BIA-recognized immigration help in Virginia — free DOJ-accredited organizations
This page lists every non-profit in Virginia currently authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (Board of Immigration Appeals / BIA) to provide immigration legal representation. Source: the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster, last updated 10/18/2026. EOIR updates it periodically, not on a fixed schedule.
BIA-recognized organizations are non-profits that serve primarily low-income clients — many provide representation free or for sliding-fee based on income. Their accredited representatives (Full Accreditation can appear before the immigration courts, the BIA and DHS; Partial Accreditation may represent clients only before DHS) practice ONLY immigration law.
BIA-recognized organizations in Virginia
27 offices run by 21 distinct organizations listed in the EOIR Recognition & Accreditation Roster for Virginia, as of the roster published October 18, 2026. The table has one row per office, so an organization with several locations appears more than once. These non-profits are recognized through EOIR’s Recognition & Accreditation Program (U.S. Department of Justice) to provide immigration legal representation at low or no cost.
| Organization | City | Address | Phone | Recognized | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington - Hogar Immigrant Services | Alexandria | 6301 Little River Turnpike, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22312 | (703) 534-9805 | 03/29/04 | Active |
| Just Neighbors Ministry, Inc. | Annandale | 7630 Little River Tpke, Suite 900, Annandale, VA 22003 | (703) 979-1240 | 11/21/24 | Active |
| National Korean American Service and Education Consortium | Annandale | 4304 Evergreen Lane, Suite 104, Annandale, VA 22003 | (703) 256-2208 | 08/11/16 | Active |
| African Communities Together | Arlington | 1225 S Clark Street, Suite 504, Arlington, VA 22202 | (240) 621-0194 | 02/21/20 | Active |
| ECDC African Community Center Arlington | Arlington | 901 South Highland Street, Arlington, VA 22204 | (703) 685-0510 | 01/03/13 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Restoration Immigration Legal Aid (RILA) | Arlington | 1815 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22207 | (571) 429-5410 | 04/13/16 | Active (pending renewal) |
| International Rescue Committee, Inc. | Charlottesville | 375 Greenbrier Drive, Suite 200, Charlottesville, VA 22901 | (434) 979-7772 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Sin Barreras (Without Borders) | Charlottesville | 425 Seminole Trail, Suite 310, P.O Box 6433, Charlottesville, VA 22901 | (434) 531-0104 | 11/18/15 | Active |
| Ayuda | Fairfax | 2701 Prosperity Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22031 | (703) 444-7009 | 09/18/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Immigrant Connection - Fairfax | Fairfax | 11451 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 | (703) 745-1030 | 02/27/26 | Active |
| International Commission for Dalit Rights, Inc. (ICDR) | Fairfax | 3615 Chain Bridge Rd, Unit C, Fairfax, VA 22030 | (202) 538-1435 | 08/05/24 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) | Fairfax | 2701 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 405, Fairfax, VA 22031 | (703) 942-6680 | 12/04/24 | Active |
| Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area | Fairfax | 3975 Fair Ridge Drive, Suite 100 North, Fairfax, VA 22033 | (202) 723-3000 | 06/26/90 | Active |
| National Korean American Service and Education Consortium | Fairfax | 11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 230, Fairfax, VA 22030 | (703) 256-2208 | 08/11/16 | Active |
| Tahirih Justice Center | Falls Church | 6400 Arlington Blvd, Suite 400, Falls Church, VA 22042 | (571) 282-6161 | 03/22/10 | Active (pending renewal) |
| LUCHA Ministries, Inc. | Fredericksburg | 1019 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 | (540) 370-4502 | 06/14/16 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program-Harrisonburg Office | Harrisonburg | 250 East Elizabeth Street, Suite 215, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 | (540) 299-4832 | 01/06/06 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Shenandoah Valley Immigrant Resource Center | Harrisonburg | 25 N Liberty Street, Suite #E, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 | (540) 383-7455 | 03/06/26 | Active |
| Commonwealth Catholic Charities | Newport News | 740 Thimble Shoals, Suite F, Newport News, VA 23606 | (757) 247-3600 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Commonwealth Catholic Charities | Richmond | 1601 Rolling Hills Drive, Richmond, VA 23229 | (804) 545-5900 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| International Rescue Committee, Inc. | Richmond | 2004 Bremo Road, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23226 | (804) 308-9144 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Sacred Heart Center, Inc. | Richmond | 1400 Perry Street, Richmond, VA 23224 | (804) 230-4399 | 04/06/18 | Active |
| Commonwealth Catholic Charities | Roanoke | 2131 Valley View Blvd NW, Roanoke, VA 24012 | (540) 342-7561 | 02/23/96 | Active |
| Immigrant Connection - Blue Ridge | Roanoke | 3706 Peters Creek Road, Roanoke, VA 24019 | (540) 529-4101 | 09/01/16 | Active |
| Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program-Harrisonburg Office | Winchester | 2273 Valley Avenue, Winchester, VA 22601 | (540) 299-4832 | 01/06/06 | Active (pending renewal) |
| Just Neighbors Ministry, Inc. | Winchester | 301 N. Cameron Street #103, Winchester, VA 22601 | (703) 979-1240 | 11/21/24 | Active |
| CASA, Inc. | Woodbridge | 2359 Research Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192 | (571) 421-2211 | 10/25/10 | Active |
How to verify and contact a BIA-recognized organization
- Confirm current status at the EOIR roster — recognition can be withdrawn, and EOIR updates the roster periodically — check the “Report Last Updated” date at the top of the roster PDF.
- 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” — USCIS’s list of who may help you with immigration matters includes licensed attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives working for an organization on DOJ’s recognized list, and law students or graduates supervised by one of them. 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 Virginia — the EOIR court that hears removal cases for residents of Virginia
- Legal aid in Virginia — 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: 2026-09-24. 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 Recognition & Accreditation (R&A) Program, administered by EOIR, is governed by 8 CFR 1292.11-1292.20. Recognition is valid for six years, unless the organization has conditional recognition, valid for two years — granted to an organization not recognized before, one with federal tax-exempt status pending, or one approved again after its recognition was terminated (8 CFR 1292.11(f)); the three-year term is the validity period of an individual representative’s accreditation, not the organization’s recognition (8 CFR 1292.12(d)). Renewals require re-application and updated documentation. As of the 2026-10-18 EOIR roster: 1,450 recognized organizations operate 1,566 offices nationwide — read that 1,450 as roster listings, one per organization per city, so an organization with offices in three cities is counted three times; the roster’s own header counts 950 distinct recognized organizations. Those offices are staffed by representatives holding Full Accreditation (immigration courts, the BIA and DHS) or Partial Accreditation (DHS only, including USCIS).
To be recognized, an organization must be a non-profit that provides immigration legal services primarily to low-income and indigent clients, and if it charges fees it must have a written policy for accommodating clients unable to pay; EOIR reviews its fee schedule, fee-waiver policy and annual budget as part of recognition (8 CFR 1292.11(a)(1) and (b)). Each organization sets its own fees, and neither EOIR nor any other national source publishes what recognized non-profits — or private immigration attorneys — actually charge. Ask for the fee schedule in writing and compare quotes before you commit.
EOIR publishes the Recognition & Accreditation Roster at justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports and updates it periodically — the file carries its own “Report Last Updated” date at the top. Verify an organization’s CURRENT status (Active vs Pending Renewal vs Provisional vs Withdrawn) before signing a representation agreement. Organizations whose recognition EOIR terminates (8 CFR 1292.17) are removed from the recognition and accreditation roster.
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.
EOIR Hotline for case status: 1-800-898-7180 (24/7 automated; English/Spanish menu).