Which 15 states does the Chicago Asylum Office serve?
USCIS lists Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Kentucky. That is a long reach for one address, from Ohio to Idaho. USCIS says applicants who live far from an asylum office may be scheduled at circuit ride locations, often USCIS field offices, as resources permit, and that you should contact the office with jurisdiction for details. So check the address on your notice before booking travel to Chicago, as it may name a place closer to home. USCIS dated this list April 20, 2026, and we read it October 31, 2026.
How do I get to 181 W. Madison by CTA or Metra?
USCIS puts the building at Madison and Wells in the business district and says the CTA stations serving it are the Washington stops. Most Metra rail service is about four blocks west on Madison or four blocks south on Van Buren. CTA buses also serve the area, though the page names no route. By car, take I-290 East onto Ida B. Wells Drive, turn left (north) onto Dearborn Street, go four blocks, turn left onto Madison heading west, and the building is two blocks ahead on your left. USCIS provides no parking; it says only that public parking is nearby. No price is listed.
What are the hours, and which entrance is accessible?
USCIS lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., by appointment only, closed on Saturday and Sunday, and says to check its closings page before any visit. Walk-ins are not accepted. The accessible entrances are on the east and west sides of the building. If you need an accommodation for an interview, ask in advance through the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283, or TTY 800-767-1833. That line runs Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, which is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Chicago, so do not leave it until the morning of the interview. The page says nothing about security screening.
What are the phone number and email of the Chicago office?
USCIS prints the same number, 312-849-5201, as both the phone and the fax. A USCIS contact list revised December 12, 2011, shows that number as the fax with a different main line, so the printed phone is probably the fax. That list is too old to give a current voice number, so use the email, Chicago.Asylum@uscis.dhs.gov, or the Contact Center. Mail goes to the Suite 3000 street address, including anything on a pending Form I-589 application. In-person information services ended here on April 20, 2026. USCIS says a request for an earlier interview goes in writing to the office with jurisdiction. Our affirmative asylum guide has more on the process.
Is 181 W. Madison the same place as the Chicago immigration court?
No. EOIR lists the Chicago Immigration Court at 55 E. Monroe Street, Suite 1500, and its status page also shows a Clark Street location. Both are downtown, so a quick search can mix them up with this USCIS office. The Madison Street suite is for interviews with an asylum officer. If your paper is a Notice of Hearing, it is from the court, and our guide explains how to confirm the hearing date and court. A first court date is usually a master calendar hearing. You can browse other locations in our immigration courts directory.