If you have a case in immigration court, there is important information you should know.
Hearing Dates: Hearing dates change frequently. You should receive a hearing notice by mail, but immigration courts often take a long time to send these notices. It is important to check your case status often to keep up to date on future hearings. You will need your A#, a 9-digit number that appears on your court documents. There are two ways to check your case status:
- Call the EOIR automated case information line at 1-800-898-7180.
- Visit EOIR’s Automated Case Information online portal.
- Both systems provide information about your next hearing date, time, and location in English and Spanish.
Types of Hearings:
Many courts now have video and telephonic hearings. Check with the immigration court where your case is to find out if your hearing will be by video, on the phone, or in person. If you are not sure, you should attend your hearing in person.
You can find information about each immigration court at https://www.justice.gov/eoir-operational-status/operational-status-map.
WARNING: If you do not attend a hearing, the immigration judge may order you removed (deported) from the United States. It is extremely important that you appear for your hearings, whether the hearing is by video, on the phone, or in person.
Address Changes:
The law requires you to keep your address up to date with the immigration court where your case is located. Complete and file Form EOIR- 33IC if your case is at an immigration court. Use Form EOIR-33BIA if your case is at the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). You can find both forms at: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-downloadable- eoir-forms.
Court Closures:
Sometimes an immigration court closes because of severe weather, COVID- 19, or other reasons. To find out if an immigration court is open on your hearing day, visit https://www.justice.gov/eoir-operational- status/operational-status-map.
To learn more, please contact your attorney or find an immigration attorney via https://www.ailalawyer.org.
Source: ©2023 American Immigration Lawyers Association
AILA is the national bar association of immigration lawyers comprised of over 16,000 members located in every state of the United States and worldwide.
