If you live in Virginia and received a Notice to Appear, your case will be heard in an immigration court. Immigration courts are federal courts run by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, not by the state of Virginia. Courts serving Virginia include the immigration courts in Annandale and Sterling. Your notice tells you which court and when.
Check your hearing date
Hearing dates can change. You can check yours online through the immigration court’s case information system, or by calling its automated phone line, using the A-number printed on your notice. Check again a few days before every hearing.
The first hearing is usually short
Your first hearing is usually a master calendar hearing. Many cases are scheduled the same morning, and each one may take only a few minutes. The judge will usually:
- Confirm your name, address and language
- Ask whether you have a lawyer, and may give you time to find one
- Go over the charges in the Notice to Appear
- Ask what relief you plan to apply for, such as asylum or cancellation of removal
- Set deadlines and a date for your next hearing
You usually won’t tell your whole story at this hearing. That comes later, at the individual hearing.
Some hearings happen by video
Some hearings are held by video. Read your hearing notice carefully. If you’re not sure how to appear, ask the court or a lawyer well before the date.
How to prepare
- Arrive early and bring your hearing notice, ID and any documents you have
- An interpreter is provided if you need one, so tell the court your language
- Update your address with the court within five days of any move
- Don’t miss a hearing. Missing one can lead to a removal order without your side being heard
Get a lawyer before you need one
You have the right to a lawyer in immigration court, but the government won’t pay for one. A lawyer can tell you which kinds of relief you may qualify for and help you meet the deadlines that come up early in a case.
Our Fredericksburg office helps Virginia families with immigration court cases, including removal defense. Call us at 703-649-4848.
