Release Date
08/30/2024
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the opening of an international field office in Quito, Ecuador on Sept. 10. The Quito Field Office will focus on increasing refugee processing capacity, consistent with USCIS commitments under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and helping reunite individuals with their family members already in the United States.
What does Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) do?
They are responsible for:
RAIO is vigilant about fraud detection and national security, relying on careful vetting, innovative screening mechanisms, and sound adjudication.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing new instructions for asylum applications submitted by individuals whose removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
Release Date
09/11/2023
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reminds affirmative asylum applicants that, starting Sept. 13, 2023, you must bring an interpreter to your asylum interview if you are not fluent in English or wish to proceed with your interview in a language other than English.
On Nov. 10, 2022, USCIS published a new edition of Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, dated 10/12/22. Starting May 1, 2023, USCIS will only accept the 10/12/22 edition. Until then, you can also use the 07/26/22 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Release Date
11/09/2022
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, is available to file online for certain affirmative asylum applicants. USCIS continues to accept the latest paper version of this form by mail.
Release Date
09/21/2022
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced publication of a final rule consistent with the vacatur of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Asylumworks et al. v. Mayorkas et al. This final rule is effective starting Feb. 7, 2022.
Release Date
12/10/2021
USCIS is rescinding a November 2020 policy memorandum requiring interviews of all petitioners filing Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition. Effective immediately, USCIS will return to its prior long-standing practice of making case-by-case determinations on whether to interview Form I-730 petitioners.