The Difference Between Seeking Asylum and Refugee.

Based on the terrible events and instability in countries such as Syria and Iraq, people are seeking refuge in the United States for a better life. This has been done either through filing for refugee status or through asylum. Although both appear to be similar, they do differ and one big difference is based on whether one is currently in the United States or not.

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, Refugee status or Asylum may be granted to those who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted in their home country on account of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion. If one falls in either of those categories, then they qualify to apply for either status. If they are currently inside the United States, then they can apply for Asylum. If they are not inside the United States, then they would have to apply as a refugee through a referral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for consideration as a refugee.

After they apply for either status, they will go through an interview in order to be eligible for either status. Even though they may be eligible for either status based on past persecution or future persecution, they will not be admissible for either if they have ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Those along with other criminal background, health, or security-related grounds would be grounds to deny theyr application and make them inadmissible to the United States. Moreover, family members, including the spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21, may be included as long as they are also admissible to the United States.

Furthermore, one cannot seek to refugee or asylum status if that person has already firmly resettled in another country prior to admission to or arrival in the United States. In other words, if they have been granted permanent resident status or citizenship in another country prior to arriving to the United States. Therefore, one cannot claim either status to come to the United States if they are a resident or a citizen of another country, besides their home country, before coming to America since they can stay there and avoid persecution.