Refugees and asylum | USAGov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Learn how to seek refuge or asylum in the U.S. Also find U.S. embassies around the world.

How to seek refuge in the U.S.

To seek refugee status, you must be outside the U.S. and believe you will be persecuted in your country. Find out if you and your family can qualify as refugees and how to apply.
How to seek asylum in the U.S.

To seek asylum, you must already be in the U.S. and believe you will be in danger of persecution if you return to your country. Learn how to seek asylum and sponsor someone else.
Find a U.S. embassy

U.S. embassies act as headquarters for U.S. government representatives abroad. They help U.S. citizens and non-citizens with travel and immigration-related issues.