United States | USCIS requires in-person attorney presence at certain asylum interviews, effective May 18

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted alerts on asylum-related pages stating that, effective May 18, 2026, attorneys and accredited representatives are generally required to appear in person at affirmative asylum interviews, with limited exceptions for remote participation.

Key takeaways:

Legal representatives must be physically present at affirmative asylum interviews. The USCIS alert states, “Effective May 18, 2026, USCIS will no longer permit attorneys and accredited representatives to participate remotely in interviews at field offices and in affirmative asylum and Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) 203 interviews at asylum offices, except in limited circumstances. All legal representatives must be physically present to attend these interviews.”

Remote participation may be allowed only in limited circumstances. Though USCIS has indicated that exceptions may be granted in limited circumstances, it has not yet published criteria for when remote attendance will be permitted.

Additional information: USCIS instructions for preparing for an affirmative asylum interview can be found here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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