My old paperwork says Arlington. Is this the same court?
Yes, in name. EOIR's notice of September 9, 2022 said the Arlington Immigration Court would relocate to Annandale, that hearings set at Arlington after October 5 would be rescheduled there, that they would start on October 17, 2022, and that affected parties would be notified. Separately, EOIR announced the Sterling Immigration Court, which opened on October 3, 2022, and sent change of location notices for cases reassigned to it. So an old Arlington paper may not name your current court. The newest notice does, and you can confirm it through our guide to checking your hearing and court. The Arlington Asylum Office is a separate USCIS office, not a court.
Can I park at the Annandale court, and how do I get there by bus or Metro?
EOIR's court page, updated October 8, 2026, says the court has onsite parking: surface spaces, some limited to 2 hours and some unlimited, plus a parking garage. It says all parking is currently at no charge. Even a master calendar hearing may keep you longer than planned, so an unlimited space or the garage is safer than a 2-hour one. For transit, the page names Bus 402 of Fairfax Connector and a Bus 16A, and refers riders to wmata.com; confirm both route numbers first, as EOIR's list may be dated. It calls Dunn Loring the closest Metro stop and places it on the orange and blue lines, but WMATA's own station lists show it on the Orange Line only.
Why is there security on more than one floor, and when do the elevators stop?
EOIR explains that this is a commercial building, so it has security screening on all three floors. Each visit includes a magnetometer and an X-ray of your things. If you do not pass, a second check adds wanding and an X-ray of your shoes, and you may be asked to remove them. Elevator access to the court runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no visitors may stay on the court floors after security leaves for the day. Food and drinks are not allowed unless the judge permits them, and cameras and recording devices are prohibited in EOIR space.
When is the filing window open, and how do I reach the court?
The window takes filings from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while public hours run to 4:30 p.m. The phone is 703-343-4000 and general questions go to Annandale.Immigration.Court@usdoj.gov. That mailbox is not a filing route: unrequested faxes and emails stay out of the record. ECAS, EOIR's electronic filing system, is a different matter, and has been mandatory since February 11, 2022, for attorneys and fully accredited representatives in eligible cases. To look up your date, use acis.eoir.justice.gov or 1-800-898-7180 with your A-number. EOIR's internet hearing directory, updated October 29, 2026, lists 24 names under Annandale, each with a Webex link. If you need help with a merits hearing here, see our removal defense service.
How is Annandale connected to Farmville and Caroline?
EOIR's Administrative Control List, updated October 1, 2026, names two Virginia Televideo Sites under Annandale: Farmville Detention Center in Farmville and the Caroline County Detention Facility in Bowling Green, which ICE calls the Caroline Detention Facility. This helps relatives of people held there understand why a Northern Virginia court may appear in their paperwork. The list describes record keeping and where charging documents go, though, so it cannot tell you where a person's hearing is. Virginia has four EOIR locations in all: Annandale, Sterling, and the Falls Church and Richmond adjudication centers. See the court directory for the others.