Can I still apply for asylum after five years?

You would need to have a good basis for not having filed for asylum within the 1st year of your being in the US. If you are able to overcome that and have a solid basis on merit for the asylum petition, it may be possible for you to get it approved.

Based on the information you have given, it would be very difficult. You would have to show that within the last year something has happened which now makes you eligible for asylum where that did not previously exist. Also, mere conditions in a country is insufficient by itself to apply for asylum.

An application for asylum must be filed within 1 year from the date of entry into the U.S. There are some exceptions from this rule, mainly for the cases where the reason for an asylum claim did not arise until recently (for example, a few months ago, while you were in the U.S., there was a military coup in your country, and you cannot safely return there because you were a political activist of the party that is now outlawed by the military junta that came to power). Other exceptions exist, too, but courts treat the 1-year rule very strictly. If your claim for asylum is barred by the 1-year rule, you might qualify for a withholding of removal or for protection under the international Convention Against Torture.

Generally you have only 1 year from the date that you enter the U.S. to apply for asylum. After that your asylum claim is barred and you can no longer apply for or be granted asylum. With that being said, there are limited exceptions and circumstances where an asylum application is possible after the 1 year. I suggest that you contact an experienced immigration attorney for a face-to-face consultation and give him/her all of the facts surrounding your situation. He/she would then be in a better position to analyze your case and advise you of your options.

You must submit an asylum petition within one year of entering the United States. Filing now, after that much time, could have significant immigration consequences for you. It may be a better idea to see if there are other grounds for obtaining status.