USCIS Opens Asylum Office in San Antonio

Current rules

USCIS now has an additional asylum office location in San Antonio. Applicants should continue to follow the location and instructions stated on their individual USCIS interview notices; the opening does not automatically move every Texas asylum case to San Antonio.

Overview

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is proposing to restructure and revise its Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC) health forms. This includes moving the Serious Medical Procedure Request (SMR) Form under the Medical Assessment Form and Dental Assessment Form, updating the title of OMB # 0970-0466 to 'Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Unaccompanied Alien Child Health Forms', and including provisions for sharing health information with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in specific circumstances to ensure continuity of care. The changes aim to improve transparency, reduce burden, enhance data quality, and align with ORR requirements.

What changed in the latest version

This change matters for asylum applicants within the Houston Asylum Office's area. It expands the possible places for their affirmative asylum interviews from only Houston to include San Antonio. The main benefit is a greater ability to hold interviews. This could mean these applicants have their affirmative asylum interviews arranged sooner. This change directly affects where applicants may need to travel for their interviews. It also highlights the importance of carefully checking interview notices for the given location.

Explained simply

Imagine you've asked the government for special protection, and they need to talk to you. Now, if you live near Houston, instead of just one place to talk, there's a new second place in San Antonio where you might go. This means more people can have their talks sooner because there's more space.

Frequently asked

Version history

1. v6Effective 28 May 2026EffectiveMedium impact
   USCIS Opens Asylum Office in San Antonio

   The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — an agency of the United States government that handles immigration and naturalisation matters — opened another asylum office in San Antonio, Texas, on 28 May 2026. This administrative change means that people who are not United States citizens — legally called aliens — who applied for asylum with USCIS and live in the Houston Asylum Office's area may now have their interview at either the Houston Asylum Office or the new San Antonio Asylum Office. The new office aims to increase the Houston Asylum Office’s ability to arrange and hold affirmative asylum interviews. Applicants must carefully check their interview notices to see where their interview will be.

Timeline

1. Announced

   5 Jun 2026

   USCIS has opened a new asylum office in San Antonio, Texas, effective 28 May 2026. This expansion aims to increase the capacity for scheduling and conducting affirmative asylum interviews for applicants residing in the Houston Asylum Office's jurisdiction. Asylum seekers may now be interviewed at either the Houston or the new San Antonio location, as indicated on their interview notice.

2. Takes effect

   28 May 2026

   Applicants residing in the Houston Asylum Office jurisdiction may be interviewed at either the Houston Asylum Office or the new San Antonio Asylum Office.