An asylee, like a refugee, is a person who flees his or her country and is unwilling or unable to return due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted.  This persecution is based on reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. However, asylees arrive in the United States on their own as students, tourists, businesspeople, or without any immigration status at all. After they have entered the country or reached a port of entry, they apply for and may receive a grant of asylum, which acknowledges that they meet the legal definition of a refugee and are permitted to stay in the United States. Asylees are eligible for the same services as refugees beginning the date on which they are granted asylum and may apply for Legal Permanent Resident status after one year and U.S. citizenship after five years in the U.S.

Quick Facts:

•  In 2010, over 358,800 individual applications for asylum or refugee status were submitted worldwide to governments or UNHCR offices.
• While Europe remained the primary destination for asylum applicants in 2010, the United States granted asylum status to the most applicants.
• Asylum seekers from Serbia (including Kosovo), Afghanistan, Iraq, and China filed the highest number of new asylum claims worldwide in 2010.
• During 2010, 21,113 individuals were granted asylum in the United States.
• In 2010, the leading countries of nationality for persons granted asylum in the U.S. were China, Ethiopia, and Haiti.

Facts compiled from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  Please visit the Resources section for more information.