Affirmative asylum applicants who are not fluent in English are required to bring an interpreter to their asylum interview, effective September 13, 2023. Individuals who prefer to complete the asylum interview process in a language other than English have the choice to bring an interpreter.

If an applicant is not fluent in English and does not bring an interpreter, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may consider it a failure to appear. If so determined, the asylum application may be dismissed or referred to an immigration judge. Each case will be considered individually.

The interpreter must be at least 18 years old and fluent in English and the language the applicant speaks fluently.

Interpreters cannot be:

  • the applicant’s attorney or accredited representative,
  • a witness who is testifying on behalf of the applicant
  • the employee or representative of the government of the country of nationality of the applicant, or, if stateless, the country of last habitual residence, or
  • an individual with a pending asylum application who has not yet completed their asylum interview.

The current temporary final rule (TFR) originally published on September 23, 2020, requires affirmative asylum applicants to use the USCIS contracted interpreters available by phone for asylum interviews. During the pandemic, that original TFR was extended and expires on September 12, 2023. Effective September 13, 2023, individual affirmative asylum applicants must bring their own interpreters to the interview.

If you have questions about the asylum process or any other immigration-related issues, contact us at ILBSG. Our team actively monitors ongoing updates to U.S. immigration policy to ensure our clients get the right advice to optimize their odds of a successful outcome.

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