Afghan Asylum Legal Assistance
For Afghans in the United States in need of asylum legal assistance, please consider reaching out to your resettlement agency and local community and resettlement organizations for up-to-date, localized resources. Project ANAR assists locally in the Bay Area and in the DMV, and we will post any workshops and openings for pro bono assistance when we offer them. However, we cannot assist everyone who may need assistance. We understand that the need for legal assistance is urgent, but we strongly encourage you to seek assistance when applying for asylum, and encourage you to use the resources below to try to access services in your area. This is general information, and not legal advice.
Finding services in your region:
Human Rights First Request for Legal Assistance - A form to request legal assistance for your asylum application through HRF
Immigration Advocates Network Pro Bono Legal Services Directory - Enter your zip code to find local legal service providers to contact directly, either free or low cost
AILA Low Bono Directory - A directory of low cost immigration lawyers taking Afghan asylum cases
AILA Immigration Lawyer Directory - Not necessarily lawyers who offer free or low cost services
Human Rights First PALA Resource Page for Afghans in the U.S.
Avoiding Immigration Scams:
Avoid Immigration Scams - Unfortunately, people sometimes present themselves as lawyers or people who can help you with your case, but they are actually taking advantage of immigrants and can cause harmful case outcomes. It is important to be cautious and avoid these kinds of scams.
Know Your Rights and General Resources:
Afghan Asylum Filing Deadline 1-pager from HIAS and American University Washington College of Law
Pars Equality Center Resources for Afghan Nationals (see asylum dropdown)
What to take to your asylum interview from Project ANAR
Asylum Interview resource created by VECINA
USCIS published YouTube videos in Dari and Pashto on how to create a MyUSCIS account. Your online account can be used to file certain types of cases and track them using the receipt numbers.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) - Afghan TPS Know Your Rights videos, put together by the ABA Commission on Immigration and HIAS. The KYR presentation is available in English, Dari, and Pashto and provides an overview of TPS, the benefits and limitations, and how to apply.