Country Conditions Research
Providing the court with evidence for your client's country conditions is a crucial part of the asylum application process. Below you will find helpful resources for researching on country conditions.
Manual on Finding Country Conditions Evidence for Asylum Cases
This manual provides a general overview of how to conduct country conditions research and what should be considered to choose relevant, compelling evidence.
Link: Country Conditions Database
This site contains country conditions research organized by specific country and topic. Be sure to reference the sample table of contents when assembling your country conditions packet.
Link: Country Pages
Search this database by country to find yearly Department of State Human Rights Reports and links to additional NGO reports
Link: Guide to Country Conditions Resources
This guide links to many reputable sources for country conditions reports, provides helpful samples, and lists additional databases to reference when conducting country conditions research.
Link: WOLA Annotated Table of Contents
Detailed country conditions reports for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Ecuador, organized also by issue topic.
Link: Country Conditions Materials
Sample country conditions packets, primarily for LGBTQ and/or HIV claims, from various countries are provided here. These materials are intended to provide a helpful starting point for research. However, you must always make sure that the country conditions are updated to cover the specific issues in the applicant’s case.
Sample Asylum Country Conditions Packet
This sample demonstrates one method of organizing a country conditions packet using links to resources rather than printing or attaching entire documents.
Engaging Country Conditions Experts in Asylum Cases
Country conditions experts can be critical in asylum cases providing evidence and bolster the client’s credibility. In this virtual training, country conditions experts and immigration attorneys will share successful strategies in working together before and during the asylum case, tips for testimony preparations with country conditions experts, and special considerations when working with children and youth. Panelists will share their insights, experiences, and practical pointers.