Can I file an H&C application after a removal order has already been issued against me?

Yes, generally you can still file an H&C application even after a removal order has been issued against you. Having an enforceable removal order changes the practical urgency of the situation, but it doesn't, by itself, prevent someone from applying for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and it can even become a more central part of the hardship being described in the application.

What it critically does not do is stop the removal from proceeding while the application is being considered, unless a separate step, such as a deferral request or a court order, is obtained. Filing an H&C application is not, on its own, a shield against being removed while it's pending, which surprises many applicants who assume submitting an application automatically pauses enforcement.

Because timing matters enormously here — both for the strength of the application and for what protection, if any, exists while it's being decided — anyone facing an active removal order who is considering an H&C application should get legal advice immediately about both the application itself and any separate steps that might be needed to address the removal timeline.