If you received a Notice to Appear (NTA), or USCIS sent your asylum application to court, your case is no longer checked at USCIS but at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the Department of Justice agency that runs the immigration courts. This guide explains how to check it, what you will see and what to do with what you find.
What you need: your A-Number
The court identifies your case by your A-Number (alien registration number): 8 or 9 digits, sometimes preceded by an A. It is on the Notice to Appear, on any hearing notice, on a work permit or on USCIS documents. If yours has 8 digits, add a 0 at the front for lookups. Where to find it, document by document: Find your A-Number.
Three ways to check
- MigraConnect, free and with no account. Type your A-Number and your nationality into the court lookup. You will see your next hearing with date, time, court address and format (in person or by video, with the link when it applies), your judge's name and asylum decision statistics, the asylum clock status with the days accrued, the decisions on record, and any appeals or motions. In the app you can save the case and, with MigraConnect+, get an alert with every change.
- EOIR's online automated system (acis.eoir.justice.gov): with the A-Number it shows the next hearing, the court and the judge, and the decisions.
- EOIR's automated phone line, 1-800-898-7180 (also 304-625-2050), in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Enter your A-Number and hear the next hearing, your asylum clock status, the judge's decision and the status of an appeal.
What the information means
- Hearing type. Master (a short preliminary hearing with many people) or Individual (the merits hearing, where your case is decided). The difference and how to prepare in Master vs. individual hearing.
- Date, time and place. The court's address and the courtroom. If the hearing is by video (Webex), the hearing notice carries the link.
- Judge. The judge assigned to your case. It can change; when it does, deadlines and courtroom practices change with it. How to read the judge's statistics in The judge's approval rate.
- Asylum clock. Days accrued and whether it is running or stopped. Everything about the 150 and 180 days in The asylum clock.
- Decision. Once the judge decides, the date and type of decision appear (asylum granted, removal order, termination, administrative closure, for example).
- Appeal or motion. If you or the government appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the status of that appeal.
Why my case does not appear
- The court has not logged it yet. After the NTA is served, weeks and sometimes months can pass before the case shows up in the system. If USCIS sent your asylum application to court, there is a gap there too.
- The A-Number or the nationality does not match the court's record. Try with and without the leading 0, and check the nationality printed on your NTA.
- The NTA was not filed with the court. Being handed an NTA does not mean it is on the docket. Until the government files it, there is no case to look up.
- The case is closed or terminated and the system only shows the decision.
If it does not appear, check again every week or call the automated line. A case not showing up does not excuse you from attending the hearing printed on your NTA.
If you move: Form EOIR-33
The court mails every notice to the address it has on file. If you move, you must file Form EOIR-33/IC (change of address) with the court handling your case within 5 working days of the move, and send a copy to the government's attorney (ICE). It is a legal requirement: if a hearing notice goes to the old address and you do not show up, the judge can order your removal in your absence. The change of address with USCIS is separate and does not replace the court's.
Getting representation
There is no court-appointed lawyer in immigration court. You can represent yourself, hire a lawyer or go to an organization recognized by the Department of Justice, which offers accredited representatives at low or no cost. EOIR publishes the list of free legal service providers by state. If you need time to find representation, you can ask for it at your first master hearing.
Common questions
Can I check a relative's case?
Yes, with their A-Number and nationality. EOIR's system does not ask for identification to look up a case.
How often is it updated?
The system reflects the changes the court records, usually the same day or the next. Paper notices take longer.
Does the system show my full file?
No. It shows the next hearing, the judge, the clock, the decisions and the appeals. To get the file itself (hearing recordings, documents filed), you have to request it from EOIR through a FOIA request; we explain how in Which agency to ask for your immigration file.
What if the system shows a date that does not match my notice?
Trust the more recent of the two and confirm by calling the automated line or the court. If you have a lawyer, tell them right away.
Need additional help? Call EOIR's automated line at 1-800-898-7180.