Immigration court guide

EOIR Case Status: How to Check Your Court Case Online

EOIR, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, runs the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals. If you have a case before them, EOIR gives you two free ways to check it yourself: the Automated Case Information System (ACIS) online, and a phone line.[1][2]

This guide shows how to use both, what each part of the result means, and what to do next. CaseTicker only explains the steps: you check your case on EOIR's own site.

Online

Check your EOIR case status online with ACIS

ACIS is free and works on a phone or a computer. You need your A-Number.[3]

  1. 1

    Open ACIS

    Go to acis.eoir.justice.gov, the Automated Case Information System run by EOIR. EOIR is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, so the address ends in justice.gov.[1][2][3]

    Open ACIS(opens a new tab)
  2. 2

    Accept the disclaimer

    ACIS first shows a disclaimer: the site is for general information and is not a substitute for legal advice. Select I Accept to go on.[3]

  3. 3

    Enter your A-Number

    Type only the digits, without the letter A. A 9-digit A-Number is entered as is; for an 8-digit A-Number, type a zero first and then the 8 digits.[3]

  4. 4

    Choose your nationality

    Pick the country that best describes your nationality during your most recent immigration case. If you have more than one, ACIS asks you to pick one.[3]

  5. 5

    Pass the check and submit

    Complete the hCaptcha check and select Submit. If the captcha fails, ACIS asks you to try again in 5 minutes.[3]

By phone

Check your EOIR case by phone

EOIR also gives case information by phone at 1-800-898-7180 or 304-625-2050. The TDD number is 800-828-1120.[2]

Like ACIS, the phone line cannot give a new hearing date before the court sets one. Your hearing notices remain the source of truth.[2]

Reading the result

What your ACIS result means

ACIS splits the result into a few blocks. Here is what each one shows, in the words EOIR uses.[3]

  • Next Hearing Information

    Your next hearing: the date, the time and the court, whether it is a Master or an Individual hearing, and whether it is in person or internet-based. When nothing is scheduled, ACIS says "There are no future hearings for this case."[3]

  • Master hearing

    Master calendar hearings are held for pleadings, scheduling and similar matters.[4]

  • Individual hearing

    Individual calendar hearings, also called merits hearings, are evidentiary hearings on contested matters, such as challenges to removability and applications for relief.[5]

  • Court Decision and Motion Information

    The immigration judge's decision and its date, and whether an appeal is due or was received. A motion, such as a motion to reopen or to reconsider, shows the date it was received and whether it is still pending.[3]

  • BIA Case Information

    Shown when the case is before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the appeals body inside EOIR: whether the appeal is pending, and the brief due dates for you (the "alien brief") and for DHS.[1][3][6]

  • Court Contact Information

    The name, address and phone number of the immigration court handling the case, and the judge.[3]

  • "Invalid A-Number" or "No case found"

    ACIS shows "Invalid A-Number" or "No case found for this A-Number" when the number you typed does not lead to a case. Check the digits against a notice from DHS or the court before you try again.[3]

Know the limits

What ACIS does not show

ACIS gives basic information about certain cases before an immigration court or the Board of Immigration Appeals. Not every case, and not every detail of a case, is shown. If there has been more than one case for your A-Number, ACIS shows the most recent primary case only.[3]

ACIS will not show a new hearing date until the immigration court has set one.[2]

EOIR says court documents, such as hearing notices, are the source of truth for your case status. The documents the immigration court or the Board issues to you or your representative are the only binding decisions; ACIS is a convenience.[2][3]

For bond hearing information, ACIS asks you to contact your local immigration court.[3]

Two different agencies

How EOIR case status differs from USCIS case status

How EOIR case status differs from USCIS case status
ComparedEOIRUSCIS
AgencyExecutive Office for Immigration Review, part of the Department of Justice[1]U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Department of Homeland Security[7]
What it handlesImmigration court proceedings, appeals and administrative hearings[1]Applications and petitions filed with USCIS[8]
Number you check withA-Number: the letter A and 8 or 9 digits[3]Receipt number: 3 letters and 10 digits, for example starting with IOE[8]
Where to checkACIS online, or by phone at 1-800-898-7180 or 304-625-2050[2]Case Status Online on uscis.gov, using the receipt number from your notices[8]

CaseTicker reads USCIS case data that you copy from your own my.uscis.gov account. It does not read EOIR cases, and it never asks for your A-Number. For a USCIS application, check your case free.

What to do next

After you check your EOIR case

  • Contact your immigration court

    For anything ACIS does not show, or to file documents, ACIS tells you to contact the immigration court. EOIR lists every court with its address and phone number.[3][9]

    Find an Immigration Court(opens a new tab)

  • Keep your address current

    If you move, the court must be able to reach you. ACIS says to complete Form EOIR-33 and send it to the immigration court within five days of your move. The form is on EOIR’s forms page.[3][10]

    EOIR Forms(opens a new tab)

  • Get legal help

    You have a right to seek an attorney or other qualified representative. EOIR publishes a list of pro bono legal service providers.[3][11][12]

    Find Legal Representation(opens a new tab)

  • Learn how court works

    For questions about the immigration court process, ACIS points to the Immigration Court Online Resource (ICOR).[3][13]

    Open ICOR(opens a new tab)

Related guides

Not legal advice. This guide is general information, written from the EOIR and USCIS pages listed below. CaseTicker is not affiliated with EOIR, the Department of Justice or USCIS, and it does not look up cases. For advice about your case, talk to an attorney or accredited representative.

Sources

Each page below was checked on . Numbers match the notes in the text.

  1. [1]EOIR: About the Office
  2. [2]EOIR: Check Case Status
  3. [3]EOIR Automated Case Information System (ACIS)
  4. [4]Immigration Court Practice Manual 3.14: Master Calendar Hearing
  5. [5]Immigration Court Practice Manual 3.15: Individual Calendar Hearing
  6. [6]EOIR: Board of Immigration Appeals
  7. [7]USCIS: About Us
  8. [8]USCIS: Checking Your Case Status Online
  9. [9]EOIR: Find an Immigration Court
  10. [10]EOIR: Forms
  11. [11]EOIR: Find Legal Representation
  12. [12]EOIR: List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers
  13. [13]EOIR Immigration Court Online Resource (ICOR)

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