Form EOIR-29 Notice of Appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals fro

OMB No. 1125-0010

U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Board of Immigration Appeals

Notice of Appeal to the Board of Immigration
Appeals from a Decision of a DHS Officer

WHERE TO FILE THIS APPEAL:

Do not file this directly with the Board of Immigration Appeals.
This notice of appeal must be filed with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within 30 calendar days after service of the decision
of the DHS Officer. Please read the complete instructions on the back of this form.

1.

Choose one of the boxes:
q I am filing an appeal from a decision of a USCIS
Officer:

Fee Stamp (Official Use Only)

Name of Beneficiary:
A-Number, if any, of Beneficiary:
Petition Form Number:
q I am filing a different type of appeal from a decision of a DHS Officer (e.g., carrier and fine
decisions, INA 212(d)(3)(A) waiver decisions, permissible DHS bond decisions)

Name:
A-Number, if any:
Carrier and fine number:
Any other relevant information:
2.

I hereby appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals from the decision of the

(Title of DHS Officer)

dated
(Date of DHS Decision)

issued by

(Office Where DHS Decision was Issued)

in the above entitled case.

3.

Specify reasons for this appeal and continue on separate sheets if necessary. Please refer to
Instruction #2 for further guidance. Warning: If the factual or legal basis for the appeal is not
sufficiently described, the appeal may be summarily dismissed.

4.

Do you desire oral argument before the Board of Immigration Appeals?

5.

Do you intend to file a separate written brief or statement after filing this Notice of Appeal?
Warning: If you mark “yes” you will be expected to file a written brief or statement. Please refer
to the Instructions for further information.
q Yes q No

Date

,

q Yes

q No

Signature of Appellant (or Attorney or Representative)

(Print or Type Name)
Address (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)

Form EOIR-29
Revised 2012

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(Please read carefully before completing and filing Form EOIR-29)
1.

General Information. You are the “appellant” if you are
filing an appeal from a decision of a DHS officer. The Notice
of Appeal (Form EOIR-29) asks for specific details about the
underlying application you filed with DHS. Please refer to the
decision of the DHS officer for specific appeal instructions
and for the requested details about the underlying application
you filed with DHS.

2. Filing. You must file this Notice of Appeal with the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS). If the decision was handed to you by a
USCIS Officer, you must file this Notice of Appeal within 30
calendar days. If the decision was mailed to you by the USCIS,
this Notice of Appeal must be received within 30 calendar days
from the date the decision was mailed to you. Follow the
instructions included with the USCIS decision. Do not send this
Notice of Appeal directly to the Board of Immigration Appeals
(Board).

If you are appealing a decision by a USCIS officer denying
a visa petition (I-130 application), please note the following:
List the name and “A” number of the beneficiary at the top
of Form EOIR-29. The beneficiary is not allowed to sign
Form EOIR-29. Only the petitioner, or a self-petitioner, is
allowed to sign Form EOIR-29.

3.

Review. Most appeals are reviewed by a single Board
Member. If you assert that your appeal warrants review by a
three-Board Member panel, you may identify the specific
factual or legal basis for your contention.

Cases will be reviewed by a three-member panel only if the
case presents one of these circumstances:
-

-

-

-

The need to establish a precedent construing the meaning
of laws, regulations, or procedures;
The need to review a decision by the USCIS that is not in
conformity with the law or with applicable precedents;
The need to resolve a case or controversy of major national
import; or,
The need to reverse the decision of the USCIS, other than a
reversal under 8 C.F.R § 1003.1(e)(5).

4.

Fees. A fee of one hundred and ten U.S. dollars ($110.00)
must be paid for filing this appeal. It cannot be refunded
regardless of the action taken on the appeal. All fees must
be submitted in the exact amount. Do not mail cash.
Payment by bank drafts, cashier’s checks, certified checks,
personal checks, and money orders must be drawn on U.S.
financial institutions and payable in U.S. funds. If you live
in the United States or its territories, make the check or
money order payable to U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (not “USDHS” or “DHS”). If you live outside the
United States or its territories, and are filing your application
or petition where you live, contact the nearest U.S.
Embassy or consulate for instructions on the method of
payment. When a check is drawn on the account of a
person other than the appellant, the name of the appellant
must be entered on the face of the check. Personal checks
are accepted subject to collectibilty. An uncollectible check
will render the appeal invalid.

5. Counsel. An appellant may be represented, at no expense
to the Government, by an attorney or other duly authorized

representative. Only the petitioner, or a self-petitioner, may
appeal the denial of a visa petition by USCIS. An attorney
or authorized representative must file a separate notice of
appearance on behalf of the petitioner (Form EOIR-27) with
this Notice of Appeal. In presenting and prosecuting this
appeal, the USCIS may be represented by appropriate counsel.

6. Briefs. Briefs, if desired, are filed with DHS, at the same office
as the Notice of Appeal (Form EOIR-29) and within the time
frame specified by DHS in its decision. If the time to file
a brief is not specified by DHS in its decision, a brief should
be filed within 21 days.
7.

Oral Argument. The Board will consider every case on the
record submitted, whether or not oral arguments are
presented. Oral argument may be requested. If approved,
you will be notified.

8.

Summary Dismissal of Appeal. The Board may summarily
dismiss any appeal or portion of any appeal in which:
(1) The appellant fails to specify the reasons for the appeal;
(2) The only reason specified by the appellant for his/her
appeal involves a finding of fact or conclusion of law which
was conceded by him/her at a prior proceeding; (3) The
appeal is from an order that granted the appellant the relief
that had been requested; (4) The appeal is filed for an
improper purpose, such as to cause unnecessary delay, or lacks an
arguable basis in fact or law, unless the Board determines
that it is supported by a good faith argument for extension,
modification, or reversal of existing law; (5) The appellant
indicates on Form EOIR-29 that he/she will file a separate
brief or statement in support of the appeal and, thereafter,
does not file such brief or statement, or reasonably explain
his/her failure to do so, within the time set for filing; (6) The
appeal does not fall within the Board’s jurisdiction; (7) The
appeal is untimely or barred by an affirmative waiver of the
right to appeal that is clear on the record; or (8) The appeal
fails to meet essential statutory or regulatory requirements
or is expressly excluded by statute or regulation.

9.

Privacy Act Notice. The information requested on this form is
authorized by 8 C.F.R § 1003.3(a)(2) in order to appeal a decision
of a USCIS officer. The information you provide is mandatory
and required to file an appeal. Failure to provide the requested
information may result in rejection of your appeal. EOIR may
share this information with others in accordance with approved
routine uses described in EOIR’s system of records notice, EOIR00l, Records and Management Information System, 69 Fed.
Reg. 26,179 (May 11, 2004), or its successors and EOIR-003,
Practitioner Complaint-Disciplinary Files, 64 Fed. Reg. 49237
(September 1999).

For further guidance please see the Board of Immigration
Appeals Practice Manual which is available on the EOIR
website at www.justice.gov/eoir.
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.
We try to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily
understood, and which impose the least possible burden on you to provide
us with information. The estimated average time to complete this form is
thirty (30) minutes. 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.
Form EOIR-29
Revised 2012