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Stage 1: Getting Started

Your Documents

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

It is very normal to be confused by the paperwork you are given at the border! Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project has created detailed explanations for each of the immigration documents you may have received from the U.S. government. You can find their website here. 

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Please note that it is essential that you attend any appointments listed in the documents that you have received. Failure to attend any immigration appointments typically results in a person being ordered deported.

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

Of the documents you could have received at the border, the most important one is the Notice to Appear (NTA). It is important because it tells you 1) what your A number is, 2) where your immigration court will be and 3) when you need to be there for your first hearing with the judge. 

 

1) Your A-number is a 9-digit number that is issued by immigration authorities when you enter the United States. It is very important to memorize this number as it will be what is used to identify you throughout the entire immigration process. 

 

2) & 3) During your immigration process, you will have to regularly present yourself to the immigration judge assigned to your case. It is very important to know where your court is and when you must go to court. Please note that failure to attend a court date, or attending late, will result in a deportation order.


Note that, in addition to going to immigration court, you must also check-in with ICE, the immigration police.

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

If this is what you see when you put your A number into the EOIR’s Automated Case Information portal, this information in this response may apply to you:

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The primary reason why a person who has an NTA might not show up in the immigration court  system is because Customs and Border Protection, an agency that is part of the Department of Homeland Security, has not yet filed the necessary paperwork they need to to start a case for you in immigration court. As a result, EOIR has not received your case and the Court has not yet assigned your case to an immigration court.

 

This can be very confusing because your NTA will have a court and a hearing date listed on it. Even when you don’t show up on the EOIR system online, it is extremely important that you attend the hearing listed in your NTA. Failure to do so could result in a deportation order. 

 

Sometimes, when you appear in court on that date, you may be given a document entitled “Failure to Prosecute”, meaning that the Department of Homeland Security has not done their job to properly start the removal process for you and your removal case cannot move forward. You want to keep this document, because it is proof that the government is responsible for the fact that you have not filed the paperwork with the immigration court. 

 

The next thing you must do if you are in this situation is make sure that you know when your next master calendar hearing date is. The court may give you another date to come back for a court hearing during your first master calendar hearing. You may also receive an updated Notice to Appear in the mail, so it is essential that you pay close attention to your mailing address. You can update your address with EOIR (Immigration Court) even if they do not have a case or record for you. 

 

Typically, you will appear in the EOIR automated portal once your case has been assigned to an immigration court. This is another reason why it is very important to check the EOIR automated portal once a week.

Stage 1 Questions

​Overview

  • What is the immigration process?

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

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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?

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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?

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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?

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