The one-year filing deadline means that you must apply for asylum within one year of your last arrival in the United States. If you fail to file your asylum application within this timeframe, your case may be denied unless you qualify for an exception.

Generally, individuals seeking asylum must submit Form I-589 within one year of entering the country. Missing this deadline can make you ineligible for asylum unless you can demonstrate extraordinary circumstances or changed conditions that justify the delay.

The one-year deadline is calculated from the date you physically entered the U.S. not from when you first considered applying. It applies to both affirmative asylum applications with USCIS and defensive applications in immigration court.