I-589

Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal

Agency
USCIS
Revision
07/28/26
Fillable fields
460
Pages
12
Official source
USCIS form page
Checked
October 14, 2026
Fill I-589 online
Page 1 of form I-589

Form I-589: Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal

Form I-589 is used to apply for asylum in the United States and for withholding of removal. It can also be used to ask for protection under the Convention Against Torture. You may file if you are physically in the United States and are not a U.S. citizen.

The form is long, and USCIS says your application and supporting evidence may be your only chance to make your case before USCIS, since it can decide without an interview. The instructions also warn that anything you write can be used in removal proceedings, even if you later withdraw the application. Asylum law is complex, and the instructions say you have the right to your own lawyer at no cost to the government and point to lists of free legal providers.

You can fill the form online on this page for free and without an account, then print it and sign it. Complete it in English, because USCIS only accepts the English version.

Page 1 of Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, with the torture box and Part A.I

What's on Form I-589

Part A.I. Information about you

Name, A-Number, address where you live and mailing address, birth details, nationality, race, ethnic or tribal group, religion, entry and I-94 information, passport details, languages, and immigration court history.

Part A.II. Spouse and children

Your spouse and all your children, including stepchildren, adopted, deceased and adult children, whether or not they are included. Use Supplement A for more than four children.

Part A.III. Background

Your last address before coming to the United States, residences and employment for the past 5 years, your schools, and your parents and siblings, most recent first.

Part B. Information about your application

Why you are applying, with questions about past harm, fear of future harm and fear of torture. Explain any Yes answer.

Part C. Additional information

Questions about prior applications, travel, other countries, crimes, organizations, and why you did not apply within one year.

Part D. Your signature

You sign after reviewing the application and answer questions about any help you received.

Part E. Preparer's declaration

Anyone other than a spouse, parent or child who helped you prepare it must sign here.

Parts F and G

Signed later, at an asylum interview or a removal hearing. Do not sign them when you file.

How to fill out Form I-589

  1. 1

    First page: torture box

    Check the box at the top of page 1 if you also want to be considered for withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture, and explain the fear of torture in Part B, Question 4.

    The check box at the top of page 1 of Form I-589 for withholding under the Convention Against Torture
  2. 2

    Part A.I, Questions 8 and 9: addresses

    Question 8 is the street address where you physically live. Question 9 is a mailing address if different, with an In Care Of name if someone collects your mail. A P.O. box goes in Question 9 and a residence in Question 8.

    Form I-589 Part A.I Questions 8 and 9, residence and mailing address with an In Care Of line, sample values
  3. 3

    Part A.I, Question 13: country

    Use the current name of the country, not historical, ethnic or provincial names.

    Form I-589 Part A.I Question 13 with the city and country of birth entered, using a sample value
  4. 4

    Part A.I, Questions 19b and 19c: entry

    Enter the I-94 number and the date and status as on the I-94. If you did not receive an I-94, write None. If you entered without inspection, write No Inspection in Question 19c.

    Form I-589 Part A.I Questions 19b and 19c, the I-94 number and the entry date, place and status, sample values
  5. 5

    Part A.II: family

    List your spouse and every child. If you include a spouse or child in the application, send proof of the relationship, such as a marriage certificate and each child's birth certificate.

    Form I-589 Part A.II with a spouse's details and Yes marked to include the spouse in the application
  6. 6

    Part A.III: background

    Answer Questions 1 to 5 starting with your current residence, school and job and working back in time. Use Supplement B if the table runs out of rows.

    Form I-589 Part A.III tables filled most recent first, using sample values
  7. 7

    Part B: your claim

    Check the reason or reasons in Question 1 and Yes or No for the rest. Explain in detail what happened, including dates and details, and use Supplement B when the space runs out.

    Form I-589 Part B Question 1 reason boxes beside a written account with dates and places, sample text
  8. 8

    Part C, Question 5: late filing

    If you answer Yes about not applying within one year, explain why. USCIS lists examples such as worsened country conditions or health, but says the list is not all-inclusive.

    Form I-589 Part C Question 5 answered Yes with an attached explanation sheet for late filing
  9. 9

    Parts D and E: sign

    Sign Part D after you have reviewed the form. A preparer outside your immediate family must also sign Part E, or the application is returned as incomplete. Leave Parts F and G unsigned.

    Form I-589 Parts D and E with the applicant's signature and a preparer's name and signature, sample values

Type or print in black ink, in English. Answer none, not applicable or unknown if a question does not apply. Attach Supplement A or B or extra sheets if you need room, with your A-Number, name, signature and date.

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Deadlines, fees and where to send Form I-589

Deadline

File within one year of arriving in the United States, subject to the exceptions in the instructions.

Where to file with USCIS

Use the USCIS Filing Instructions Tool on the I-589 page to learn whether you file online or by mail. By mail, people who live in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Texas use the Dallas lockbox. Others use the Chicago lockbox. Some filings must go to the USCIS Asylum Intake Unit in Minneapolis, as the page explains.

Filing with the immigration court

If you are in proceedings before EOIR, file with the court that EOIR's hotline or online system identifies. A filing sent to the wrong place can be rejected.

Fees

Fees change, so check the USCIS fee schedule page and the annual asylum fee information on the I-589 page. USCIS says the annual asylum fee applies to the principal applicant while the application is pending and cannot be waived.

Evidence

Send a copy of passports and travel documents, relationship documents for family members, and reasonably available evidence of country conditions and your own facts. Photocopies are fine, and translations need a certification.

Common mistakes

Leaving key Part A and Part B answers blank, omitting the explanation of why you are applying, referencing an addendum you did not attach, sending the form unsigned, and sending a second I-589 when one is already pending.

Related forms

Who needs to fill out Form I-589?

  • People physically in the U.S. who are not citizens

    You may apply regardless of immigration status, including if you are in the country unlawfully, unless a statute or regulation says otherwise.

  • The one-year deadline

    You must file within 1 year of arriving in the United States unless you show changed circumstances that affect eligibility or extraordinary circumstances that prevented filing on time. Missing it may leave withholding or Convention Against Torture protection still available.

  • Affirmative or defensive filers

    If you are not in proceedings before the immigration court (EOIR), you can file with USCIS. If you are in proceedings before an immigration judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals, you generally file with EOIR instead. Unaccompanied children are an exception and file with USCIS.

  • Spouse and children

    You can include your spouse and unmarried children under 21 who are in the United States. Others must file their own applications. Children over 21 and married children file separately.

  • Applicants who need another form

    If you are granted asylum, you may file Form I-730 for a spouse or child outside the United States. The Northern Mariana Islands rule: you may not apply for asylum there until January 1, 2030, but may use this form for withholding or Convention Against Torture protection.

The USCIS page and instructions describe who files and where.

Official sources and the blank

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Questions about Form I-589

Is there a deadline to apply?

Yes. You must apply within 1 year of arriving in the United States unless you show changed circumstances or extraordinary circumstances. See the instructions for what counts.

Can I include my family?

You can include your spouse and unmarried children under 21 who are in the United States. List every child in Part A.II even if they are not included.

Do I need a lawyer?

The form does not require one, but the instructions note that the law is complex and that you may have your own representation at no cost to the government. They point to free legal provider lists.

Where do I send Form I-589?

It depends on your situation. Use the USCIS Filing Instructions Tool, or file with the immigration court if you are in proceedings before EOIR.

Do I sign Part F or Part G?

No. You sign those at an asylum interview or removal hearing. You do sign Part D.

Can I send my I-589 online?

In some situations. USCIS says some filers cannot file online, including unaccompanied children and people whose proceedings were dismissed or terminated.