Citizenship Interview and NO Passport

The Indian government has many problems. It is, essentially, a democracy, but people do not just claim asylum because of their government's actions. They also do so due to their governments' INactions. For example, many people are subject to the caste system, which, though officially abolished, is socially still very prevalent. The system oppresses many people, who feel they have no other choice than to escape the country where this system exists. This is just an example of many things that can happen in a country. One can leave India as a stowaway on a boat, for example. One can also use a passport to go to a country like Canada or Mexico, and then lose the passport, but still enter the US illegally.

I also think these are private issues that one may or may not want to share with others, especially in a forum like this, where the information is out in the open. It is insensitive to hassle people about their personal ordeals. I don't mean to be rude, but if a question of sensitive nature is not answered, please respect that person's choice.
 
If you don't have a passport then you should explain to the IO why you don't have one. That's all you can do really. And I don't think you will be grilled at your interview. Try not to worry, things will work themselves out.

I had my interview a few days ago and the IO did not ask for anything except my greencard and interview letter.

Good luck to you!
 
happy life said:
Hmm I thought India is a democracy. It is a free nation.
how can you get an Asylum? How did you leave India without a passport? Then you say in your other post that you were arrested for domestic violence sometime back? I am sorry but Guy/Gal, I don't get all this.
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Though the premise of India being a free, democratic nation is essentially true (just like in the US or Europe), individuals are liable to be harassed for their ethnicity, religion, orientation, etc in India, or in any other country. An example that comes to mind was the threat to those practising the sikh religion in north India following the assasination of the then-prime minister. Hundreds, possibly thousands of sikhs were murdered simply because who they were; some politicians are alleged to have been involved. The same could be said for the condition of muslims and other minorities in the state of Gujarat state.

An individual's personal life is off limits in a public fora such as this. Regardless of this person's alleged guilt for domestic violence or what have you, I'm sure he\she dealt with that in the realm of the law. This forum ought to be a source of assistance to those who turn to it in times of need.

my 2 cents worth.
 
OP,
go to Indian consulate and file for a passport, If you are an Indian National by birth they cannot deny you if you have lost a passport, they will request a security check in India which shouldnt take 1 month
 
refugee status is adjudicated based on a individual refugee/asylum seeker's circumstances. Yes, most asylum seekers are from war torn areas or totalitarian regimes. However, even in open and democratic countries expeicaly one with a billion people, there are always some genuinely persecuted people who qualify for asylum. Of course, there are always those who manipulate the system. Without knowing the details of a particular individual one should not be judgmental. Furhtermore, an open forum like this is not a place for one to relive a ordeal, this is not a support group for asyless/persecuted people .
 
LOL! This guy is probably a sardar who ran across the wilderness between Canada and the US. :D

There are plenty of Babbar Khalsa types in Canada (who would be immediately arrested in india due their Khalistani tendencies). He probably illegally ran across the US/Canadian border and then claimed assylum.

Just a hunch.

rikhyes said:
I did not enter thru immigration and filed for asylum and recieved my Green Card GC 5 years ago
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It is not necessary to have a passport. A Burmese friend of mine was smuggled into the the U.S. and at the L.A. airport immediately requested asylum. She was arrested and spent 5 or 6 weeks in the Immigration jail, Terminal Island, CA. Her asylum request was granted and she was issued a U.S. document similar to a passport and valid for travel anywhere except Burma. Of course she did not have a Burmese passport. That gang of thieves, murderers and thugs that calls itself a government in Myanmar doesn't issue very many passports.
 
svsarma said:
OP,
go to Indian consulate and file for a passport, If you are an Indian National by birth they cannot deny you if you have lost a passport, they will request a security check in India which shouldnt take 1 month
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They check with India if you obtained your passport in India, right? What if you obtained your passport at an Indian mission in another country? Will they check with that mission instead, or will they still just do a security check in India?
 
Manlika2004 said:
It is not necessary to have a passport. A Burmese friend of mine was smuggled into the the U.S. and at the L.A. airport immediately requested asylum. She was arrested and spent 5 or 6 weeks in the Immigration jail, Terminal Island, CA. Her asylum request was granted and she was issued a U.S. document similar to a passport and valid for travel anywhere except Burma. Of course she did not have a Burmese passport. That gang of thieves, murderers and thugs that calls itself a government in Myanmar doesn't issue very many passports.
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Was your friend issued an RTD or was it something special? I was not aware that such documents were issued without someone applying for it.
 
cafeconleche said:
Was your friend issued an RTD or was it something special? I was not aware that such documents were issued without someone applying for it.
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I don't know the name of the document she received. I saw it only once and it looked just like a passport but was white rather than blue or green.
 
They took my passport away--which was expired--during my green card interview. I hope they still have it on file. I have traveled a few times and have always used RTDs and RPs. I returned all of them to USCIS while applying for new ones. I will keep my current for the interview.

If you have not traveled then you would need to explain how you got into the country, that's all they need. I am sure they asked you the same question when you applied for green card.

Gino
 
gino said:
If you have not traveled then you would need to explain how you got into the country, that's all they need. I am sure they asked you the same question when you applied for green card.

Gino
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If you sneaked into the country then tell the officer this fact and there will be no problem (unless you previously told the USCIS a different story).
 
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