Affirmative Asylum Interview: Frequently Asked Questions

Who attends the interview

A spouse and children under 21 who are included in the Form I-589 as derivatives attend the interview with the applicant. USCIS says each of them brings their own documents.

An attorney or accredited representative attends with Form G-28. Since 18 May 2026, USCIS no longer permits attorneys and accredited representatives to take part remotely in affirmative asylum and NACARA 203 interviews at asylum offices, except in limited circumstances. All legal representatives must be physically present. The alert does not define the limited circumstances.

Interpreters: who may interpret and what happens without one

USCIS does not provide an interpreter for an affirmative asylum interview, except for applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing. An applicant who cannot proceed in English must bring a competent interpreter at no cost to USCIS (8 CFR 208.9(g)).

The interpreter must be fluent in English and in the applicant's language and must be at least 18 years old. These people cannot interpret: the applicant's attorney or representative of record, a witness testifying for the applicant, and a representative or employee of the applicant's country of nationality.

The regulation does not list relatives among the people who cannot interpret. The asylum office judges whether a person is a competent interpreter.

If no competent interpreter is present, USCIS cancels and reschedules the interview. USCIS counts that delay as caused by the applicant and says it will deny a Form I-765 (work permit application) filed in that situation. A USCIS contract interpreter may monitor the interview by telephone.

The USCIS page does not say whether the applicant's own interpreter may join by telephone or video. Confirm with the asylum office named in the interview notice.

What to bring

The interview notice sets any deadline for sending additional evidence. The USCIS preparation page does not state a number of days, so follow the notice. USCIS asks the applicant and each family member to bring:

• a passport or other identification and the Form I-94, if any;
• the originals of documents already submitted with the application;
• a copy of the Form I-589 as filed; and
• a certified English translation of any document in another language.

What happens at the interview

The asylum officer places the applicant under oath and asks questions about the application. USCIS says the interview generally lasts at least an hour.

USCIS states that information about an asylum application is confidential under 8 CFR 208.6.

After the interview: decision or referral

A decision is not made at the interview. USCIS says an applicant typically picks up the decision at the asylum office about two weeks later.

If the asylum office cannot approve the application and the applicant is not in valid immigration status, USCIS issues charging documents and refers the case to Immigration Court, where an immigration judge hears the asylum claim.