What the statute covers
Section 208(a) generally permits a person physically present in or arriving in the United States to apply, regardless of immigration status, subject to statutory exceptions. The applicant must establish refugee eligibility and address applicable bars. The statute also addresses testimony, corroboration and credibility; asylum is not decided only by the volume of submitted documents.
Limits and practical context
An exception to the one-year deadline requires more than simply showing that circumstances changed: the facts and timing matter. Form I-589 is the application used for asylum and related protection. Affirmative USCIS proceedings and defensive EOIR proceedings differ. Check the statute, implementing regulations and applicable court orders rather than relying on a summary alone.