New Asylum Office Opens in Charlotte, North Carolina
The government is opening a new office in Charlotte, NC, for people seeking asylum who live in North or South Carolina.
Affects: Asylum seekers · Source: USCIS · Action may be needed
What happened
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is opening a new asylum office in Charlotte, North Carolina. This office will handle asylum cases for people living in North and South Carolina.
Starting October 13, 2026, if you live in North Carolina or South Carolina and have applied for asylum, your case will be handled by this new office. You may be scheduled to go to Charlotte for your interview.
It is very important to read your interview notice carefully. The notice will tell you exactly where and when to go for your asylum interview. Remember, interviews are by appointment only.
The bigger picture
Before this new office, people seeking asylum who lived in North Carolina or South Carolina had to travel to other places for their asylum interviews. This often meant long trips to offices in different states, which could be difficult and costly for them. The government saw that people in these states needed a closer option.
USCIS says it is opening this office to make the asylum process easier and more local for people in North and South Carolina. Having an office nearby means less travel and more convenient access to the services they need for their asylum applications.
What this means for you
Asylum seekers
If you live in North Carolina or South Carolina and have applied for asylum, your case will now be handled by this new office. This means that if USCIS schedules you for an asylum interview, you will likely go to the Charlotte office. This could be a shorter trip for you compared to going to an office in another state.
Employers
This new asylum office does not directly change anything for employers. It focuses on individual asylum applications and does not impact hiring or employment processes.
Green card applicants
This change does not directly affect people applying for green cards. The new office is specifically for asylum cases in North and South Carolina.
All immigrants
This new office is only for asylum seekers in North and South Carolina. It does not directly change anything for other types of immigration cases, such as work permits, student visas, or family-based petitions.
What you should do
- If you have applied for asylum and live in North or South Carolina, carefully read any interview notices you receive from USCIS. It will tell you where to go for your interview. If you need to reschedule, call the USCIS Contact Center.
Key dates
- 2026-10-09: Date USCIS announced the new office
- 2026-10-13: New Charlotte Asylum Office opens and begins handling cases
Words explained
- USCIS
- USCIS stands for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is the government agency that handles immigration benefits and applications.
- Asylum
- Asylum is protection given by a country to someone who has left their home country because they are afraid of harm or persecution.
- Jurisdiction
- Jurisdiction means the official power or area where a court or office can make legal decisions or handle cases.
- Interview notice
- An interview notice is a letter or document from USCIS that tells you the date, time, and place for your immigration interview.
Common questions
Where is the new asylum office in Charlotte?
The new Charlotte Asylum Office is located at 128 South Tryon Street, Suite 600, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202. This is the physical address where interviews will take place.
Can I just walk into the new Charlotte asylum office?
No, you cannot just walk in. The Charlotte Asylum Office, like other asylum offices, only provides interviews and other services by appointment. You must have a scheduled appointment to visit.
What if I need to change my interview date?
If you need to reschedule your asylum interview before your appointment date, you should call the USCIS Contact Center. Their phone number is 1-800-375-5283. Make sure to do this before your scheduled interview.
Who needs to go to this new office?
This new office is specifically for people who live in North Carolina or South Carolina and have filed or are filing for asylum. If you are in this group, your asylum interview will now be handled by the Charlotte office.
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This is a plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Confirm with the official source or a licensed immigration attorney.