After asylum is granted, keep a permanent immigration folder rather than discarding the asylum case file. Later applications can require facts and documents from years earlier.
Core asylum record
Preserve the filed Form I-589, declarations, important supporting evidence, translations, interview or court notices, filing receipts, attorney-file copies, and the asylum approval notice or Immigration Judge/Board decision that established the status.
Identity and civil records
Keep passports, national identity documents, birth records, marriage/divorce records, children's records, legal name changes, and certified translations. Preserve expired passports too because they can document travel and identity history.
Status and USCIS records
Keep I-94 records if issued, employment authorization documents, USCIS receipt and appointment notices, family I-730 records, and later Form I-485/green-card records.
Travel records
Maintain refugee travel documents, passports, entry/exit records, and a trip log with departure and return dates. Do not rely only on stamps, because records can be incomplete.
Address and employment histories
Keep a simple chronological list and update it whenever something changes. This is easier than reconstructing years of history for a future form.
Legal and discrepancy records
Preserve official records for arrests, citations, charges, or court matters and keep a note explaining name/date discrepancies across immigration documents. Do not alter old documents to make them match.
Use two backups
Keep the physical originals securely and maintain encrypted or otherwise secure digital backups. Avoid having the only copy on a phone, in one email account, or with one attorney.
Official resources
This page is general recordkeeping information, not legal advice.