Stage 3: Preparing For Your Trial/Asylum Interview

You will want to make sure that all of your evidence that is not in English is translated into English with a Certificate of Translation. The court cannot accept or consider evidence without a translation. You will also want to provide to the Judge any relevant country reports or news articles, especially if there is a country condition packet for your country and claim.

 

Everyone who applies for asylum has to be fingerprinted.  Fingerprint appointments are generated by the Nebraska Service center.  When you get fingerprinted, your fingerprint appointment will get stamped. Save this and bring this to Court. Also bring your passport and the original documents of any evidence you have submitted, if they are available.

 

If you have witnesses who are here in New York, they can come with you on the day of your hearing to testify in support of their witness statement.  This allows the judge to give the letter full evidentiary weight.  

 

Make sure to review any evidence you submit to make sure that what you are submitting to court is true and correct.  Make sure you are familiar with the information you provide and can describe to the judge how you got that evidence.

 

You should also review your written statement and think about how you want to explain your situation to the judge.  Make sure to focus on…

 

1. Why are you afraid of going back to your country?

2. Who are you afraid of?

3. Why would this person or group want to hurt you? Is it because of your race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion?

4. Can your home government protect you?  Did you try to seek protection?  If yes, what happened?  If no, why not?

5. Would it be reasonable for you to find a safe haven in another part of your country? If not, why not?  These are the questions that the judge will want to answer when arriving at a decision in your case.