Orlando Asylum Attorneys

Assisting Clients With Asylum Matters in Florida

Asylum seekers or asylees can seek asylum in the United States to escape persecution in their home countries. Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A., and our team of Orlando asylum lawyers can help you use this important immigration process as well. When it comes to staying safe from harm, there is no benefit to delaying action, so please reach out to our firm as soon as you can if you are an asylee or a refugee in need.

Call (407) 630-8455 to learn about our legal services from our asylum lawyers in Orlando.

Understanding Asylum Qualifications

Do not delay seeking asylum once you enter the United States to escape persecution. You have only one year to file for asylum before you can be marked for deportation or removal. There are a few exceptions to this rule, so do not let one year pass since your entrance into the country without talking to an asylum attorney.

Other than the time limit qualifier, asylum seekers will only be approved if they have genuine reasons to believe they would be harmed or persecuted if they returned to their home country. Specifically, asylum seekers need to face persecution for belonging to a certain class.

Asylee classes recognized in immigration law include:

• Race
• Religion
• Nationality
• Political opinion
• Membership in a specific social group

As an asylum seeker, you need to prove that you are indeed facing dangerous persecution in your home country. Otherwise, your asylum petition or application will be denied. Proof of persecution can be found in news articles from trusted sources, letters or emails sent to you with explicit or veiled threats, police reports of attacks or harm done to you and your family, and more. Even your medical records can be useful if you have suffered injuries that are commonly associated with violent assaults.

Do Women & LGBTQ+ People Get Asylum?

You likely noticed that sex, gender, and sexual preference are not included in protected classes for asylum cases. This does not mean that you absolutely cannot gain asylum if you have been persecuted for being a woman or identifying with an LGBTQ+ community. After all, countless people around the globe are persecuted for these exact reasons every day. An immigration judge has some discretion to allow for asylum on a case-by-case basis, so an experienced asylum attorney could potentially convince the judge hearing your case to allow you to stay in the U.S. for reasons not listed in the five usual protected classes.

What are the Asylum Benefits?

People who are granted asylum protections can stay in the United States for one year. While in the country, they can apply for housing and job opportunities as a citizen or legal permanent resident (LPR) can. When asylum ends, an asylee will have a chance to apply for a permanent residence visa, which is the first step in becoming a legal permanent resident.

Asylees can also extend their asylum protections to any spouses and minor children who accompanied them when they first entered the country, which is usually done in an unlawful or undocumented manner. Asylum protections do not apply to family members who enter the country after the asylee, though.

Lastly, asylum benefits can be terminated early if United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) believes your home country is once again safe enough for your return. Asylees could also be removed early if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines they are a risk to the American public, such as if the asylee has been linked to serious violent crimes.

Asylum FAQs

How Do I Apply for Asylum?

Most applicants begin the process by filing Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal. The application generally requires detailed information about your background, the reasons for seeking protection, and supporting evidence.

Do I Need Evidence to Support My Asylum Claim?

Yes. Helpful evidence may include:

• Personal statements describing your experiences
• Police reports or court records from your home country
• Medical records documenting injuries
• News articles or country condition reports
• Witness statements
• Photographs or other documentation supporting your claim

The stronger your evidence, the easier it may be to establish eligibility.

Can My Family Be Included in My Asylum Application?

In many common instances, a spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 who are physically present in the United States may be included as derivative beneficiaries on an asylum application if they meet the legal requirements.

Can I Become a Permanent Resident After Receiving Asylum?

Yes. Individuals granted asylum may generally apply for lawful permanent resident status (a green card) after meeting the applicable eligibility requirements, including the required period of physical presence in the United States.

Should I Hire an Attorney for an Asylum Case?

Although legal representation is not required, asylum law can be highly complex. An experienced immigration attorney can help prepare your application, gather supporting evidence, represent you during interviews or court proceedings, and address legal issues that may arise throughout the process.

Contact Our Orlando Asylum Attorney Today

Trust in Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A. to help you understand your rights as an asylee. Our Orlando asylum lawyers have been helping foreign nationals in difficult situations for decades. People from all walks of life and many different countries have let us guide and represent them in immigration cases. With a reputation and history like ours, we think you should do the same.

Please contact us online to request a consultation with our Orlando asylum lawyer.