Comprehensive Overview of Immigration Law (COIL) Practice Exam

An exception to the one-year filing deadline for asylum can be based on which of the following?

1. Changed or extraordinary circumstances

2. Proof of employment in the U.S.

3. A criminal background check

4. Establishing a family connection

The correct answer is: Changed or extraordinary circumstances

The basis for an exception to the one-year filing deadline for asylum applications is indeed rooted in changed or extraordinary circumstances. The U.S. asylum system is designed to protect individuals who cannot return to their home countries due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. However, there are specific timelines for filing an asylum application—generally within one year of arrival in the United States. Changed or extraordinary circumstances refer to significant events or changes in the applicant's situation that may affect their eligibility for asylum, such as new evidence of persecution, a shift in the political landscape of their home country, or personal circumstances that risk their safety. These changes can justify the late filing of an asylum application, allowing those who may have otherwise missed the deadline to seek protection. The other options—proof of employment in the U.S., a criminal background check, and establishing a family connection—do not serve as grounds for exceptions to the one-year deadline for asylum. While these factors may be relevant to an individual's overall immigration case or may influence other aspects of their status, they do not qualify as valid reasons for missing the asylum filing deadline.