You are eligible for Asylum relief if you can show past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution because of your race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. You must apply for asylum within 1 year from the date of the last arrival in the U.S. If you seek asylum more than 1 year after your arrival, be prepared to show either changed circumstances that materially affect your eligibility or extraordinary circumstances that delayed the filing of the application.