Fugitive Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui seeks asylum in the US
It could take longer than the average time of two to three years for the US government to grant the controversial billionaire asylum status
Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui has applied for political asylum in the US, his lawyer confirmed, adding that it could take longer than the average time of two to three years for the US government to grant the controversial billionaire asylum status.
Thomas Ragland, a Washington-based lawyer representing Guo, told the South China Morning Post in an interview on Thursday that Guo, who has lived in New York for more than two years, “formally requested [an asylum application] as of yesterday”.
“The average time to process the application from filing to interview is two to three years,” said Ragland, who is with the law firm of Clark Hill PLC. “This case is complicated and it could take even longer than that.”
The decision will involve the immigration services unit of the US Homeland Security Department, the US State Department and other government agencies, Ragland added. The Homeland Security and State Department could not immediately be reached for comment.
News that Guo had asked the US for asylum was first reported by The New York Times. An asylum application from Guo, whose tourist visa expires later this year, was received on Wednesday by a government processing centre in Vermont, the Times reported.
“Asylum offers a level of protection that is different from having a visa status,” Ragland was quoted. “Visas can be cancelled or revoked.”