EOIR-31 Request for Recognition as a Nonprofit Religious, Charitable, Social Service, or Similar Organization Established in the United States

The application a nonprofit files to be recognised by the DOJ Office of Legal Access Programs so its staff can represent people before EOIR and DHS. Recognition is what makes non-lawyer representation lawful in immigration cases.

EOIREdition Revised February 2025Paper only

Fee: $0
Fee waiver: Not available
Who files: Nonprofit organisations seeking recognition.
Where to file: With the DOJ Office of Legal Access Programs, Recognition and Accreditation Program.

Usually filed with

EOIR-31ARequest by Organization for Accreditation of Non-Attorney Representative

Part of these processes

Getting a lawyer or accredited representativeEveryone

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Recognition and accreditation are the only lawful route for non-lawyers to represent immigrants. Everyone else offering to fill in forms for a fee is a notario, and that is a crime in most states.

Official page. https://www.justice.gov/eoir/eoir-forms. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.