Apply for your protection with solid documentation.

What is asylum?

Each year, thousands of people arrive in the U.S. seeking protection because they have been persecuted or fear persecution. Asylum is that legal protection the U.S. grants to those who need it. To apply, you must be physically in the U.S.

Recognized grounds of persecution

Affirmative or Defensive

USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) is the federal agency that processes affirmative applications. EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review) administers immigration courts for defensive cases. They are separate entities with distinct payment portals and procedures.

Complete preparation service

Service cost

Annual Asylum Fee (AAF)

Since 2025, every person with a pending asylum application must pay $102 per year until their case reaches a final decision. Regardless of when you filed: if your case is still active, this fee applies. Families in the same consolidated case pay only once.

Who pays what and when?

What does May 29, 2026 mean?

This date is NOT a payment deadline. It is when USCIS activated official consequences for non-payment. The process works as follows:

Important: some people have NOT received a notice but their fee is already overdue. Check at my.uscis.gov: if you see a "Pay and Submit" button, you must pay immediately.

Where to pay?

All information in this section comes from official and reliable sources. Fees are verified directly from government websites. When in doubt, always check the official source or consult a licensed immigration attorney.

What people ask most