Free immigration legal help in Pennsylvania — BIA-recognized organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Pennsylvania currently authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (Board of Immigration Appeals / BIA) to provide immigration legal representation. Source: EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster, updated quarterly.
BIA-recognized organizations are the cheapest legitimate immigration legal help available — many provide representation free or for sliding-fee based on income. Their accredited representatives (Full Accreditation can appear in court; Partial Accreditation handles USCIS filings only) practice ONLY immigration law.
BIA-recognized organizations in Pennsylvania
30 organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Pennsylvania. These non-profits are authorized by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide immigration legal representation at low or no cost.
| Organization | City | Address | Phone | Recognized | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASA, Inc. | Chambersburg | 907 Roosevelt Avenue, York, PA 17404 | (717) 219-7974 | 10/25/10 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Chambersburg | 200 W Church Street, Hazleton, PA 18201, Hummelstown | (570) 455-1521 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Community Justice Project | Chambersburg | 111 South Maine Avenue, Scranton, PA 18504, Sharon Hill | (570) 354-2741 | 09/16/19 | Active |
| Franklin County Legal Services | Chambersburg | 336 Lincoln Way East, Suite B, Chambersburg, PA 17201, Erie | (717) 262-2326 | 01/16/15 | Active |
| Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work | Chambersburg | 1010 Western Avenue, Suite 300, Pittsburg, PA 15233, Pittsburgh | (412) 701-4368 | 06/21/21 | Active |
| Nationalities Service Center | Chambersburg | 1216 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 191075812, New World Association of Emigrants from Eastern Europe 06/09/17 11/26/25* Active, (Pending Renewal) | (215) 893-8400 | 07/02/58 | Active |
| Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC) | Erie | 554 East 10th Street, Erie, PA 16503, Harrisburg | (814) 455-0212 | 03/17/25 | Active |
| Church World Service Lancaster | Harrisburg | 2101 N. Front Street, Building 3, Suite 301, Harrisburg, PA 17110, Compass Immigration Legal Services 02/09/24 02/09/26* Active, (Pending Renewal) | (717) 358-9351 | 08/17/06 | Active |
| International Service Center, Inc. | Harrisburg | 21 South River Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101, Havertown, PRIME - Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees 02/23/96 09/20/25* Active, (Pending Renewal) | (717) 236-9401 | 12/19/24 | Active |
| Immigrant Hope - South Central PA | Hummelstown | 216 E. Canal Street, Hummelstown, PA 17036, Lancaster | (717) 673-2019 | 01/16/25 | Active |
| Church World Service Lancaster | Lancaster | 158 E. King St, Lancaster, PA 17602, PRIME - Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees 02/23/96 09/20/25* Active, (Pending Renewal) | — | 08/17/06 | Active |
| Global Arrival Aid Charities | Milton | 25 Belford Blvd, Suite 3, Milton, PA 17847, Philadelphia | (570) 212-9211 | 05/29/24 | Active |
| African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc. | Philadelphia | 5530 Chester Avenue, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19143 | (215) 729-8225 | 07/28/10 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia Immigration Legal Services | Philadelphia | 222 N. 17th Street, Suite 901, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | (215) 854-7019 | 07/08/25 | Active |
| Esperanza Immigration Legal Services (EILS) | Philadelphia | 4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140 | (215) 324-0746 | 04/13/11 | Active |
| Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work | Philadelphia | 990 Spring Garden Street, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19123 | (215) 733-0878 | 06/21/21 | Active |
| HIAS Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 123 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19109 | (215) 832-0900 | 08/11/25 | Active |
| Migrance Initiative Inc. | Philadelphia | 4701 B Street, Suite 1-B, Philadelphia, PA 19120 | (267) 270-7265 | 03/04/25 | Active |
| The Sisters of Saint Joseph Welcome Center | Philadelphia | 728 E. Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, Pittsburg | (215) 634-1696 | 06/29/11 | Active |
| Acculturation for Justice, Access and Peace Outreach (AJAPO) | Pittsburgh | 1835 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 | (412) 391-4985 | 09/01/09 | Active |
| Arise Immigration Services | Pittsburgh | 1217 Biltmore Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216, Arise Immigration Services | (412) 445-7604 | 06/11/24 | Active |
| Casa San Jose | Pittsburgh | 2116 Broadway Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 | (412) 343-3111 | 06/08/18 | Active |
| Christian Immigration Advocacy Center | Pittsburgh | Allegheny Center Alliance Church, 250 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 | (412) 532-6181 | 05/11/18 | Active |
| Global Arrival Aid Charities | Pittsburgh | 5743 Bartlett Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, Reading | (412) 422-7200 | 05/29/24 | Active |
| Community Justice Project | Reading | 35 North 6th Street, Mez 103, Reading, PA 19601, Community Justice Project | (610) 370-7296 | 09/16/19 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Scranton | 300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509 | (570) 207-2283 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Women’s Faith Circle Legal Services | Sharon Hill | 122 Reese Street, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, West Chester | (267) 367-2488 | 11/20/24 | Active |
| Westside Community Center | West Chester | 430 Hannum Avenue, West Chester, PA 19380, Wilkes Barre | (610) 314-4327 | 12/16/24 | Active |
| Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton | Williamsport | 33 East Northampton Street, Wilkes Barre, PA 18701, Williamsport, Thrive International Programs, Inc. 09/08/17 09/24/25* Active, (Pending Renewal) | (570) 822-7118 | 01/14/25 | Active |
| Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center | York | 294 Pleasant Acres Road, Suite 202, York, PA 17402, Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center | (717) 600-8099 | 06/26/25 | Active |
How to verify and contact a BIA-recognized organization
- Confirm current status at the EOIR roster — recognition can be withdrawn, and the roster is updated quarterly.
- Call ahead to check service availability — many orgs have waitlists, especially for asylum and removal-defense cases.
- Ask about fees before signing a representation agreement. Free or sliding-fee is standard.
- Bring all USCIS notices + photo ID to your intake appointment.
- Beware of “notarios” — only BIA-recognized organizations OR licensed attorneys can give legal advice. A “notario público” in the U.S. is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot legally represent you.
Related procedural information
- Immigration court in Pennsylvania — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Pennsylvania
- Legal aid in Pennsylvania — broader civil legal aid (housing, family, public benefits)
- Find an immigration attorney — AILA directory + private bar
- Avoid notario fraud — what to watch for
- Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections
Last verified: 2026-05-27. Source: U.S. Department of Justice EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster. General procedural information — not legal advice. Always verify organization status and ask about fees before signing a representation agreement.
BIA recognition program context (2025-2026)
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Recognition & Accreditation Program is governed by 8 CFR 1292.11-1292.16. Recognition is granted for 3 years initially; renewals require re-application and updated documentation. As of the 2026-04-20 EOIR roster: 1,256 recognized organizations operate 1,420 offices nationwide, with 5,800+ accredited representatives across Full Accreditation (court representation) and Partial Accreditation (USCIS-only practice).
BIA-recognized organizations cannot charge attorney-level fees but may charge “nominal fees” — typically defined by EOIR as covering only direct costs (printing, postage, document preparation). Most organizations charge $0-$200 for full representation in routine cases (USCIS filings, defensive asylum hearings). Compare to private immigration attorney fees: $1,500-$5,000 for asylum cases, $2,500-$8,000 for cancellation of removal, $1,500-$3,000 for adjustment of status.
EOIR publishes the Recognition & Accreditation Roster quarterly at justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports. Verify an organization’s CURRENT status (Active vs Pending Renewal vs Provisional vs Withdrawn) before signing a representation agreement. Organizations whose recognition was withdrawn by EOIR (typically for fraud or compliance issues) cannot practice immigration law.
For attorney directories: AILA Find-A-Lawyer at ailalawyer.com (paid membership, vetted), Legal Services Corporation grantees at lsc.gov (income-limited legal aid), American Bar Association lawyer referral at americanbar.org/groups/legal_services. Avoid “notario” fraud: in the US, a “notary public” is NOT a notario in the Latin American sense and cannot give legal advice. Report notario fraud to your state attorney general AND USCIS at uscis.gov/avoid-scams.
IMMI Help Line: 1-866-787-6111 (Immigrant Justice Network, free Spanish/English) Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. EOIR Hotline for case status: 1-800-898-7180 (24/7 automated; English/Spanish menu).
BIA-recognized immigration help in Pennsylvania
30 locations/organizations on record in Pennsylvania. Always verify directly before visiting.
- Franklin County Legal Services
Chambersburg - Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC)
Chambersburg - Church World Service Lancaster
Chambersburg - International Service Center, Inc.
Chambersburg - Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton
Chambersburg - Immigrant Hope - South Central PA
Chambersburg - Church World Service Lancaster
Chambersburg - Global Arrival Aid Charities
Chambersburg - African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc.
Chambersburg - Catholic Social Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia Immigration Legal Services
Chambersburg - Esperanza Immigration Legal Services (EILS)
Chambersburg - Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work
Chambersburg - HIAS Pennsylvania
Chambersburg - Migrance Initiative Inc.
Chambersburg - Nationalities Service Center
Chambersburg - The Sisters of Saint Joseph Welcome Center
Chambersburg - Friends of Farmworkers d/b/a Justice at Work
Chambersburg - Acculturation for Justice, Access and Peace Outreach (AJAPO)
Chambersburg - Arise Immigration Services
Chambersburg - Casa San Jose
Chambersburg - Christian Immigration Advocacy Center
Chambersburg - Global Arrival Aid Charities
Chambersburg - Community Justice Project
Chambersburg - Catholic Social Services Diocese of Scranton
Chambersburg - Community Justice Project
Chambersburg
…and 5 more.
Frequently asked questions
What is BIA recognition?
How is a BIA-recognized organization different from an immigration attorney?
How do I know if a Pennsylvania organization is currently BIA-recognized?
Is BIA-recognized legal help really free in Pennsylvania?
The rules change. Hear about it first.
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General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.