Asylum evidence and support letters: what to gather and how to write them

What the law asks you to prove

The burden of proof is yours. Testimony alone can meet it only if the decision-maker finds it credible, persuasive and specific enough to show you are a refugee.

Where the officer or judge decides you should corroborate credible testimony, you must provide the evidence unless you do not have it and cannot reasonably obtain it.

Credibility is judged on the whole record: demeanour and responsiveness, plausibility, and whether your written statements, oral testimony and documents agree with each other and with State Department country reports.

An inconsistency can count against you even if it does not go to the heart of the claim. The goal is not volume; it is a file in which every document supports a fact in your declaration and nothing contradicts it.

Evidence to gather, by category

• Identity and nationality: passport (every page), national ID card, birth certificate and a population register extract (nüfus kayıt örneği).
• Entry and immigration history: visa pages, Form I-94, entry stamps, USCIS or court notices, and records of earlier applications, including withdrawn or denied ones.
• The facts of your claim: police, prosecution and court records (for a Turkish case, for example an indictment or detention order), medical and hospital records, photographs, threats received, membership records, dismissal or suspension notices, and school or job records.
• Country conditions: U.S. State Department human rights reports, UN and other international reports, and news coverage of what happens to people in your situation.
• Witnesses: sworn statements from people with personal knowledge, and support letters (below).
• Health: if it is hard for you to talk about past harm, the I-589 instructions suggest a health professional's report explaining that difficulty.
• Written opinions: qualified scholars or lawyers can explain, for example, how Turkish courts treat a type of charge. The instructions list such affidavits among accepted evidence.

When a document is missing or risky to obtain

Missing evidence is common in asylum cases. Explain each gap in writing: what the document is, why you cannot get it, and what you tried.

For family relationships, the I-589 instructions accept secondary evidence such as school, medical or religious records, or sworn affidavits from people alive at the time with personal knowledge. Each affidavit gives the writer's full name, address, date and place of birth, and relationship to you.

Asking the authorities you fear for records can put you or relatives at risk, so discuss the route with your attorney first. U.S. rules bar disclosure of information about your asylum application without your written consent, subject to limited exceptions (8 CFR 208.6).

Some Turkish records can be obtained online, for example a criminal-record printout (Adli Sicil Kaydı) through e-Devlet.

Translations and organisation

• Translate every foreign-language document in full. Partial or summary translations do not meet the rule.
• Attach the translator's signed certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate, with printed name, date and contact details.
• Use a competent human translator. A machine draft that nobody competent has checked and certified risks errors that look like inconsistencies.
• Put your name and A-number on each cover page, number the pages, and add an index that ties each exhibit to a paragraph of your declaration.
• Send copies and bring the originals to the interview or hearing.
• USCIS interview: file all evidence with the asylum office at least 14 calendar days before the interview. Later evidence may be left out or may lead to rescheduling, which can affect your work permit.
• Immigration court: the judge sets filing deadlines. Follow the court's scheduling order.

How to write a support letter

One accurate page that matches the applicant's declaration is worth more than three pages of praise. An inaccurate letter can harm the case, because inconsistencies are part of the credibility review.

Some attorneys ask witnesses to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury (the form permitted by 28 U.S.C. 1746) instead of a plain letter. Ask whoever prepares the case which format they want.

1. Start with your details: full name, address, phone, email, the date, and your status (for example U.S. citizen, permanent resident or refugee).
2. Say how you know the applicant, since when, and how often you are in contact. A real relationship kept up by phone or online still counts.
3. Describe what you saw or heard yourself, with dates and places. Say clearly what you only learned from the applicant.
4. Describe the applicant's character and life in the U.S. in concrete terms: work, study, volunteering, community.
5. If you know about risks on return, say what you know and how you know it. Do not guess or exaggerate.
6. Sign and date the letter, and attach a copy of your government-issued photo ID. Letters from organisations go on letterhead and state the signer's role.
7. If the letter is not in English, attach a certified translation.

Who should write

• Family members and friends with first-hand knowledge, in the U.S. or abroad.
• Employers and colleagues, about work and reliability.
• Community or religious leaders who know the applicant through regular activities.
• Teachers or professors, for students.
• Anyone who witnessed a specific event in the claim. Choose writers for what they know, not for their titles.

How Merit can help

Merit's U.S.-licensed attorneys build and review evidence files and declarations, and represent applicants at USCIS interviews and in immigration court. See asylum and removal defense.

The firm's lawyers licensed in Turkey (Istanbul Bar) can review Turkish court and prosecution documents and explain the Turkish-law context. This guide is general information, not legal advice.