Master vs. Individual Hearing: What to Expect in Immigration Court

Your hearing notice tells you the date, time and place, but not what will happen when you get there. Immigration court has two main kinds of hearings, and they feel very different. This guide explains both in plain language, using what EOIR, the office that runs the immigration courts, publishes about them. It is general information, not legal advice.

It starts with the Notice to Appear

Removal proceedings begin when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) files a Notice to Appear, Form I-862, with the court. EOIR describes it as the document that explains why DHS believes you should be removed from the United States. It lists facts about you, called allegations, and one or more legal reasons, called charges.

The Notice to Appear may include the date and time of your first hearing. If it does not, EOIR says the court sends a separate Notice of Hearing with your first date. You can confirm a hearing date any time on EOIR’s Automated Case Information website or by calling 1-800-898-7180. Our guide on checking your court case walks through both.

The master calendar hearing

EOIR says your first appearance before an immigration judge is at a master calendar hearing. Several people usually have hearings at the same time, and each one is short. At your first master calendar hearing, the judge:

• Advises you of your rights, which EOIR lists as including the right to an attorney or other representative at no expense to the government. That means you may bring a lawyer, but the court does not provide or pay for one.
• Takes pleadings on the Notice to Appear. In EOIR’s words, pleadings are when you answer whether the factual allegations are true or false, and whether you agree with the charges. EOIR adds that if you believe the Notice to Appear contains an error, you must tell the judge.
• Asks what relief from removal you plan to apply for, such as asylum. If you apply, the judge schedules an individual calendar hearing and sets deadlines for your application and evidence.

Bring your Notice to Appear, every notice the court has sent you, your identity documents and the contact information of your lawyer if you have one. Write down any deadline the judge gives you before you leave the courtroom.

The individual hearing

The individual hearing, sometimes called the merits hearing, is where your case is decided. EOIR describes it as an evidentiary hearing held on contested matters: issues where you and DHS disagree on the correct legal answer, such as whether you qualify for a form of relief. At this hearing:

• You and DHS present evidence. EOIR gives examples such as medical records, police reports and affidavits of support.
• You may testify and present witnesses.
• The judge may announce the decision at the end of the hearing or send a written decision later.

Individual hearings are longer and usually scheduled on their own. Because they are where the case is won or lost, this is the hearing for which a lawyer or accredited representative matters most. EOIR keeps a list of pro bono legal service providers that offer free or low-cost help, and a list of resources for people in proceedings.

In person, by video or by phone

Your hearing notice says how the hearing will be held. EOIR’s court directory page explains that people who do not have a representative of record always have in-person hearings by default. The same page lists each judge’s Webex link and access code for internet-based hearings, and says telephonic hearings are joined by dialing 1-415-527-5035 with the access code from your notice. If you are not sure which kind of hearing you have, EOIR tells you to contact the immigration court that is hearing your case. You can find its phone number through Contact the Immigration Court.

Whatever the format, EOIR prohibits photographing or recording any part of a hearing.

If you miss the hearing

Missing a hearing is the most damaging thing that can happen in a case. The judge can decide it without you, which is called an in absentia order of removal. EOIR’s overview of the court explains that a motion to reopen an in absentia order based on exceptional circumstances must be filed within 180 days of the order, while a motion based on not having received proper notice, or on being in federal or state custody through no fault of your own, may be filed at any time. If this happens to you, talk to a lawyer immediately.

Two habits prevent most missed hearings. First, keep your address current with the court: EOIR requires Form EOIR-33/IC within five working days of a move, and people without a lawyer can file it online through Respondent Access. Second, check your hearing date again a few days before, because hearings get rescheduled and the court’s online information is updated after a new notice goes out.

After the decision

EOIR says the judge’s decision is final unless a party appeals it in time. To appeal, you tell the judge you wish to appeal and file Form EOIR-26 with the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), with the fee or a fee waiver request. The form must be received by the BIA no later than 30 calendar days after the oral decision or the mailing of the written decision. Waiving the appeal or missing the deadline makes the decision final.

Bond is handled separately. EOIR notes that bond hearings are separate from your main case, that you may ask for one in writing or orally in court, and that evidence from bond proceedings does not count in the main case unless you also submit it there.

Where an app can help

Between hearings, the hard part is not forgetting. Immigratus EOIR Case Status shows the next hearing date, time, judge and court address for every case you save, sends a notification when a hearing is rescheduled or the case status changes, and reminds you seven days and one day before a scheduled hearing. It reads EOIR’s public case information. It is an independent app, not affiliated with EOIR, the Department of Justice or any government agency, so treat your paper notices as the official word and confirm dates with the court or your attorney.

In short

The master calendar hearing is where you answer the charges and ask for relief. The individual hearing is where you prove your case with evidence and testimony. Know which format your hearing uses, keep your address current, never miss a date, and get legal help for the individual hearing. Questions about the app? Visit our support page.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.

Our apps are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to USCIS, EOIR, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or any other government agency. They do not provide legal advice.