The Key Steps to Preparing and Winning Your Asylum Case

Winning an asylum case for clients isn’t a matter of luck. It is the result of careful preparation and detailed documentation that paints a clear picture of the persecution you have experienced in the past or your reasonable fear of being persecuted in the future.

Persecution can take the form of threats, violence, torture, disproportionate punishment, economic deprivation, or denial of basic human rights or freedoms. The five protected grounds for asylum are race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Our Process for Preparing and Winning Your Asylum Case

Step #1: We meet you and discuss the facts of your case in detail

Sassoun A. Nalbandian, lead attorney and immigration expert at Nalbandian Law, will listen to your story and see if it meets the criteria for a credible asylum claim. Sometimes our clients do not realize that persecution doesn’t have to be physical; it can be psychological or financial. We carefully analyze your case to assess these questions:

  • Do the facts of your case rise to the level of past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution?
  • Is your persecution based on one of the five protected grounds mentioned above?
  • Is your persecutor the government or a private entity that the government is unable or unwilling to control?
  • Are there any bars to your eligibility for asylum?

Our extensive experience representing asylum clients has shown us that sometimes our clients do not know which facts of their life story are relevant or what to reveal or how much to reveal. That’s why Mr. Nalbandian asks detailed questions to help jar your memory and get many more details of your asylum claim into your written statement than you would have otherwise provided if you had filed your case on your own or with an inexperienced attorney. Our goal is to build a strong and convincing case for asylum. After we prepare the statement of your asylum claim, we proceed to the next step.

Step #2: We ask you to provide documents that support your story of persecution

  • Letters from neighbors or other political activists
  • Hospital records showing injuries caused by persecutors’ attacks
  • Police records showing any arrests due to protest demonstrations
  • We try to think creatively about what could help win your case including documents that you may not even have thought about, but which can help prove your claim, especially when other documents such as medical, political membership, or police records may be unavailable.
  • If necessary, Nalbandian Law can also help you obtain a detailed written psychological evaluation (10-20 pages) by a licensed psychologist which provides an assessment of the emotional toll of your persecution.

Step #3: We conduct diligent research online regarding articles that support your claim

We look for background articles about conditions in your native country that support your asylum claim, such as U.S. State Department annual reports, and include them in your asylum documentation.

Step #4: We submit your asylum application to USCIS and help you obtain your work permit

After we file your asylum application with USCIS (or the Court, if you are in removal proceedings already), there is a work authorization clock that starts running. 150 days after the filing of your asylum application, Nalbandian Law will help you apply for a work permit (known as an EAD or Employment Authorization Document).

Step #5: We prepare you for the asylum interview

“This is THE most important step in your asylum application process,” Mr. Nalbandian emphasized. “We thoroughly prepare you for your interview, asking you questions just like the Asylum Officer will ask in the real interview. In fact, we ask very difficult questions to our clients during our preparation so that they will be ready, relaxed, and confident during their interview.” Knowing what to expect and how to answer the questions will give you the confidence you need to make a good impression and show the credibility and sincerity of your asylum request.

“Remember, your preparation and the detailed documentation supporting your asylum claim are critical for your success,” Mr. Nalbandian stressed.

If your case is in immigration court, we also prepare you carefully for your trial. Most important, we talk to the U.S. government attorney before the hearing and explain the main issues of your situation. We take this extra step that a majority of attorneys do not take so that we know the government attorney’s perspective on your case and to know what issues are most important to them and to your judge on the day of the asylum hearing.

Over 95% Success Rate* with Asylum Case Approvals

We can still help you even if your asylum case was referred to Immigration Court. By adding important documentation missing from the original asylum application, especially if you prepared it yourself or with an inexperienced attorney, and by preparing you thoroughly for your court appearance, you will have a better chance of getting approved for asylum.

“Nalbandian Law brings the power of over 16 years of experience exclusively practicing immigration law to your asylum case,” Mr. Nalbandian said. “Our team of immigration experts handles more asylum cases from many different countries every year than any other kind of immigration issue. With an over 95% success rate for our asylum clients, we have proven that we know how to develop the strongest possible argument in your favor.”

Schedule an Asylum Consultation Today!

Call Nalbandian Law at (818) 244-0310 or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation with lead attorney and asylum expert Sassoun A. Nalbandian. He will review your situation carefully and determine if you have a strong case for asylum. We will do our very best to present the strongest possible case on your behalf and to help you win asylum in the United States.

*Approval rates do not guarantee future approval of your petition. No attorney can ethically guarantee any outcome. Always consult with a licensed, competent immigration attorney such as the experienced immigration attorneys at Nalbandian Law before filing your case.