Form EOIR-56 Request to be included on the List of Pro Bono Legal Ser

1

U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Office of Legal Access Programs

OMB# 1125-0015
Request to be Included on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service
Providers for Individuals in Immigration Proceedings
General Instructions

Please read carefully before completing and filing Form EOIR-56
A. When to submit Form EOIR-56:
(Click to show/hide text)
Organizations, pro bono referral services, and individual private attorneys may use this form (Form EOIR-56) to apply for placement on the
List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers (List) for individuals in immigration court proceedings, and to make a renewal request to remain on
the List. The List provides names of organizations, referral services, and attorneys available to provide pro bono legal services to persons
in immigration court proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The List is published quarterly, in January,
April, July, and October. To be considered, applicants should submit the form not later than 60 days prior to the first day of the month in
which the next quarterly update will be published. Applications received less than 60 days prior to that date will not be considered until the
following quarterly update.
To save this form at any time, scroll to the top of the page and click the “Save” button.
For more information about applying to be on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers, visit the EOIR website at:
http://www.justice.gov/eoir/probono/probono.htm
B. Who is eligible to be included on the List:
(Click to show/hide text)
Organizations, pro bono referral services, and private attorneys may apply to be placed on the List. Organizations and private attorneys
must commit to providing annually at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services to individuals in proceedings at each immigration court
location where the organization or attorney intends to appear on the List. “Pro bono legal services” are those uncompensated legal services
performed for individuals or for the public good without any expectation of payment from the onset of the case. Even if a client was only
charged “nominal fees” or consultation or intake fees, any legal services provided that client would not count towards the 50 hours of pro
bono legal services.
z

z

z

An “organization” must be a non-profit religious, charitable, social service or similar group established in the United States.
Organizations include both organizations recognized by EOIR under 8 CFR part 1292 and non-recognized organizations. A Recognized
Organization must have at least one attorney or an Accredited Representative eligible to practice before the immigration courts. Nonrecognized organizations must have attorney on staff.
A “pro bono referral service” is a service, offered by a non-profit group, association, or similar organization established in the United
States that assists persons in locating pro bono representation by making case referrals to attorneys or organizations that are
available to provide pro bono representation in immigration court proceedings. A service that refers individuals for paid legal services
does not qualify.
An “attorney” in private practice in the United States may be eligible to be included on the List only if the private attorney cannot
provide pro bono legal services through or in association with an organization or pro bono referral service. Attorneys from the same
law firm must apply individually.

C. Who must verify the contents of Form EOIR-56:
(Click to show/hide text)
Authorized Officer
The applicant organization or referral service must have an authorized officer, such as the President, Executive Director or an officer of the
organization, who has been designated to act on behalf of the organization to apply to be on the List. By signing the form under penalty of
perjury the authorized officer declares that the organization or referral service meets the eligibility requirements to be included on the List
and that the contents of the form and its attachments are true, correct, and complete.
Attorney
A private attorney must attest that he or she is licensed to practice law in the United States, has registered with EOIR (provide the
registration number), and that he or she is not under an order of suspension, disbarment, or other restriction in the practice of law. By
signing the form under penalty of perjury the attorney declares that he or she meets the eligibility requirements to be included on the List
and that the contents of the form and its attachments are true, correct, and complete.

Part 1. Organization, referral service, or attorney seeking inclusion on the List
Instructions
The Entity Type radial button is automatically selected based upon the entity type chosen when creating the user profile. To change
the entity type, please return to the user profile to make the appropriate edits. Provide the applicant’s complete name, including any
names under which it is doing business, and the name as it should appear on the List. If the applicant has previously applied to be
on the List, provide the name(s) used in the past by the applicant.
The applicant is a:
Non-profit Organization

Pro Bono Referral Service

Private Attorney

Provider Name
Provider Name (as it should appear on the
list)
Provider Name(s) previously applied under
(if not applicable enter 'N/A')
Part 2. Contact Information
Instructions
The Mailing Address and Physical Address information is automatically entered based upon the information entered when creating the
user profile. To change the applicant mailing and physical address information, please return to the user profile. To add additional
physical addresses to the user profile, please click on the “Add Address” button and add the desired address(es). These addresses will
automatically be added to the user profile. When filling out the Physical Address information, the applicant must provide a street
address as the primary address. A post office box number is not acceptable. Include the applicant’s telephone number, fax number
(if available), email address and web address (if available). Additional addresses can be entered in the applicant profile as necessary.
The applicant will be able to select the appropriate address from a dropdown menu when completing Part 4 of the form. If the
contact information changes, the applicant must, within 10 business days of the change, login to the ACTList User Portal and update
their contact information.
Mailing Address and Contact Information

This box will be checked if the P.O. Box was selected in your profile.
Number and Street

Suite

City

Country

Zip Code
Postal Code

Telephone

Email



State
Province



Fax
Website

Verify Physical Addresses(es) and Contact Information to Appear on the List

Add Address

Note: Please verify that all of the addresses from which you will be providing Pro Bono services appear on the list above. If an address does
not appear on the list above, click the “Add Address” button to add the address to your profile.

Part 3. Type of application
Instructions
The Application Type radial button is automatically selected based on the type of application the user is creating (Initial or Renewal).
Once approved to be on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers, providers must submit a recertification or renewal request every
3 years. To guarantee that the recertification or renewal application will be processed before the expiration of the 3 year period, the
renewal application must be submitted at least 60 days prior to expiration of the 3 year period and certify that the provider remains
eligible to appear on the List. For example, an approved applicant who is placed on the List in January 2016 would be required to file
an application for renewal not later than November 2, 2018 (60 days prior to the expiration of the 3 year approval period and
issuance of the January 2019 quarterly List).

Initial request
Renewal Request
Part 4. Immigration court locations and additional applicant information
Instructions
Court Selection:
Select from the dropdown menu the names of each immigration court in which the applicant intends to provide at least 50 hours each
year of pro bono legal services or refer cases to representatives providing pro bono legal services. To add additional courts click
the “Add new court” button at the bottom of Part 4.
Notice of Specialities, Limitations, and other Comments:
If there are any specialties, limitations, or comments the applicant would like to provide for a given court, click the “Add” button
under “Specialities,Limitations/Comments”. Common specialties and limitations are listed. If necessary, select “Other” to manually
add a speciality, limitation, or comment that is not listed. Once all items are listed, click the “Select” button. Note that the List is for
uncompensated legal services performed for individuals or for the public good without any expectation of payment from the onset of
the case. As such, any limitations or comments entered regarding charging of fees will not be published.
Applicant Address Selection:
An address from the user profile must be associated with the immigration court. Click the “Add” button, select the address(es) to be
associated with that immigration court, and click “Confirm”.
Repeat this process if applying to any additional courts. The EOIR-56 can expand to accommodate the number of lines the applicant
needs to complete this portion of the form.

Indicate below the Immigration Court Name(s), Specialties/Limitations/Comments, and Address(es) from which the applicant intends to
provide at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services annually (if an organization or attorney) or refer individuals for pro bono legal services
(if a referral service).
Immigration Court Name(s)*

Address(es)*

Specialties/Limitations/Comments

 Click Add button to add specialties
 (Optional)

Add

Click Add button to add address
(Required)

Add
Other Comments

Part 5. Affirmation of provision of pro bono legal services
Instructions
Organizations must affirm that they intend to provide annually at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services in each immigration court
location listed in Part 4. An organization may count its attorneys’ and representatives’ in-court time, as well as their out-of-court
preparation time. When an organization refers a case for pro bono legal services outside the organization, it may count its attorneys’
and representatives’ time spent, for example, conducting an intake interview or mentoring the attorney to whom the case was
referred. Those attorneys and fully Accredited Representatives appearing in immigration court must be registered with EOIR. For
information about EOIR’s e-Registry system, see http://www.justice.gov/eoir/engage/eRegistration.htm.
Pro bono referral services must affirm that they intend to offer their services to individuals in removal or other proceedings before
each immigration court location identified in Part 4.
Private attorneys must affirm they intend to provide annually at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services in each immigration court
location listed in Part 4. Under penalty of perjury, counsel must declare that he or she is unable to provide pro bono legal services
through or in association with an organization or pro bono referral service because such an organization is unavailable, or the ranges
of services provided is insufficient to address the needs of the community. In addition, private attorneys are encouraged to submit
other relevant documentation. Finally, counsel must attach a statement, under penalty of perjury, describing the good faith efforts
made to associate with organizations and pro bono referral services. An example of a good faith declaration can be found at
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/pages/attachments/2016/04/22/sample_good_faith_efforts_declaration.pdf.
Documents can be attached to this form by scrolling to the top of the application and clicking “Attachment Details”.
* By checking this box the applicant organization affirms that:
z

z

z

It understands that pro bono legal services are those uncompensated legal services performed for indigent individuals or the
public good without any expectation of either direct or indirect remuneration, including referral fees (other than filing fees or
photocopying and mailing expenses). 8 CFR § 1003.61. Therefore, if fees are charged at any point of the representation,
including intake or consultation fees (other than the enumerated exceptions), the representation may not be counted as pro
bono legal services.
It will provide annually at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services through its attorneys or representatives to individuals in
proceedings in each immigration court location listed in Part 4.
Every attorney and accredited representative who will represent clients pro bono before EOIR on behalf of the organization is
registered with EOIR.

No attorney or representative who will provide pro bono legal services on behalf of the organization in cases pending before
EOIR is under an order of suspension, disbarment or other restriction limiting his/her practice of law.
* By checking this box the applicant pro bono referral service affirms that it will offer its services without charge to individuals in
immigration court proceedings for each immigration court location listed in Part 4.
* By checking this box the applicant attorney affirms that:
z

z

z

z

z

He or she understands that pro bono legal services are those uncompensated legal services performed for indigent individuals or
the public good without any expectation of either direct or indirect remuneration, including referral fees (other than filing fees or
photocopying and mailing expenses). 8 CFR § 1003.61. Therefore, if fees are charged at any point of the representation,
including intake or consultation fees (other than the enumerated exceptions), the representation may not be counted as pro
bono legal services.
He or she will provide annually at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services to individuals in proceedings in each immigration
court listed in Part 4.
He or she is unable to provide pro bono legal services through or in association with an organization or pro bono referral service
because any such organization or referral service is unavailable or the range of services provided by available organization(s) or
referral services(s) are insufficient to address the needs of the community.
He or she has submitted with this application a description of the good faith efforts he or she made to provide pro bono legal
services through an organization or pro bono referral service to individuals appearing before each immigration court location
listed in Part 4.

Part 6. Recertification/Renewal. If this is an initial application or a pro bono referral service provider, skip to Part 7.
Instructions
IF RECERTIFICATION OR RENEWAL APPLICATION SHOW THE FOLLOWING TEXT:
Section A
To recertify eligibility to remain on the List, the organization or private attorney must submit the alien registration numbers of clients
in whose cases the organization or private attorney provided pro bono legal services, totaling at least 50 hours in each of the past
three years for each immigration court location where the provider appears on the List.
For each case listed, the provider must include: the number of hours of pro bono legal services provided; the time period for which
the pro bono legal services were provided; and the name and e-Registry number (if applicable) of the attorney or representative who
rendered the pro bono legal services or to whom the case was referred for pro bono legal services. When an organization refers a
case to an outside attorney or representative for pro bono legal services, the organization may count the time its attorneys or
representatives spent providing pro bono legal services, but not the time of the attorney or representative to whom the case was
referred.
Hours spent preparing a case for immigration court, including, for example, screening cases for pro bono referral or mentoring
representatives, may be counted as well as time spent in court. Only 50 hours of pro bono legal services need to be reported for
each year for each court location; there is no obligation to report additional hours of pro bono legal services performed in excess of
the 50 annual hours required to qualify for renewal. The EOIR-56 can expand to accommodate the number of lines the applicant
needs to complete this portion of the form.
Section B
Tally the total hours of pro bono legal services for the past 3 years in each immigration court location where pro bono legal services
were provided. No more than 50 hours total of pro bono legal service hours must be recorded for each year. The EOIR-56 can
expand to accommodate the number of lines the applicant needs to complete this portion of the form.

IF INITIAL APPLICATION OR PRO BONO REFERRAL SERVICE PROVIDER SHOW THE FOLLOWING TEXT:
This section is not applicable.

Section A.
By checking this box applicant affirms that:
z
z

Pro bono legal services have been provided to the individuals listed below.
The cases below represent, for each immigration court location where the provider appears on the List, at least 50 hours of pro
bono legal services in each of the 3 years since the applicant's last approval to be on the List.

Alien Number of
Individual(s)
Represented

Court Location

Hours of
Service



Dates Service
Provided

Name and EOIR
Registration Number of
Representative (if
available)

From
To

Section B.
Provide the total pro bono legal service hours performed during the past 3 years on matters in each immigration court location listed
in Part 6. Section A.

Not Applicable

Part 7. Declaration
Instructions
Authorized Officer Signature:
The applicant organization or referral service must have an authorized officer, such as the President, Executive Director or an officer
of the organization, who has been designated to act on behalf of the organization to apply to be on the List. By signing the form
under penalty of perjury the authorized officer declares that the organization or referral service meets the eligibility requirements to
be included on the List and that the contents of the form and its attachments are true, correct, and complete.
Attorney Signature:
A private attorney must attest that he or she is licensed to practice law in the United States, has registered with EOIR (provide the
registration number), and that he or she is not under an order of suspension, disbarment, or other restriction in the practice of
law. By signing the form under penalty of perjury the attorney declares that he or she meets the eligibility requirements to be
included on the List and that the contents of the form and its attachments are true, correct, and complete.
This application is not considered complete without a signature. By signing this form, the applicant hereby certifies the eligibility of the
organization, referral service, or attorney to be included on the List.
Under penalty of perjury, I declare: I am the authorized officer of
referral service; I have examined this form, including the affirmations and accompanying attachments, and to the
best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct, and complete.
Signature of Authorized Officer:
Title of Authorized Officer:
Date:

Under penalty of perjury, I declare: I am the authorized officer of
organization; I have examined this form, including the affirmations and accompanying attachments, and to the
best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct, and complete.
Signature of Authorized Officer:
Title of Authorized Officer:
Date:

Print Name of Attorney or
Accredited Representative
Authorized to Appear Before EOIR:
EOIR Registration (eReg) Number
of Attorney or Accredited
Representative Authorized to
Appear Before EOIR:

Under penalty of perjury, I declare that I am a licensed attorney registered with EOIR (number) provided below and that
I am not under any order of suspension, disbarment, or other restriction limiting my practice of law, and that I have examined
this form, including the affirmations and accompanying attachments, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true,
correct, and complete.
Signature of Attorney:
EOIR Registration (eReg) Number:
Date:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB
control number. Every effort is made to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily understood, and which impose the
least possible burden on you to provide information. The estimated average time to review the form, gather necessary materials, and
assemble the attachments is 30 minutes for an initial application and 45 minutes for a renewal application. If you have comments
regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions for making this form simpler, you can write to the Executive Office for
Immigration Review, Office of the General Counsel, 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2600, Falls Church, Virginia 22041.
The collection of this information is authorized by 8 U.S.C. §§ 1158, 1229 and 8 C.F.R. §§ 1003, 1240, 1241. All information provided in
this form is voluntary. The information you provide is necessary for EOIR to consider your request for inclusion on the List of Pro Bono
Legal Service Providers. Failure to provide the requested information may result in denial of your application. Furthermore, the
submission of this form acknowledges that any applicant approved will be subject to disciplinary procedures including public publication of
findings of misconduct. EOIR may share this information with others in accordance with approved routine uses. The List of Pro Bono Legal
Service Providers is authorized by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Certain information on initial applications, including the
applicant’s name and the immigration court locations selected, will be disclosed to the public for comment prior to adjudication of the
initial application. Information pertaining to specific individuals receiving representation will not be disclosed as part of the public
comment process.
To submit the completed form, scroll to the top of the page and click the “Save and Submit” button. Please be aware that this form is not
submitted to EOIR until the “Save and Submit” button has been clicked.

For more information about the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers visit:
https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers

Form EOIR-56
Rev. (Dec. 2015)