COMMUNITY library

Community guide to applying for asylum on Form I-589

Preparing a personal statement to support an asylum application on Form I-589

  • Opening

    1. Title: “I am applying for asylum because” - Primary Reason

    2. Opening Paragraph

      1. Reason for well founded fear as well as supporting stories relevant to primary reason  

      2. Clear description of age, gender, place of origin, and quick description of your situation and why you are here.

      3. Example: here searching for family

        1. Example story with structure (Trigger warning: Domestic/Family Violence)

    3. Statement of Validity

      1. Statement signed by you 

      2. States that all of the following information is valid and truthful to your knowledge. 

    Story format (Adobe Format)

    1. Number paragraphs

    2. Write in the first person (your perspective).

    3. Begin with background

    4. One fact per paragraph with supporting details

    5. Split up the story chronologically. 

    6. Segment so you are talking about fear at a time (as seen below)

    Story:

    1. Familial/National Background

      1. Setting the scene/providing an image

      2. Establishing living conditions

      3. Familial situation?

      4. How old were you?

      5. Groundwork for harm/fear

    2. Establishing harm/fear

      1. Abuse? Threats? 

      2. Citing stories from the past of examples of trauma that have led to this fear. 

      3. Consistently include names of people and locations to build credibility

      4. Split up trauma/fear into sections

        1. Ex. Familial Abuse, Gang threats, Fear of war, Etc. 

      5. IMPORTANT: Connect these stories to either race, religion, nationality, political affiliation, membership in a particular social group (Example: LGBTQ+ affiliation)

    3. Use names

      1. Names of people and organisations builds credibility

      2. Remember ages, when things happen

    Contemporary Life

    1. Coming to the US

      1. How did you arrive?

      2. Why did you arrive this way?

      3. Why now?

      4. How are conditions in the USA?

    2. Going forward

      1. Why can't you go back?

    Final Legal/quality Requirements (LegalNature.com)

    1. Signed by you

    2. Notarized by a legal Notary

    3. Grammar check, improper grammar can harm credibility, ensure that you look it over multiple times or have someone fluent in English check it for you if you are not fluent. 

    4. Try to keep it concise, do not ramble and make paragraphs as short as possible. 

  • Review the infographic here.

Preparing for asylum interviews at USCIS Colchester (or any Asylum Office)