Yapian

I have a rather difficult situation that lasts since my childhood. I
have no rights anywhere in the world, and I need help.

I am a Croatian citizen but of Serbian origin. Therefore, during the
civil war in 1991 when I was 14 I fled with my family to Serbia
looking for sanctuary. We got refugee status over there. However, we
had no rights in Serbia, whatsoever, my family tried to immigrate to
New Zealand, and after we failed, my family filed for immigration to
Australia. That did not work either. After a year we filed again to
immigrate to Canada. We were denied once again. We could not get any
citizenship in Serbia, could not go back to Croatia since we are Serbs
(and are discriminated on all the grounds over there), and could not
go to the third country. So, at the end of 1998, I left country to
study abroad, hoping something would change. Nothing changed. In 2001
I came to the US and sought asylum in 2002. My application is pending
for almost a year now. I got my EAD, and I gave them my fingerprints,
but no interview invitation yet. I was told I would get a court
hearing within 60 days of the filing of my I-589. I have a pro bono
lawyer that does not help much, but I have no choice now. I entered
the US on F-1 visa that is still valid. My whole life is in a limbo
for more than 11 years now, I have never voted, I had my first job
here in the US (since I was considered a foreigner in Serbia), I have
Croatian citizenship only on paper because I cannot exercise any
rights over there. I spent my teen years in refugee centers,
bureaucracy procedures, documents chasing, hope, and disappointments
of a normal life that every other normal citizen would have.
I do not need sorry and pity, I just need a chance to live normally.

My parents are still in Serbia. My mother cannot work over there since
she is Croatian origin, and my father although Serbian origin does not
work in the public company since he is still on a refugee status. They
have no desire to immigrate any more, as they are too old to start
from the beginning (again). But I am 25, and I do not want to spend
the rest of my life tossed around and being treated as a second class
citizen.

What do I do to speed up my asylum procedures, and to finish up with
this life-long state of emergency?

Michelle

Henry

To which asylum office did you apply? In which state do you live?

Some asylum offices schedule interview appointments within a couple of
months, but it takes over a year 9or more) to get an asylum interview in
some other offices. You will probably get your asylum interview within the
next year. Hang in there. In the meantime, study and work and try to make
the best of your life/time.

One more thing: at this stage you will not get a court hearing. You will
receive an appointment for an asylum interview with an asylum officer at the
local asylum/BCIS office. If the officer does not approve your case, he/she
will then refer your case to an Immigration Judge and you will then get a
court hearing. At some places, it takes about a year or so after the asylum
interview until the officer makes his/her decision (i.e. approve your case
or refer to judge). So, don't worry if things go slow.



"yapian" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I have a rather difficult situation that lasts since my childhood. I
    > have no rights anywhere in the world, and I need help.
    > I am a Croatian citizen but of Serbian origin. Therefore, during the
    > civil war in 1991 when I was 14 I fled with my family to Serbia
    > looking for sanctuary. We got refugee status over there. However, we
    > had no rights in Serbia, whatsoever, my family tried to immigrate to
    > New Zealand, and after we failed, my family filed for immigration to
    > Australia. That did not work either. After a year we filed again to
    > immigrate to Canada. We were denied once again. We could not get any
    > citizenship in Serbia, could not go back to Croatia since we are Serbs
    > (and are discriminated on all the grounds over there), and could not
    > go to the third country. So, at the end of 1998, I left country to
    > study abroad, hoping something would change. Nothing changed. In 2001
    > I came to the US and sought asylum in 2002. My application is pending
    > for almost a year now. I got my EAD, and I gave them my fingerprints,
    > but no interview invitation yet. I was told I would get a court
    > hearing within 60 days of the filing of my I-589. I have a pro bono
    > lawyer that does not help much, but I have no choice now. I entered
    > the US on F-1 visa that is still valid. My whole life is in a limbo
    > for more than 11 years now, I have never voted, I had my first job
    > here in the US (since I was considered a foreigner in Serbia), I have
    > Croatian citizenship only on paper because I cannot exercise any
    > rights over there. I spent my teen years in refugee centers,
    > bureaucracy procedures, documents chasing, hope, and disappointments
    > of a normal life that every other normal citizen would have.
    > I do not need sorry and pity, I just need a chance to live normally.
    > My parents are still in Serbia. My mother cannot work over there since
    > she is Croatian origin, and my father although Serbian origin does not
    > work in the public company since he is still on a refugee status. They
    > have no desire to immigrate any more, as they are too old to start
    > from the beginning (again). But I am 25, and I do not want to spend
    > the rest of my life tossed around and being treated as a second class
    > citizen.
    > What do I do to speed up my asylum procedures, and to finish up with
    > this life-long state of emergency?
    > Michelle

Yapian

Thank you Henry, so much for your response.
I am in Florida, and I filed my I-589 in Texas, and a copy in Miami.
My lawyer tells me that I will have the interview in Miami (yes, you
are right, it is an interview, not a court hearing, I confused the
terms). She also told me that would happen within 60 days. It did not
happen, and I do know there are people waiting for an interview for
years. I really do not want to waste another 10 years of my life in
procedures and paperwork. It seems that the whole living is just about
fight for right to live. Anyway, on the other hand, it seems I do not
have much choice.
My question is, is there any way I can speed it up, I can make those
people pull me out of the backlog? Accidentally, I met a couple that
filed I-589 in 2001 also in Miami, and had an interview within the
next three months and got the decision two weeks from the interview,
which was positive. It took them less than a year. To make the whole
thing even worse, their case was not even strong as mine is (I should
not go into details).

Thank you very much for your help, Henry, I really appreciate it!
Michelle

Blank

You can try to talk to your congressman. Sometime help in getting things
moving again.

Good Luck!


"yapian" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Thank you Henry, so much for your response.
    > I am in Florida, and I filed my I-589 in Texas, and a copy in Miami.
    > My lawyer tells me that I will have the interview in Miami (yes, you
    > are right, it is an interview, not a court hearing, I confused the
    > terms). She also told me that would happen within 60 days. It did not
    > happen, and I do know there are people waiting for an interview for
    > years. I really do not want to waste another 10 years of my life in
    > procedures and paperwork. It seems that the whole living is just about
    > fight for right to live. Anyway, on the other hand, it seems I do not
    > have much choice.
    > My question is, is there any way I can speed it up, I can make those
    > people pull me out of the backlog? Accidentally, I met a couple that
    > filed I-589 in 2001 also in Miami, and had an interview within the
    > next three months and got the decision two weeks from the interview,
    > which was positive. It took them less than a year. To make the whole
    > thing even worse, their case was not even strong as mine is (I should
    > not go into details).
    > Thank you very much for your help, Henry, I really appreciate it!
    > Michelle

Yapian

thanks, I tought of that, but somehow I have a feeling they do not
care for those who do not have right to vote. But, I guess I have
nothing to lose to try, so I will try that.
Thank you.
Michelle

Yapian

[email protected] (yapian) wrote in message news:...
    > thanks, I tought of that, but somehow I have a feeling they do not
    > care for those who do not have right to vote. But, I guess I have
    > nothing to lose to try, so I will try that.
    > Thank you.
    > Michelle
Does anyone have any experiences with this issue? Does anyone have an
advice to share?