USCIS Opens a New Atlanta Asylum Office for Georgia and Alabama
USCIS Opens a New Atlanta Asylum Office for Georgia and Alabama
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has opened a new Atlanta Asylum Office serving Georgia and Alabama. According to the agency's July 1, 2026 alert, the office will begin conducting interviews for affirmative asylum applicants beginning July 8, 2026.
If you have an asylum case in Georgia or Alabama, this change affects where your interview is scheduled. Below we explain, in plain terms, what USCIS announced, what it means for you, and what to do next.
What USCIS announced
Per the USCIS alert, the new Atlanta Asylum Office has jurisdiction over affirmative asylum cases in Georgia and Alabama. Starting July 8, 2026, applicants under that jurisdiction — both people who are newly filing and people who already filed — will have their interviews scheduled at one of three locations:
- The new temporary asylum office in Atlanta, at 401 W. Peachtree St. NW, 2nd Floor, Atlanta, GA 30308
- The USCIS Atlanta Field Office, at 2150 Park Lake Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30345
- The USCIS Montgomery Field Office, at 3381 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery, AL 36109
USCIS says the Atlanta Asylum Office is expected to move into a permanent location in 2027.
<!-- EDITOR: verify office addresses, mailing addresses, and open date against the USCIS alert before publish; USCIS pages can change. -->
One point the agency stresses: interviews and other services are by appointment only. Asylum offices do not accept walk-ins. Do not travel to any of these offices without a scheduled appointment.
What "affirmative asylum" means
There are two ways to pursue asylum in the United States, and the difference matters here.
- Affirmative asylum is for people who are not in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. You file Form I-589 with USCIS, and a USCIS asylum officer interviews you. This is the process the new Atlanta office handles.
- Defensive asylum is for people who are in removal proceedings. You raise your asylum claim before an immigration judge at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), not at a USCIS asylum office.
The Atlanta Asylum Office change applies to the affirmative process. If you are already in immigration court, your case stays with the court, not this office.
What this means for you
If you have a pending affirmative asylum case in Georgia or Alabama, your interview will now be scheduled at one of the three locations above rather than an office in another state. Watch for a USCIS interview notice, and confirm the date, time, and address on the notice itself — not from memory or from a friend's older case.
If you are planning to file, the office handling your case will be the Atlanta Asylum Office. The filing process and the underlying law do not change; only the office and interview location do.
If you moved recently, keep your address current with USCIS. Interview notices go to the address on file. Missing an interview because a notice went to an old address can seriously harm your case.
The one-year filing deadline still applies
A new office does not change one of the most important rules in asylum law: the one-year filing deadline.
Under INA § 208(a)(2)(B), codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1158(a)(2)(B), an applicant generally must show "by clear and convincing evidence that the application has been filed within 1 year after the date of the alien's arrival in the United States." USCIS states the same rule plainly: if you fail to file Form I-589 within one year of your arrival, you may not be eligible to apply for asylum under that section of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
There are exceptions. The statute allows a late application where the applicant shows "changed circumstances which materially affect the applicant's eligibility for asylum or extraordinary circumstances relating to the delay in filing." The law also exempts unaccompanied alien children from the deadline under INA § 208(a)(2)(E). Whether an exception applies to your situation is a legal judgment that depends on your facts.
Because the deadline is strict and the exceptions are narrow, this is an area where getting professional advice early can make a real difference.
What the interview involves
At an affirmative asylum interview, a USCIS asylum officer reviews your Form I-589 and asks about the harm you fear and why. Per USCIS, the interview generally lasts about one hour, though the time varies by case. You may bring an attorney, and if you cannot proceed in English, an interpreter must be provided.
If USCIS does not grant an affirmative case and the applicant has no lawful immigration status, the case is generally referred to an immigration judge, where the applicant can pursue the claim defensively in removal proceedings. That shift — from a USCIS office to immigration court — changes the stakes and the process, which is another reason to be prepared before your interview.
What to do now
- Read every notice carefully. Confirm the interview location and time on the official USCIS notice.
- Keep your address updated with USCIS so notices reach you.
- Gather your evidence — identity documents, proof of the harm you fear, and any records supporting your claim.
- Do not show up without an appointment. These offices are appointment-only.
- Get advice early, especially about the one-year deadline and any exception you may need to establish.
Talk to a lawyer about your situation
The move to the new Atlanta Asylum Office changes where interviews happen, not the law you must satisfy. If you have an affirmative asylum case in Georgia or Alabama — or you are deciding whether and how to file — it helps to have someone who knows the process review your facts.
Carlos Maury Law is a national firm of former U.S. Immigration Judges. If you'd like to discuss your case, call (213) 769-0050. Hablamos Español.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states does the new Atlanta Asylum Office cover?
Per the USCIS alert, the Atlanta Asylum Office has jurisdiction over affirmative asylum cases in Georgia and Alabama.
When does the office start conducting interviews?
USCIS says the Atlanta Asylum Office will begin conducting interviews for affirmative asylum applicants beginning July 8, 2026.
Can I walk in without an appointment?
No. USCIS states that interviews and services are by appointment only, and asylum offices do not accept walk-ins. Attend only the appointment listed on your official notice.
Does this change the one-year filing deadline?
No. The one-year deadline under INA § 208(a)(2)(B) still applies. You generally must file Form I-589 within one year of your arrival in the United States, unless you qualify for an exception such as changed or extraordinary circumstances.
What happens if USCIS does not grant my affirmative asylum case?
If USCIS does not grant the case and you have no lawful status, your case is generally referred to an immigration judge, where you can pursue asylum defensively in removal proceedings.
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This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration law is complex and fact-specific; consult a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.