top of page

Stage 1: Getting Started

Your Immigration Court Hearing

How can I find when my next court hearing date is?

There are three ways that you can learn when your hearing date is.

​

  1. If you have just arrived in the U.S. and have not attended a hearing before, you can refer to Notice to Appear (NTA) to find out your date. We also recommend following Step #3, to double-check your court date as it is subject to change.

  2. You can visit the EOIR Portal by going to https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ and entering your A number. The website will then show you when and where your next hearing date is (see image below).

  3. You can also call the EOIR Automated Hotline at 1-800-898-7180. Please refer to this document, created by Pro Se Plus Partner NYLAG, for more detailed instructions.​​

Screenshot 2024-08-27 at 6.56.49 PM.png

If you have already attended your first master calendar hearing, you can visit the EOIR Portal (#2) or call the EOIR Automated Hotline (#3) to find out the date of your next hearing. You will also receive a letter at the address the court has on file for you that notifies you of your next date as well.

It is important to get into the habit of checking the EOIR Portal once a week. Your immigration court may change the date of your next hearing. If the immigration court does so, it will notify you by mail. Because of the risk that you might not receive this letter, it is important to keep checking the information in the portal. Again, missing your court date will lead to a deportation “in absentia” order.

What is going to happen at my first immigration court hearing?

Your first hearing with the Immigration Judge will be a master calendar hearing. During this time, the judge will ask you a number of administrative questions, such as

​

  • whether or not you still live at the address that the court has on file, 

  • whether you have a lawyer, 

  • whether or not you are ready to defend your case, and

  • how you plan to defend your case (i.e. what form of legal protection will you use to defend yourself?). 
     

Screenshot 2024-08-27 at 7.03.46 PM.png

This master calendar hearing is different from your individual merits hearing, which is when you defend your request to stay in the United States to the judge. There is no set amount of time that a person must wait until their individual merits hearing is scheduled. Some people wait a few months, others 1 to 2 years, while others may wait much longer. 


While waiting for the individual merits hearing to be scheduled, you may have several master calendar hearings to allow you to find a lawyer, file for asylum, or another type of protection from deportation. If you do not apply for any type of legal status or protection from deportation, the judge will likely order you deported.

I went to my master calendar hearing at the right date and time, but they told me I wouldn’t see my immigration judge. What does this mean?

There are a number of reasons why you might not present yourself to your immigration judge even though you attended your hearing at the correct date and time. Often, it is because there are too many people scheduled for a given session. Master calendar hearings are public and many people are typically scheduled to see the same judge at the same time. Depending on the docket – the specific group of people the immigration judge is responsible for trying – you are in, you may have a lot of other people in the courtroom with you at the time of your master calendar hearing. 

​

No matter what the scenario in the courtroom must be, you must wait to see your judge. Do not leave until you receive the date and time of your next master calendar hearing. If you do not come to a court hearing, your immigration judge will consider that you do not want to defend your asylum case and will order you deported.

What does it mean if my hearing is listed as being “internet-based”? 

Sometimes, a person will be listed as having an “internet-based” hearing. What this means in practice differs from court to court and must be confirmed on an individual basis.

 

In some states, only those who have a lawyer whose appearance has been formally entered can appear online. This means that your lawyer must have submitted a form to let the immigration court know that they will represent you. You must verify with your lawyer that they have done this. In other places, you can attend your immigration court hearing in person, even if it’s listed as internet based. Because of the variation in guidance we’ve received, we strongly recommend that you check with your immigration court before your internet-based master calendar hearing to confirm that they allow in terms of online versus in person attendance.

 

In the instance that you attend your internet-based master calendar hearing, you must use an application called WebEx to appear in court. We recommend that you attend your master calendar hearing from a quiet, confidential place with stable internet connection. You should be prepared to wait online for a few hours. 


You can find a link to the WebEx link for your immigration judge on this page. Please note that the webpage is organized by state.

Stage 1 Questions

​Overview

  • What is the immigration process?

  • What are the different agencies that are involved in the immigration process?

​

Your Documents

  • I've received several documents at the border, but I do not understand what they are.

  • I've just arrived and I'm overwhelmed by all of this information. What should I focus on first?

  • I do not show up in the immigration court (EOIR) system but have been issued an NTA. What does this mean?

​

Your Immigration Court Hearing

  • How can I find when my next hearing date is?

  • What's going to happen at my first immigration court hearing?

  • I went to my master calendar hearing at the right date and time, but they told me I wouldn’t see my immigration judge. What does this mean?

  • What does it mean if my hearing is listed as being “internet-based”? 

​Checking in with ICE

  • What is ICE and why do I also have to check in with them?

  • How do I schedule and check in for my appointments with ICE?

  • Why did ICE take away my passport?

​

Moving During the Immigration Process

  • What happens if I move while I'm waiting for my individual merits hearing?

  • How do I change my address?

  • How do I file a change of venue?

  • How can I tell if my change of venue was successful?

bottom of page