How to Check Whether an Immigration Representative Is Authorized

Illustrative photo of a shopper at an open-air market stall looking closely at fruit in a wooden crate of melons

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Use this checklist to see whether a person who offers help with an immigration matter appears on the official lists published by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which includes the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals. It shows which lists to search and what each one can and cannot tell you. It is general information only: it does not judge anyone's case, does not rate any representative and does not cover ways to check an attorney outside these official lists.

The picture on this page is illustrative only: it shows a shopper at an open-air market stall looking closely at fruit in a crate of melons, the same habit of checking before choosing that this checklist asks for.

Before you search: write down the basics

  • Get the person's full name. The rosters list Accredited Representatives by name, so the spelling needs to match.
  • Ask whether the person is an attorney or an Accredited Representative. The accreditation program is for non-attorney employees and volunteers of qualifying non-profit organizations, so the answer tells you whether the accreditation rosters are the right place to look.
  • Ask which organization the person works through. Accredited Representatives may only provide immigration legal services through Recognized Organizations, so someone who is accredited should be able to name one.
  • Write down the individual's own name, not only a firm name. Registration to practice before EOIR is for individuals only, not for law firms or organizations.
  • Note whether your matter is before an immigration court or before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The rosters show whether a representative may represent clients only before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or may also appear before EOIR.

Search the Recognition and Accreditation rosters

  • Find the organization on the roster. The rosters include the names and addresses of active Recognized Organizations, so you can compare the address you were given with the one listed.
  • Find the person under that organization. The rosters also give the names of each organization's staff who are Accredited Representatives.
  • Look for "DHS only" next to the name. That mark means partial accreditation: the person can represent clients only before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  • For a case in immigration court or on appeal, look for a name without "DHS only". The official FAQ says that representatives without that mark are fully accredited and may also represent clients in immigration court or on immigration appeal.
  • Expect a Recognized Organization to be a non-profit. Only non-profit, federally tax-exempt entities may apply to be recognized.
  • Search again shortly before you rely on a listing. Accreditation of representatives is valid for three years and must be renewed, and organizations must report when an Accredited Representative leaves, so a listing can change.
  • Email the program if a roster entry is unclear. The Recognition and Accreditation Program invites email questions that its FAQs do not answer, and its official page gives the contact address.

Search the disciplined practitioners lists

  • Search the List of Currently Disciplined Practitioners for the name. Its columns show the city or state, the date any immediate suspension was imposed, the final discipline and the effective date of discipline.
  • Read the "Reinstated?" column for any match. It shows whether the practitioner has been reinstated.
  • Open the linked date in a matching entry. The list says this is where to find more information about a practitioner's disciplinary history.
  • Look for entries marked (NEW). The list uses that label for its newest changes.
  • Also search the List of Previously Disciplined Practitioners. The current list points to it as the way to find out whether a practitioner was disciplined in the past.
  • Read "expelled" and "disbarred" the same way. The list explains that the older term expelled was replaced by disbarred, which has the same meaning and effect.

Ask about EOIR registration for court and appeal work

  • Ask whether the person has an EOIR ID. Attorneys and fully accredited representatives must register online and have their identity validated if they wish to represent someone in immigration proceedings. Completing registration gives them an EOIR identification number, and registration is required to practice before EOIR.
  • Ask more questions if someone marked "DHS only" offers to appear for you in immigration court. The official registration page says that, at this time, representatives with partial accreditation may not register.

Before you rely on anyone, confirm the person's current roster entry and both disciplined practitioners lists on the official Department of Justice site, and if you need help, the official FAQ says you can contact a non-profit Recognized Organization whose Accredited Representatives are named on the rosters.

VisaNow.AI is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. This page is general information taken from official government pages; it does not assess anyone's case. An attorney-client relationship arises only with an independent attorney. Check the official pages for current details.

Information current as of 2026-10-29