 
Terdampar gave some solid advise. Asylum is very tricky and a competent attorney helps alot. Not having an attorney is not the end of the world. I was in the same boat as you. My case was in immigration court and I could not afford an attorney. I was scared but did not give up. I did alot of research online and went to every attorney who gave free initial consultation to discuss the case and get some ideas. Some attornies told me there is no way I could win the case but I won because I provided solid proof to prove my case.

Alot of people get nervous of the interview and I think that is the biggest mistake one can do. Confidence potrays a lot of things. The interviewer will not eat you up. S/he is a human being just like you who has emotion. Don't make it a one way situation. If you are not clear about something, ask the interviewer to clarify. I don't have any experience with asylum officers. When my case started in immigration court, on my first hearing, I asked the judge what he wanted from me so that the case can go smooth and he told me what he needed and I provided. I was interviewed in court for nearly three hours. I never lost my cool. Infact it became a pretty friendly environment towards the middle of the interview. When I went to court to get the decision, when the judge saw me the first thing was your country conditions are getting worse since our last interview. He even went on to ask if my parents were okay.

The biggest problem in my opinion is the communication barrier. I witnessed that in the initial court hearing where the judge was trying extremely hard to understand what the person is trying to say in english. Being not proficient in English is not a crime but we are in an English speaking country so why not bring somebody with you who is proficient in English. Giving an example, I am from New York City and it is a multi cultural city. When I went to get my I-94, the person infront of me was speaking very bad broken english, the immigration officer was getting pretty frustrated to the extent that she got really rude to him. I am a brown colored asian man. She had already presumed I don't speak good English and started talking to me rudely also. I calmed her down with some New York humor and good communication. Guess what, I was out of there in less than an hour. Met her in the elevator and had some chit chat.

Go out there and prove your case. Get as much prove as you can. I proved my case with newspaper clippings, human rights records, affidavits from human rights organizations and affidavits from myself and my father. The USCIS website had been very useful for me as that was my main research tool

Good luck in your case and please keep us posted.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ASSYLEE said:
You do not have to prove past persecution in ADDITION to establishing a well founded fear of any future persecution. One of them is enough for an Asylum grant. The difference is, if you claim past persecution and can back it up, the burden of proof is upon USCIS to try to refute your claim. If you show fear of future persecution, the burden of proof is upon YOU, the applicant, to show that you will be persecuted if you return to your home country. (The former is easier than the latter)
Click to expand...

In my case I had to prove both past and fear for future persecution in court. The judge was like make me 51% convinced and asylum will be granted
 
mesbahul said:
In my case I had to prove both past and fear for future persecution in court. The judge was like make me 51% convinced and asylum will be granted
Click to expand...

If your asylum application alleged past and future persecution, of course you had to prove it. Did the judge really say "51% convinced?"
 
I want to thank you all so very much. This is the courage i have been looking at. A miracle can happen.
I have gathered numerous reseach cases and article cuttings in varies news papers including NY Times. Have checked country conditions posted at US websites. I am unable to find affidavits as i am trying to prove future inherent persecution.
My verbal communication is good. My wife speaks American dialect as we have been in US for seven yrs and going to school fulltime.
Can having US citizens also help an asylum case if we are all threatened including our two US citizen children.
I trust the Lord and am going to fast and pray on 7/29 before my interview on 7/30 and I always know my God will guide the way.
Thanks so much for those that have replied. it means alot to me. More advice is welcome.
 
ASSYLEE said:
If your asylum application alleged past and future persecution, of course you had to prove it. Did the judge really say "51% convinced?"
Click to expand...

The judge really said that to me. In the asylum application application, it says you have to prove past persecution and fear of future persecution. If there is no fear of future persecution, why would somebody apply for asylum.
 
mesbahul said:
Terdampar gave some solid advise. Asylum is very tricky and a competent attorney helps alot. Not having an attorney is not the end of the world. I was in the same boat as you. My case was in immigration court and I could not afford an attorney. I was scared but did not give up. I did alot of research online and went to every attorney who gave free initial consultation to discuss the case and get some ideas. Some attornies told me there is no way I could win the case but I won because I provided solid proof to prove my case.

Alot of people get nervous of the interview and I think that is the biggest mistake one can do. Confidence potrays a lot of things. The interviewer will not eat you up. S/he is a human being just like you who has emotion. Don't make it a one way situation. If you are not clear about something, ask the interviewer to clarify. I don't have any experience with asylum officers. When my case started in immigration court, on my first hearing, I asked the judge what he wanted from me so that the case can go smooth and he told me what he needed and I provided. I was interviewed in court for nearly three hours. I never lost my cool. Infact it became a pretty friendly environment towards the middle of the interview. When I went to court to get the decision, when the judge saw me the first thing was your country conditions are getting worse since our last interview. He even went on to ask if my parents were okay.

The biggest problem in my opinion is the communication barrier. I witnessed that in the initial court hearing where the judge was trying extremely hard to understand what the person is trying to say in english. Being not proficient in English is not a crime but we are in an English speaking country so why not bring somebody with you who is proficient in English. Giving an example, I am from New York City and it is a multi cultural city. When I went to get my I-94, the person infront of me was speaking very bad broken english, the immigration officer was getting pretty frustrated to the extent that she got really rude to him. I am a brown colored asian man. She had already presumed I don't speak good English and started talking to me rudely also. I calmed her down with some New York humor and good communication. Guess what, I was out of there in less than an hour. Met her in the elevator and had some chit chat.

Go out there and prove your case. Get as much prove as you can. I proved my case with newspaper clippings, human rights records, affidavits from human rights organizations and affidavits from myself and my father. The USCIS website had been very useful for me as that was my main research tool

Good luck in your case and please keep us posted.
Click to expand...

I like what you wrote very much. True. Life can be quite different if one puts him in an active position.
 
ASSYLEE said:
Yes, and I'm dying to know what you said to her regarding the quoted. I could use some humor...
Click to expand...

I don't want to hijack the post. In New York City, weather conversations are very common. I actually told her "your mood is hot like the weather outside" with a smile. She loosened up a little and replied "deal with the kind of people you just saw all day long and you will be hot like the weather outside." I was like I feel you. I have to deal with spanglish all the long at work.

She was compassionate enough to ask about my asylum experience in the elevator.
 
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