If you have come to the U.S. as a refugee or been granted asylum in the U.S. -- whether from the Asylum Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or by an Immigration Judge in court -- you are now allowed to live in the U.S., accept U.S. employment, and travel and return (with a refugee travel document in place of a passport). Additional rights will become yours with time, such as that to apply for a U.S. green card after one year, and to apply for U.S. citizenship four years after that. Learn more about how to protect and make the best use of your refugee or asylum status here.
After you receive your final approval of asylum, you can apply for certain immigration-related and other government benefits and services.
You can travel outside the U.S. as a refugee or asylee, but get a refugee travel document first.
You have more than one option when arranging for spouse, children, and other close family to come to the U.S. after your grant of asylee or refugee status.
If the marriage happens after you gain asylum status, you face a long and uncertain procedure to attempt to gain lawful immigration status for an undocumented spouse.
You've been granted asylum status in the U.S. -- now how do you prove it to others?
Once you've spent at least a year in the U.S. in asylum status, you can apply for a green card (adjustment to lawful permanent resident status).
After one year as a refugee, it's time to get your U.S. green card.
Attending a green card interview one year or more after having been granted asylee status in the United States.
Sidestep the lawyers with do-it-yourself books, documents, and software.
Nolo offers hundreds of consumer-friendly, do-it-yourself legal products for all types of legal situations. Browse our full product list.
Click below to view more legal issues. Our extensive collection of legal topics ranges across different areas of practice.
Our editors have over 100 years of combined experience practicing law. These professionals have worked in a wide range of legal areas, from estate planning to criminal law to business formation and beyond. They’re experts at explaining complicated legal issues in easy-to-understand terms.
Learn more about the team that manages Nolo’s articles, books, and DIY tools.
Find an experienced, local attorney in three easy steps. Our process is designed for ease and simplicity.
Briefly tell us about your case, and provide your contact information.
We find and instantly list attorneys that can best handle your case.
Choose the attorneys you would like to work with.
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.
Grow your firm with Martindale-Nolo, the largest legal network, and learn more about our attorney lead-generation and marketing services.
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.