👩🏾‍⚖️ Your First Immigration Court Hearing: What to Expect and How to Prepare - ImportaMi

If you're an immigrant in the United States, there's a good chance you have a court hearing scheduled. A court hearing is a meeting with a judge. An immigration judge will listen to your case and decide what will happen next with your immigration status. It’s very important to find an immigration attorney before your hearing. An attorney can help you understand your legal situation, prepare your case, and represent you in front of the judge. If you haven’t found one yet, it’s very important to go to all of your court hearings. Missing any appointments at court can have serious consequences, including the judge ordering your deportation (which means being sent back to your country of origin).

Going to court might feel scary or confusing, especially without an attorney, but it’s a very important part of your immigration process. You can think of it as a chance to share your story and explain why you want to stay in the U.S.

This article is here to help you feel more prepared and confident. You’ll learn what a master calendar hearing is, what to expect when you arrive at court, and some tips to help things go as smoothly as possible. Continue reading to learn the answers to the following questions:

📆 How do I know if I have a scheduled court hearing?
👩🏽‍⚖️ What can I expect at my first court hearing?
- Note: your first immigration court hearing is called a Master Calendar Hearing
🗣️ What if I don’t speak English well?
🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏾 Can I bring someone with me to my court hearing?
📄 What documents should I bring to my court hearing?
👔 What should I wear to my court hearing?

1. 📆 How do I know if I have a scheduled court hearing?

If you were placed in a shelter when you arrived to the United States, it is likely that you were given a Notice to Appear (an NTA). The NTA will tell you when and where your first hearing is. It’s also possible that you may get a revised notice in the mail that tells you a new/changed date and/or location.

📌 Important tip:

The date, time, and location of your hearing can change. It’s very important that you check the status of your case at least once a week, to make sure that you don’t miss your hearing. You can check your case status by phone or online. For more information about how to check your case status, click here.

2. 👩🏽‍⚖️ What can I expect at my first court hearing?

Your first court hearing in immigration court is called a Master Calendar Hearing (MCH). Your MCH is a chance for the judge to review the details of your immigration case, to explain your rights, and to schedule future hearings. The judge will not make a final decision about your immigration status at your first hearing.

Depending on the details of your case, your MCH may take place in person at a courthouse, or it may happen online. If you do not have an attorney, it’s more likely that your MCH will take place in person. If you do have an attorney, the judge will make the decision to have the MCH in person or online.

☝🏽Note: It’s possible to ask for your hearing to be online instead of in person. To do this, you must file a motion to change the hearing format. This process can be complicated, so we recommend getting legal help. If you do not have an attorney to do this for you, you can use this guide to do it on your own.

In person: what will happen at my MCH?

For an MCH at a courthouse, it’s important to arrive early for your scheduled hearing. You will need to sign in. There may be other requirements to enter the building, such as going through a metal detector.
- 📌 Remember: if you are late for your hearing, it could have serious consequences.
After you enter the building and sign in, you will have to wait until it is your turn to appear before the judge. You will not be the only person at the courthouse waiting for their MCH. Usually, an immigration judge will schedule multiple MCH’s to happen on the same day. You will wait, and you will be called by name and A-number when it is your turn.
A judge and a government attorney will both be present at your hearing. When you are called, you will stand and answer some questions. They will start with simple questions, such as verifying your name, birthday, and address. All you need to do is answer truthfully and politely.
The judge will read the charges (the reasons that the government thinks that you should not be allowed to stay in the country) and explain what your rights are.
If you have an attorney, they will help guide you through this process. If you do not have an attorney, you can tell the judge that you would like more time to find an attorney.
The hearing will probably be short. At the end of the hearing, the judge will schedule another court hearing. If you asked for more time to find an attorney, then they may schedule you another MCH. They may also set deadlines for you to turn in certain documents. Eventually (at this MCH or at a future one), they will set a date for your main immigration hearing (which is called a ‘Merits Hearing’ or an ‘Individual Hearing’). This hearing is where they will make a final decision about your immigration case.
- 📌 Note: It often takes some time for a Merits Hearing to be set.

Online: what will happen at my MCH?

An MCH that happens online will follow a very similar schedule to one in person. The hearing will take place through an online platform. It’s important to have a good internet connection, a computer, speakers, a microphone, and a quiet and private place (so that you can keep your information confidential). Your attorney will help guide you through this process.
It is important to give yourself enough time to prepare your space, make sure all of your equipment works, and log-on for your hearing early. Remember: arriving late for your hearing could have serious consequences.
After you log-on to the platform, you will wait in a virtual waiting room until your case is called before the judge. You will not be the only person waiting for their MCH. Usually, an immigration judge will schedule multiple MCH’s to happen on the same day. You will wait, and you will be called by name and A-number when it is your turn.
A judge and a government attorney will both be present at your hearing. When you are called, you will enter the virtual courtroom and answer some questions. They will start with simple questions, such as verifying your name, birthday, and address. All you need to do is answer truthfully and politely.
The judge will read the charges (the reasons that the government thinks that you should not be allowed to stay in the country) and explain what your rights are.
If you have an attorney, they will help guide you through this process. If you do not have an attorney, you can tell the judge that you would like more time to find an attorney.
The hearing will probably be short. At the end of the hearing, the judge will schedule another court hearing. If you asked for more time to find an attorney, then they may schedule you another MCH. They may also set deadlines for you to turn in certain documents. Eventually (at this MCH or at a future one), they will set a date for your main immigration hearing (which is called a ‘Merits Hearing’ or an ‘Individual Hearing’). This hearing is where they will make a final decision about your immigration case.
- 📌 Note: It often takes some time for a Merits Hearing to be set.

3. 🗣️ What if I don’t speak English well?

If you do not feel comfortable communicating in English, you do not need to try to talk in English. You could misunderstand something, which can hurt your case. Let the judge know that you need an interpreter, and the language that you speak. They will try to provide you with one (either in person, or over the phone) who will interpret everything that you say to the judge, and what the judge says to you.

Note: requesting an interpreter does not affect your immigration case in any way, no matter what your preferred language is.

📌 If you cannot understand your interpreter well (for example, if they are from a different region) immediately let the judge know so that they can find you a new interpreter or reschedule your hearing.

4. 🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏾 Can I bring someone with me to my court hearing program?

Yes! You do not have to go alone to immigration court. Having someone with you can help you feel more confident and calmer. You can bring a family member or friend with you. However, it's very important that anyone who goes with you to court has documented status (for example, they are a U.S. Citizen or they have Legal Permanent Residence). Immigration officials can question the person who comes with you, and they could take legal action (like detaining them) if they do not have documented status. In other words, it is very risky for someone without documented status to go to court with you.

Check with your attorney to make sure that it’s safe for your family member/friend to go to court with you.

If you have an attorney, it’s likely that your attorney will go with you to your court hearings. Your sponsor or legal guardian is not necessarily required to attend court with you.

If you do not have a family member or friend who can go with you to court, many communities have accompaniment programs. Accompaniment programs connect you with trained volunteers that can go with you to court to support you. They are not attorneys, so they can’t give you legal advice. However, they can make it feel less scary.

If you need help finding a local accompaniment program, contact us!

5. 📄 What documents should I bring to my court hearing?

When you leave the shelter, you are usually given a packet of important documents. It’s a good idea to bring all of the documents that you have related to your immigration case. Some important documents to bring are:

Notice to Appear (NTA) (click here to see an example)
Verification of Release (VOR) (click here to see an example)
Identification document (such as a passport or birth certificate)
Any other documents that you have received related to your case

If you cannot find these documents, please contact your case worker or contact us so we can try to help you!

6. 👔 What should I wear to my court hearing?

When you go to court, it’s important to dress in a way that shows respect. If you can, wear clothes that you would wear to a formal event, such as clothes that you would wear to church, to a job interview, or for a school presentation.

✅ Some examples of appropriate court clothes are:

Blouse, button-up shirt, or collared shirt
Sweater or jacket
Dress pants (like khaki pants or other pants that are not ripped jeans)
Dress or skirt
Closed-toed shoes

🚫 Some examples of things to avoid are:

Large logos or words on your clothing
Flip flops
Hats
Sunglasses
Sleeveless tops or clothing that exposes your chest or stomach
Ripped jeans
Chewing gum

📌 Note: If the only kinds of clothing you have are informal (like a plain t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, etc.), that’s okay too. The goal is to show the judge that you are respectful and that you are taking the hearing seriously. Do your best to dress in a way that shows these things, but don’t stress yourself out if you don’t have formal clothing. Immigration judges understand that you may have limited resources/clothing options.

We know that many people are scared to go to court because they’ve heard that ICE might be nearby. But it’s important to know that going to your hearing is safer than not going. If you don’t show up, you could have more problems with immigration. Going to court shows that you’re following the rules, and that can help your case.

This page provides general information and should not be considered legal advice. Please be sure to speak to an attorney about your specific case.

Sources:

Kids Legal. (Accessed July 2025). What Should I Expect In Court? https://kidslegal.org/what-should-i-expect-court#:~:text=Appropriate%20clothes%20for%20court%20include,too%20short%20or%20too%20tight

NOLO. (May 8, 2024). What Will Happen at Your Master Calendar Hearing? https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-will-happen-at-your-master-calendar-hearing.html

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (June 22, 2015). The Immigration Court Process: Fact Sheet for Parent or Guardian of UAC. https://www.cliniclegal.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/The%20Immigration%20Court%20Process%20Fact%20Sheet%20for%20Parent%20or%20Guardian%20of%20UAC.pdf

Law Office of Troy J. Mattes. (July 22, 2020). How to Dress When Going to Court for an Immigration Issue. https://www.immiglawus.com/blog/2020/07/how-to-dress-when-going-to-court-for-an-immigration-issue/

Prizant Law. (February 1, 2028). What Will Happen at my Master Calendar Hearing? https://www.prizant-law.com/what-will-happen-at-my-master-calendar-hearing/