USCIS Asylum Office in Tampa, FL
While the asylum request has been increasing, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a streamlined process for the asylee, have started an additional office in Florida apart from the Miami Asylum office in the form of Tampa Asylum Office, FL. After filing an asylum application with the appropriate service centre, the USCIS will notify you of the asylum office serving your area.
Location
The office is located at: –
5524 West Cypress Street, Suite B
Tampa, FL 33607
Phone Main: +1 8134675900
Serving Jurisdictions
As it is a new office, the jurisdictional limits are yet o be clear, however, according to the USCIS release, The Tampa Asylum Office will adjudicate asylum claims filed by individuals residing in western and northern Florida as well as portions of central Florida.
Application Forms for Tampa Asylum Office
Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal, is available online at https://www.uscis.gov/i-589. The form requests biographical information from the applicant and then inquires as to why they are apprehensive of returning to their country of origin. The explanation of fear is debatably the most crucial factor in Tampa asylum qualifying assessments.
Asylum seekers must provide copies of their identification documents, passport-style photographs, and documentation that support their asylum application. If the applicant needs to supplement the asylum application with additional proof, they can submit it to the asylum office about one week before the interview. However, if the asylum application is still ongoing before the immigration court, the petitioner has 15 days before the individual merits hearing to supplement the case.
Bars to Applying for Asylum
You may not be eligible to apply for asylum if you:
- Did not follow the one-year filing deadline for Form I-589. The one-year deadline is calculated from the date of your last arrival in the U.S. or April 1, 1997, whichever is later;
- Had a previous asylum application denied by an immigration judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals; or
- Can be removed to a safe third country under a two-party or multi-party agreement between the United States and other countries.
Processing times at Tampa Office
While there is no precise processing time for Asylum requests, the USCIS mentions that a decision should be made on your asylum application within 180 days after the date you filed your application unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Note– Applications for political asylum or other asylum-related benefits are not filed at Asylum Offices. Follow the instructions on the application form you wish to file, and mail your completed application to the appropriate Service Centre for initial processing.
Form 1-589 “Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal” should be mailed to:
USCIS
Texas Service Centre
PO Box 851892
Mesquite, TX 75185-1892
Our Services
The most important guidance for asylum eligibility in Tampa is to complete the I-589 Asylum Application as thoroughly as possible. Without corroborating evidence, a credible and detailed statement and testimony are sufficient to establish asylum eligibility.
Suppose you want to avoid any undesirable scenario and ensure on-time filing and proper form submission of your application. In that case, you should consider hiring an immigration attorney who can lead you through the registrations and filing process. Having an experienced immigration attorney will raise your chances to get your petition approved and make the whole process less stressful. Our team have extensive experience in providing services in the field of immigration law and can assist in helping the applicant provide the details necessary to demonstrate to the asylum officer or judge that the applicant meets the legal standard for being granted asylum.