HOW TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM - The Florence Project

A long time has passed between the act of persecution and the time you left the country <
Suppose the event which made you leave your country happened a year before you left. If you stayed in your
country for a year after the event, the judge may think you were not really afraid to stay in your country and
could return without having any problems. You have to explain what you were doing during that year. For
example, if you left your house and hid during this time, getting together money for your trip, that would help
to show the judge you were really in danger.
> Returning to your country <
If you went back to your country after having a problem that caused you to leave your country, the judge may
think that you can live in your country without any problem. You have to explain what you did when you
returned and to explain in detail any problem(s) you had during that time. There is also a question in the form
that asks about this.
> Family members or others still living in your country<
If you say that you are in danger of persecution because of your social group, and your family members are
members of the same group but have not left the country, the judge will suspect that you will not have problems
either if you return. The same goes if you participated in a political group and your fellow members of the
group stayed in the country. So, if they have, in fact, had problems, you should include this information in your
declaration. Or, if your situation is different from theirs, you need to explain why you were in greater danger
than those who stayed in your country.
> Lack of detail <
In court, facts are very important. If you say that something important happened but you cannot remember
when it was, how long it lasted, or other details, the judge may think that you made it up. The more details you
put in your declaration and include when you speak at your hearing, the more chance you have that the judge
will believe you. If you cann-o't remember clearly, tell the judge that it is difficult for you to remember certain
things, and give approximate dates.
Many people do not want to talk about events that caused them emotional harm. If you saw the death of a loved
one, or if you were tortured or raped, it is normal not to want to talk about what happened. However, it is
extremely important to do so in order to win your asylum case. You need to say everything that happened and
everything you saw. Never exaggerate. You only need to be precise and tell the truth.
> Inconsistencies in the facts you provide <
The judge and DHS may review your form and your declaration in order to see if everything you say is true.
Many people make innocent mistakes that hurt them. For example, if in your application form you say you did
fieldwork in Honduras until September of 1997, but in court, you say you entered the United States in August
of 1997 (and have not gone back to Honduras), the judge may think you are lying, because these facts are not
consistent (in other words, they cannot both be true). You could not have been in Honduras in September 1997
and in the United States at the same time. In addition, if you say in your declaration that in October, 4 men in a
blue truck came to your house, but in your hearing you say that it happened in December and there were 5 men
in a gray truck, the judge may think that you are lying.
If you cannot remember clearly, say so, and explain why it is hard to remember. (For example, it was a long
time ago, or you were too afraid to notice certain things, or you couldn't see or hear clearly what happened.)
Page 23 of 49
FIRRP- last update June 2007