Nationality

If you were born of a particular nationality, including an ethnic or linguistic group, that has been threatened or have experienced physical, psychological, or economic harm by your own government or group the government is unwilling or unable to control, you may qualify for asylum.

Pursuing asylum based on nationality is complex since it can often be tied to one’s political opinion, religion, race, and other values or cultural distinctions.

For asylum seekers who are nationals of more than one country, a court’s interpretation of the “any country” clause could determine whether they are eligible for asylum in the United States. The challenge for some asylum seekers with dual nationality is that they may be forced to establish a well-founded fear of persecution to each country to which they have a legal connection.

Furthermore, many countries that previously did not recognize dual or multiple citizenships are beginning to amend their laws, allowing individuals to retain their nationalities despite acquiring nationalities in other countries This is why it is crucial to have an experienced immigration attorney represent you in your claim for asylum.

Rates of success for asylum seekers based on nationality, race, religion, political opinion, or social group are significantly higher when applicants use an attorney. For example, take China. Between October 2011 and September 2017, China had the highest number of total US asylum decisions (31,176) — and one of the lowest denial rates (20.3%). Most notable, more than 95% of those Chinese applicants had attorneys.