What is Form I-589?
Form I-589 is the Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the immigration courts. You can use it to ask for asylum, for withholding of removal, and, by ticking the box at the top, for protection under the Convention Against Torture. You must be in the United States to file it. The current edition is 07/28/26, and it comes with Supplement A for more children and Supplement B for extra pages.
The form covers you, your spouse and up to six children, your last addresses abroad, five years of residences, schooling and jobs, and your parents and siblings. Parts B and C are your claim: the grounds you're seeking protection on (race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership in a particular social group, or torture), what happened to you or your family, what you fear, and questions about earlier applications, travel through other countries, filing more than a year after arrival, and any crimes.
FileIt pre-fills your name and date of birth from your vault, takes you through each part, shows the spouse and child parts only when you need them, and fits your detailed statements into the form's boxes, continuing on Supplement B. Everything is printed on the official PDF and saved in your vault. You sign the form by hand; FileIt never files it, and it can't tell you whether you qualify.
- Who files
- A person in the United States, or seeking admission at a port of entry, who fears persecution or torture in their home country.
- Pages
- 12, including Supplement A (children 5-6) and Supplement B (continuation).
- Deadline
- Part C item 5 asks whether you're filing more than one year after your last arrival, and why.
- Signature
- Handwritten by the applicant. Parts F and G are signed at an interview or hearing.
- Edition
- 07/28/26 (OMB No. 1615-0067, expires 09/30/2027)
Who needs to fill out Form I-589?
- People in the United States who fear persecution in their home country because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
- People who fear torture if returned, seeking protection under the Convention Against Torture.
- Applicants in Immigration Court proceedings, who file the I-589 with the court as their instructions explain.
- Families: a spouse and children in the United States can be included in the application.
When to use Form I-589
- As soon as you can after arriving: the form asks you to explain any filing more than a year after your last arrival.
- When you have gathered the facts of your claim, with dates and places, and any evidence about conditions in your country.
- Before an asylum interview or court hearing, as your case requires.
What you need before you start
- Your identity details, U.S. residence and mailing address, passport or travel document, and your entries into the United States.
- Your spouse's and children's details, including whether they're in the United States and to be included.
- Your last addresses abroad, residences, schools and jobs for the past five years, and your parents and siblings.
- A detailed account of past harm or threats and what you fear, with dates, places and who was responsible.
- Documents about general conditions in your country and the specific facts you rely on, or why you can't provide them.
- Photos and copies of identity documents as the instructions list.
What’s on Form I-589
The 2026 edition has 12 pages. FileIt asks for it in 18 parts:
- Attorney or accredited representative (page 9)Preparer
- Part A.I. Information about youApplicant
- Part A.I. Your residence and mailing address in the U.S.Applicant
- Part A.I. Other information about youApplicant
- Part A.II. Your spouseApplicant
- Part A.II. Your childrenApplicant
- Part A.II. Child 1Applicant
- Part A.II. Child 2Applicant
- Part A.II. Child 3Applicant
- Part A.II. Child 4Applicant
- Supplement A. Child 5Applicant
- Supplement A. Child 6Applicant
- Part A.III. Information about your backgroundApplicant
- Part B. Information about your applicationApplicant
- Part C. Additional information about your applicationApplicant
- Part D. Your signatureApplicant
- Part E. Person preparing the form, if other than you, your spouse, parent or childPreparer
- Supplement B. Additional information about your claim to asylumApplicant
How to fill out Form I-589, step by step
1 Part A.I. Information about you
Your A-Number, names, U.S. addresses, birth details, nationality, ethnic group and religion, whether you're in Immigration Court proceedings, when you left your country, your entries into the United States, your passport and languages. Tick the box at the top for Convention Against Torture protection.
2 Part A.II. Spouse and children
Your spouse's details if you're married, and each child's, whatever their age or where they live, with whether they're in the United States and to be included. Children 5 and 6 go on Supplement A.
3 Part A.III. Background
Your last address abroad, residences in the past five years, schools, jobs, and your parents and siblings, with month-and-year dates.
4 Part B. Your claim
The grounds you're seeking protection on, then past harm or threats, fear of return, arrests abroad, organizations you or your family belonged to, and fear of torture, each explained in detail if Yes.
5 Part C. Additional information
Earlier applications for refugee status or asylum, travel through or status in other countries, harm to others, return trips home, filing after one year, and crimes in the United States.
6 Parts D and E. Signature and preparer
Your printed name and your name in your native alphabet, who helped you, and the preparer's declaration if someone outside your family prepared it. You sign by hand.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving a general story without dates, places and who was responsible for each event.
- Not explaining a filing more than one year after arrival in Part C item 5.
- Leaving out a child because they're grown or live abroad: the form asks for all children.
- Answering Yes without an explanation, or not attaching available evidence (or saying why it isn't available).
- Not reading the warning about frivolous applications in Part D.
After you fill it out
Read every answer, then print the form and sign Part D by hand inside the brackets. Sign the supplements you use.
Attach your evidence, photos and copies as the instructions say, check uscis.gov/i-589 and USCIS's fee schedule for the fee and where to file, and file it yourself.
Keep a full copy. FileIt saves the filled PDF in your vault. Parts F and G are completed later, at an interview or hearing.
Fill out Form I-589 online with FileIt
- Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
- Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 361 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
- Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
- Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.
FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.
Start Form I-589 now — it’s freeForm I-589: frequently asked questions
What is Form I-589?
It is the Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal: the form to ask for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture.
Can I include my family?
Your spouse and children who are in the United States can be included. Part A.II asks about each of them and whether they are to be included.
What if I have more than four children?
Use Supplement A for children 5 and 6, which FileIt fills for you. More than that needs additional sheets.
Is there a filing fee?
USCIS points to its fee schedule for the I-589 fee. Its I-589 page also describes an Annual Asylum Fee that the principal applicant pays for each year the application is pending. Check uscis.gov/i-589 before you file.
What are Parts F and G?
They are signed in front of an asylum officer or an immigration judge, at an interview or hearing. Leave them blank when you file.
Can FileIt tell me if I qualify?
No. FileIt helps you fill in USCIS's official PDF and keeps it in your vault. It doesn't give legal advice or file anything for you.
Official sources
- Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-589.pdf
- Official instructions and guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/i-589
- Edition shown on this page: 07/28/26 (OMB 1615-0067, expires 09/30/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).
FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.