5 things to do while your asylum case is pending with USCIS

On November 28, 2025, USCIS announced that it has stopped making any decisions on pending asylum applications. USCIS did not say how long this asylum pause would last.

If you have an asylum case pending with USCIS, here are 5 things you can do while you wait. 

1. Check your case status regularly 

Even though USCIS has temporarily paused making final decisions on asylum cases, they are still scheduling biometrics appointments and conducting interviews.

Keep checking the USCIS case status website and enter the receipt number from your asylum application. It can help to check every week, because sometimes USCIS will schedule an interview very quickly. Read about common messages on the case status website.  

Important USCIS notices, such as your asylum interview notice, will arrive by mail or in your online USCIS account. If you receive notices by mail and you move, you can change your address with USCIS to continue receiving notices.

2. Renew your work permit 

You can apply for your initial work permit 150 days after you submit your asylum application to USCIS. You can apply to renew your work permit while your case is pending, and you may want to apply for renewal 1 year before the expiration date, to increase the chance that you will receive your new work permit before your current one expires.

Even though USCIS has temporarily paused making final decisions on asylum cases, you can still apply for a work permit based on asylum, and existing work permits based on asylum are still valid. However, if you are from one of 40 specific countries, the government has paused processing work permit renewals and other applications. See the 40 countries here. Learn more about work permits.  

3. Check if your annual asylum fee is due and pay on time

There is a new annual asylum fee for each year that an asylum application is pending. The fee is currently $102. USCIS is supposed to send you a notice when your annual asylum fee payment is due, with 30 days to pay. You can also check if your fee is due on this USCIS website. If the website says your fee is not due yet, you can keep checking the website every week. Find up-to-date information about the annual asylum fee and how to pay it here.

4. Continue to prepare for your interview

Even though USCIS has temporarily paused making final decisions on asylum cases, they are still scheduling and conducting asylum interviews. You can continue to work on gathering evidence to support your asylum case. You will need to submit any additional evidence usually at least one week before your asylum interview. It can be helpful to find a lawyer who can help you prepare your asylum case. You can also watch this video for more information about asylum interviews.

5. Sign up for ASAP membership to get free legal updates by text or email

Every month, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) provides all members with free legal updates by email or text message – including information about how laws are changing. Signing up for ASAP membership is completely free for asylum seekers in the United States.