Asylees are not required to apply for a green card. However, eligibility to submit an application for change of status to permanent residence is available one year after the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants asylum status to an applicant, including their spouse and children, if they were included in the asylum grant or entered the United States as asylees. It is recommended that asylees apply for a change of status to permanent resident because they might be required to return to their country of origin if they remain asylees. Some of the examples in which this may occur are, 1) when the applicant is not qualified for asylum because their conditions changed or 2) if there are changes in the conditions of the country of origin, for instance, if the country becomes democratic. Once obtaining permanent residence these will not be an issue.
As mentioned earlier, an asylee is eligible to apply for permanent residence after one year of USCIS granting an asylum status but they should also meet the following criteria: 1) The applicants should not have had deserted their asylum status; 2) applicants should continue to be qualified for asylum or is an asylee's current spouse or child; 3) they should also have physically remained in the United States for a minimum of 12 months after receiving asylum; 4) they must be allowed to enter the United States, however if the applicants are not admissible, they can be eligible for a waiver; and 5) they must have not taken up residence and become established in any foreign country including the country of origin.
Applicants such as spouses or children of principal asylees, also known as derivative asylees, that no longer meet the qualifications for a principal asylee's spouse or children may receive the opportunity to obtain permanent residence in the United States by applying to the USCIS Asylum Program.
Every applicant who wishes to obtain permanent residence status must submit a separate application for change of status to permanent residence. These include the principal asylee, spouse and each child who received derivative asylee status. All the applications may be mailed in the same package with its supporting documents and its filing fee (check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security). USCIS mailing address depends on the location where the applicant resides. Each separate application should be stapled together to avoid confusion.
As mentioned earlier, an asylee is eligible to apply for permanent residence after one year of USCIS granting an asylum status but they should also meet the following criteria: 1) The applicants should not have had deserted their asylum status; 2) applicants should continue to be qualified for asylum or is an asylee's current spouse or child; 3) they should also have physically remained in the United States for a minimum of 12 months after receiving asylum; 4) they must be allowed to enter the United States, however if the applicants are not admissible, they can be eligible for a waiver; and 5) they must have not taken up residence and become established in any foreign country including the country of origin.
Applicants such as spouses or children of principal asylees, also known as derivative asylees, that no longer meet the qualifications for a principal asylee's spouse or children may receive the opportunity to obtain permanent residence in the United States by applying to the USCIS Asylum Program.
Every applicant who wishes to obtain permanent residence status must submit a separate application for change of status to permanent residence. These include the principal asylee, spouse and each child who received derivative asylee status. All the applications may be mailed in the same package with its supporting documents and its filing fee (check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security). USCIS mailing address depends on the location where the applicant resides. Each separate application should be stapled together to avoid confusion.