Missing the one-year filing deadline and establishing changed or extraordinary circumstances to qualify for an exception

Limited or no documentary evidence of persecution, which is common when clients flee without police reports, medical records, or other proof of harm

Claims of persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or domestic violence where the harm occurred in private and witnesses are unavailable

Establishing membership in a particular social group, one of the most complex and frequently litigated elements of asylum law

Inconsistencies between the written declaration, interview testimony, and prior statements that USCIS or an immigration judge may use to challenge credibility

Trauma-related memory gaps or difficulty recounting details of persecution in a linear, consistent manner during interviews and hearings

Prior criminal arrests or convictions that may trigger bars to asylum eligibility, including the aggravated felony and particularly serious crime bars

Prior removal orders or failed immigration applications that create procedural hurdles or raise credibility concerns

Cases referred from the Asylum Office to Immigration Court after a non-approval, requiring a shift from the affirmative to the defensive process

Navigating asylum claims for families where each member has a different factual basis for their case

Applying for permanent residence one year after an asylum grant and securing derivative benefits for spouses and children, including those still abroad

Cases involving the transit bar or safe third country agreements that may affect eligibility