Through seeking asylum, you may be looking for the United States to protect you from facing the potential dangers in your home country or country of residence. Even so, though, you may not want to be a financial burden on the country that has selflessly taken you in. That is, you may want to financially support yourself as an asylee of the U.S. Well, with that being said, please continue reading to learn whether you can work while your asylum case is pending and how an experienced asylum immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you support yourself during this challenging time.
Can I work in the United States while my asylum case is still pending?
First of all, to apply for asylum in the United States, you may file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal. This must be filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within one year of your arrival to the country. Then, to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in the meantime, you may file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. It is worth mentioning, though, that you may have to wait at least 150 days from the date you initially filed your asylum application. In turn, you may have to wait until your application has been pending for at least 30 days. In total, you may be subject to a 180-day waiting period until you can lawfully obtain employment in the U.S.
What happens to my work status if my asylum application gets denied?
If your asylum application gets approved, you may receive automatic authorization to work in the United States. In other words, you may not need to apply for an EAD once you already have asylee status. Although, some asylees still make an effort to file Form 1-765, since an EAD can be easily used as a form of identification. Even better, though, is applying for a green card via Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status.
Unfortunately, if your asylum application gets denied, your work authorization may end when your EAD expires or 60 days after your denial date, which comes later. Should you appeal the decision to an immigration law judge, your work authorization may similarly expire on your EAD’s expiration date. Your access to asylum may still get rejected in the end. If so, you may attempt to remain in the U.S., and subsequently continue working in the U.S., through other available immigrant, nonimmigrant, or temporary protected status programs.
You must be fully equipped to enter your upcoming asylum case proceedings. Your preparation is not complete without hiring a skilled asylum immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. Contact Sesini Law Group, S.C. today.