[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 8, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2001] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 8CFR208.14] [Page 196-197] TITLE 8--ALIENS AND NATIONALITY CHAPTER I--IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PART 208--PROCEDURES FOR ASYLUM AND WITHHOLDING OF REMOVAL--Table of Contents Subpart A--Asylum and Withholding of Removal Sec. 208.14 Approval, denial, referral, or dismissal of application. (a) By an immigration judge. Unless otherwise prohibited in Sec. 208.13(c), an immigration judge may grant or deny asylum in the exercise of discretion to an applicant who qualifies as a refugee under section 101(a)(42) of the Act. (b) By an asylum officer. Unless otherwise prohibited in Sec. 208.13(c): (1) An asylum officer may grant asylum in the exercise of discretion to an applicant who qualifies as a refugee under section 101(a)(42) of the Act. (2) If the alien appears to be deportable, excludable or removable under section 240 of the Act, the asylum officer shall either grant asylum or refer the application to an immigration judge for adjudication in deportation, exclusion, or removal proceedings. An asylum officer may refer such an application after an interview conducted in accordance with Sec. 208.9, or if, in accordance with Sec. 208.10, the applicant is deemed to have waived his or her right to an interview or an adjudication by an asylum officer. (3) If the applicant is maintaining valid nonimmigrant status at the time the application is decided, the asylum officer may grant or deny asylum, except in the case of an applicant described in Sec. 208.2(b)(1). (c) Applicability of Sec. 103.2(b) of this chapter. No application for asylum or withholding of deportation shall be subject to denial pursuant to Sec. 103.2(b) of this chapter. (d) Duration. If the alien's asylum application is granted, the grant will be effective for an indefinite period, subject to termination as provided in Sec. 208.22. (e) Effect of denial of principal's application on separate applications by dependents. The denial of an asylum application filed by a principal applicant for asylum shall also result in the denial of asylum status to any dependents of that principal applicant who are included in that same application. Such denial shall not preclude a grant of asylum for an otherwise eligible dependent who has filed a separate asylum application, nor shall such denial result in an otherwise eligible dependent becoming ineligible to apply for asylum due to the provisions of section 208(a)(2)(C) of the Act. (f) If an asylum applicant is granted adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident, the Service may provide written notice to the applicant that his or her asylum application will be presumed abandoned and dismissed without prejudice, unless the applicant submits a written request within 30 days of the notice, that the asylum application be adjudicated. If an applicant does not respond within 30 days of the date the written notice was sent or served, the Service may presume the asylum application abandoned and dismiss it without prejudice. [62 FR 10337, Mar. 6, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 12986, Mar. 17, 1998; 64 FR 27875, May 21, 1999] Effective Date Note: At 65 FR 76134, Dec. 6, 2000, Sec. 208.14 was amended by revising paragraph (b), by redesignating paragraphs (c) through (f) as (d) through (g), by adding paragraph (c), by revising newly redesignated paragraph (e), and by adding a heading to newly redesignated paragraph (g), effective Jan. 5, 2001. For the convenience of the user, the revised and added text is set forth as follows: Sec. 208.14 Approval, denial, referral, or dismissal of application. * * * * * [[Page 197]] (b) Approval by an asylum officer. In any case within the jurisdiction of the Office of International Affairs, unless otherwise prohibited in Sec. 208.13(c), an asylum officer may grant, in the exercise of his or her discretion, asylum to an applicant who qualifies as a refugee under section 101(a)(42) of the Act, and whose identity has been checked pursuant to section 208(d)(5)(A)(i) of the Act. (c) Denial, referral, or dismissal by an asylum officer. If the asylum officer does not grant asylum to an applicant after an interview conducted in accordance with Sec. 208.9, or if, as provided in Sec. 208.10, the applicant is deemed to have waived his or her right to an interview or an adjudication by an asylum officer, the asylum officer shall deny, refer, or dismiss the application, as follows: (1) Inadmissible or deportable aliens. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, in the case of an applicant who appears to be inadmissible or deportable under section 212(a) or 237(a) of the Act, the asylum officer shall refer the application to an immigration judge, together with the appropriate charging document, for adjudication in removal proceedings (or, where charging documents may not be issued, shall dismiss the application). (2) Alien in valid status. In the case of an applicant who is maintaining valid immigrant, nonimmigrant, or Temporary Protected Status at the time the application is decided, the asylum officer shall deny the application for asylum. (3) Alien with valid parole. If an applicant has been paroled into the United States and the parole has not expired or been terminated by the Service, the asylum officer shall deny the application for asylum. (4) Alien paroled into the United States whose parole has expired or is terminated. (i) Alien paroled prior to April 1, 1997, or with advance authorization for parole. In the case of an applicant who was paroled into the United States prior to April 1, 1997, or who, prior to departure from the United States, had received an advance authorization for parole, the asylum officer shall refer the application, together with the appropriate charging documents, to an immigration judge for adjudication in removal proceedings if the parole has expired, the Service has terminated parole, or the Service is terminating parole through issuance of the charging documents, pursuant to Sec. 212.5(d)(2)(i) of this chapter. (ii) Alien paroled on or after April 1, 1997, without advance authorization for parole. In the case of an applicant who is an arriving alien or is otherwise subject to removal under Sec. 235.3(b) of this chapter, and was paroled into the United States on or after April 1, 1997, without advance authorization for parole prior to departure from the United States, the asylum officer will take the following actions, if the parole has expired or been terminated: (A) Inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(C) or 212(a)(7) of the Act. If the applicant appears inadmissible to the United States under section 212(a)(6)(C) or 212(a)(7) of the Act and the asylum officer does not intend to lodge any additional charges of inadmissibility, the asylum officer shall proceed in accordance with Sec. 235.3(b) of this chapter. If such applicant is found to have a credible fear of persecution or torture based on information elicited from the asylum interview, an asylum officer may refer the applicant directly to an immigration judge in removal proceedings under section 240 of the Act, without conducting a separate credible fear interview pursuant to Sec. 208.30. If such applicant is not found to have a credible fear based on information elicited at the asylum interview, an asylum officer will conduct a credible fear interview and the applicant will be subject to the credible fear process specified at Sec. 208.30(b). (B) Inadmissible on other grounds. In the case of an applicant who was paroled into the United States on or after April 1, 1997, and will be charged as inadmissible to the United States under provisions of the Act other than, or in addition to, sections 212(a)(6)(C) or 212(a)(7), the asylum officer shall refer the application to an immigration judge for adjudication in removal proceedings. * * * * * (e) Duration. If the applicant is granted asylum, the grant will be effective for an indefinite period, subject to termination as provided in Sec. 208.24. * * * * * (g) Applicants granted lawful permanent residence status. * * *