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POLITICAL ASYLUM
If you have
been in the U.S.
for less than one year and believe that you qualify as a refugee, you may
decide to apply for political asylum. You are a refugee if you are unable or
unwilling to return to your country because of fear of persecution. Common
reasons for persecution include political opinion, religious beliefs, race,
nationality, or belonging to a particular social group.
You
may make an affirmative asylum application or, if you have been placed into
removal proceedings, apply before the Immigration Judge. If you file
affirmatively and the Asylum Officer decides not to approve your case, your
case will be referred to Immigration Court
and you will have an opportunity to explain to the Immigration Judge why the
Asylum Officer was wrong.
After
being granted asylum, you may reside indefinitely in the U.S. After one
year you may apply for permanent residence. If you need to travel, you may
apply for a Refugee Travel Document. However, if you use this document to
travel to your home country, you are at risk of having your political asylum
status revoked.
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