BIG NEWS: Charlotte Opens Its First USCIS Asylum Office. What Immigrants in North and South Carolina Need to Know
For the asylum seekers in the Carolinas who get an interview, a trip to Virginia may no longer be necessary. On October 13, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) opened its first Asylum Office in Charlotte, North Carolina. See the photo above; the office is so new that it doesn’t have USCIS signs outside yet.
Until now, asylum applicants living in North Carolina and South Carolina were served by the Arlington, Virginia Asylum Office. Many had to travel hundreds of miles for their interviews, paying for hotels and gasoline. But the biggest change isn’t just about saving time and money. There’s an expert asylum attorney representing immigrants at the Charlotte Asylum Office, even if another lawyer or paralegal prepared the I-589 asylum application.
Experience Matters Especially When Your Future Is at Stake
Because Charlotte has never had an Asylum Office before, many local immigration attorneys have limited experience attending these special interviews. Attorney Elizabeth Blandon is the ONLY Spanish-speaking and French-speaking expert attorney available to represent immigrants at the Charlotte Asylum Office. Attorney Blandon gained more than 20 years of asylum interview experience at the Miami Asylum Office, one of the busiest in the country. She now brings that experience to Charlotte, helping asylum seekers prepare for the most important interview of their lives.
Ms. Blandon has 15 years’ experience as a board-certified immigration attorney. This means an attorney has earned special recognition from a state lawyers’ association because she passed a rigorous immigration law test, has years of experience, and has high evaluations from other lawyers and judges. It’s a distinction that few immigration attorneys hold.
What Does the New Charlotte Asylum Office Mean for You?
If you live in North Carolina or South Carolina and have applied for asylum with USCIS, your case now falls under the Charlotte Asylum Office’s jurisdiction. Here are three important things to know:
- If you moved into the Carolinas, you must update your address to be interviewed in Charlotte at 128 South Tryon Street, Suite 600.
- The new office changes where cases are handled, not the legal requirements for asylum.
- You can bring an attorney to your interview. In fact, USCIS requires attorneys to attend asylum interviews in person rather than remotely.
An Asylum Interview Is More Than an Appointment
For many immigrants, the asylum interview is the moment they have waited years for. It is their opportunity to explain their experiences, and why they cannot safely return home. A new office makes that opportunity more accessible. But preparation remains essential.
If you know someone waiting for an asylum interview in North Carolina or South Carolina, SHARE THIS ARTICLE. They may not know that the office handling their case has changed.
Blandon Law has been helping families get asylum, work permits, and green cards for 25 years. Call 954.385.0157 or click “Ask an Attorney” today if you need the best asylum attorney. Also click “Ask an Attorney” if you have a question for a future blog.
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All team members speak Spanish.
Disclaimer – These entries are based on real life events. Family member names, when used, are real. Client names are changed for privacy.
