Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Estimated total cost
$7,100
Attorney fee
$5,000
Translation cost
$600
Expert report cost
$1,200
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How to use this
- 1Enter case type.
- 2Enter attorney flat fee ($).
- 3Enter words needing certified translation.
- 4Enter translation rate per word ($).
- 5Enter number of expert/medical reports.
- 6Enter cost per expert report ($).
- 7Enter travel, copies, misc ($).
- 8Read your estimated total cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 9Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Filing Form I-589 for asylum itself is free, but a competitive case rarely is. Attorneys typically charge $3,000-$8,000 flat for a straightforward affirmative case and $8,000-$15,000+ for a defensive case in immigration court, since court cases require more hearings and briefing. Add certified translation of any foreign-language evidence (often $0.15-$0.30 per word or a flat per-document rate), a country conditions expert or psychological evaluation to corroborate persecution or trauma claims ($500-$2,500 per report), and travel to hearings if your case isn't local. This calculator adds attorney fees, translation, expert reports, and court costs into one number so you can plan realistically, since asylum cases often run 1-4 years and legal costs can arrive in stages rather than all at once.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Case type: Affirmative (USCIS)
- Attorney flat fee: 5000 $
- Words needing certified translation: 3000
- Translation rate per word: 0.2 $
- Number of expert/medical reports: 1
- Cost per expert report: 1200 $
- Travel, copies, misc: 300 $
Results
- Estimated total cost: $7,100
- Attorney fee: $5,000
- Translation cost: $600
- Expert report cost: $1,200
What each field means
Inputs
- Case type
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: Affirmative (USCIS), Defensive (immigration court).
- Attorney flat fee ($)
- The attorney flat fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 5000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Words needing certified translation
- The words needing certified translation used in the calculation. Starts at 3000 so you have a working example on load.
- Translation rate per word ($)
- The translation rate per word used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0.2 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Number of expert/medical reports
- The number of expert/medical reports used in the calculation. Starts at 1 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–5.
- Cost per expert report ($)
- The cost per expert report used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1200 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Travel, copies, misc ($)
- The travel, copies, misc used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 300 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Estimated total cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Attorney fee
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Translation cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Expert report cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Is there a filing fee for asylum?
No — Form I-589 remains free to file, unlike most other immigration benefits. A 2020 rule that attempted to add a fee was blocked and never took effect, so cost pressure on asylum seekers comes entirely from legal representation and evidence gathering, not government fees.
Can I get free or low-cost legal help?
Yes. Nonprofit immigration legal aid organizations and law school clinics represent asylum seekers for free or reduced fees, though demand usually exceeds capacity and waitlists can run months. Immigration courts also maintain lists of pro bono legal service providers by jurisdiction.
Why do defensive cases cost more?
Defensive cases happen in immigration court under adversarial procedure with an ICE attorney opposing you, requiring multiple hearings, formal briefs, and cross-examination preparation. Affirmative cases before an asylum officer are non-adversarial interviews, which take less attorney time to prepare.
Do I need a psychological evaluation?
Not always, but for claims involving trauma, torture, or persecution based on identity, a forensic psychological evaluation substantially strengthens credibility findings. Judges and asylum officers weigh corroborated trauma narratives more heavily than testimony alone.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Asylum Application Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/asylum-application-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/asylum-application-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asylum Application Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Asylum Application Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/asylum-application-cost) (2026).