EOIR-59 Certification and Release of Records
The privacy waiver that lets EOIR release immigration court records - the record of proceedings, hearing recordings, and orders - to the respondent or to someone acting for them. It is EOIR's equivalent of the USCIS FOIA request.
- Fee
- $0
- Fee waiver
- Not available
- Who files
- The respondent, or a representative with the respondent's signed authorisation.
- Where to file
- With the EOIR FOIA Service Center.
Usually filed with
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Getting the record of proceedings is usually the first step in reopening an old in absentia order, because the file shows what address the notice went to.
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.