G-28
Purpose
Names your attorney or accredited representative for a matter before USCIS, ICE, or CBP
Filed With
The underlying application, petition, or appeal
USCIS or DOJ
USCIS
Without Form G-28, USCIS may not recognize an attorney or accredited representative as the official legal representative on a case. That means case information and notices may be sent only to the applicant or petitioner, and the representative may be limited in what can be handled directly with USCIS.
In simple terms, a Form G-28 USCIS filing tells the government who is authorized to represent a person in an immigration matter.
This guide explains what Form G-28 is, who can file it, and how it affects communication with USCIS. It also covers the difference between Form G-28, Form G-28I, and the unrelated G-325R form.
Form G-28 is formally called the Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative. It creates a legal link between an instructing party and their advocate. In compliance with 8 CFR 292.4, USCIS, ICE, and CBP will recognize the relationship, but only for the case stated in the form.
If the same attorney later wants to file Form I-485 for adjustment of status for the same client, they would tender a new G-28 Form to attach. Every lodgement is seen as an independent record, so nothing rolls forward automatically.
Three categories of people can attest to a G-28 USCIS filing.
Attorneys who have any suspensions, disbarment, or any other type of restrictions on their license must notify USCIS as part of the eligibility section. Authorities do a check before approving the form, and representatives facing penalties cannot stand in without flagging it first.
An attorney holds a state bar license and lists that license number, along with the state of admission, in the second part of the form. An accredited agent does not need to be a lawyer. This person works for a nonprofit religious, charitable, or social service organization recognized by the Department of Justice and holds full or partial accreditation to appear in immigration matters.
Neither category includes a general immigration consultant or a notario, terms that carry no legal representation authority under US immigration law no matter how common that usage is elsewhere.
Once this form is entered and accepted, the status of your case legally changes. This shifts the responsibility of case management to the lawyer.
USCIS starts sending case correspondence to the attorney-in-fact the moment a G-28 application is accepted. Receipt notices, requests for evidence, biometrics appointments, and interview scheduling all settle with the attorney directly instead of the client.
An outdated address on file with USCIS becomes less of a risk when a representative is listed on the case. Notices with response deadlines can also be monitored through the representative’s office address.
Reviewing your case, responding to USCIS queries, and submitting additional evidence are perks of the trustee codified in a client’s form. This is why USCIS will not reveal any information about a case to an agent not present in the Form G-28 USCIS paperwork. Prior history with your file is not a valid cause to be granted access either.
The importance of Form G-28 means a clear, precise, and correct record must be provided as asked.
The form is only valid to USCIS after it has been signed by both the instructing party and their representing party. An unsigned form gets treated as though it was never logged, which can delay recognition of your representative and leave earlier correspondence addressed to you alone in the meantime.
USCIS will accept a photocopied, faxed, or scanned signature, as long as it reproduces an original handwritten one instead of one typed.
Check the client mailing address section before signing. USCIS wants a personal mailing address here, not the attorney's business address, unless that business address doubles as your safe mailing address on the record.
Representation does not transfer automatically between filings, no matter how long the relationship. Your attorney submits a new G-28 for each application, petition, or appeal, even one handled by the same person from start to finish.
The same rule affects appeals. Filing Form I-209, also called the Notice of Appeal or Motion, to the Administrative Appeals Office requires a brand new G-28.
Conversely, a different set of documents is needed if it is an immigration judge. Your agent must produce documents issued by the Department of Justice instead.
To change attorneys mid-case, your new attorney files a new Form G-28 with the office handling your case. To withdraw representation entirely without hiring a replacement, you or your outgoing attorney needs to submit a written notice of withdrawal to that same office. USCIS updates its records once it processes the notice, and correspondence reverts to your address on file.
Several immigration forms use similar numbering, but they serve very different purposes. The forms below are often confused with Form G-28, so it is important to understand which agency uses each one and what role it plays in a case.
Form G-28I serves attorneys admitted to practice outside the United States. It covers a limited purpose only, such as appearing on a litigant’s behalf at a single interview, and an attorney must file it in person at a DHS office rather than by mail. The original attorney of record named on the standard G-28 USCIS entry stays the recorded representative for everything else.
A different form is used in immigration court. EOIR-28 form, shortened to E-28, is a Department of Justice document rather than a USCIS one. Submitting the wrong records means associating the wrong agency.
The G-325R Form shares a numbering pattern with G-28 but has nothing to do with representation. USCIS created Form G-325R, Biographic Information (Registration), for foreign nationals who need to satisfy the alien registration requirement under INA 262.
If a client’s attorney mentions both forms during an engagement, expect two unrelated filings serving two unrelated purposes.
Missing or entering a G-28 USCIS notice wrongly can mean a break in communication between USCIS and your attorney.
Beyond Borders works to link managers and employers with professionals from its vast network of vetted attorneys. These professionals are matched based on the visa category and case complexity involved. Paperwork is filed correctly at first entry, and updates on the O-1, L-1, EB-1A, or EB-2NIW petitions are monitored properly.
Schedule a free consultation and profile evaluation and get a specialist U.S. immigration attorney assigned to your case.
Form G-28 authorizes a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative to act on an instructing party’s behalf before USCIS, ICE, or CBP. It tells the agency to send case correspondence to that representative instead of only to the client.
No. USCIS charges no separate filing fee for Form G-28. The attorney or accredited representative may still charge their own consultation or service fees.
No. The G-28 form only applies when a licensed attorney or accredited representative represents a principal. File a case without one, and USCIS corresponds with you directly; no G-28 required.
A new attorney files a new Form G-28 with the office handling a client’s case. USCIS updates its records to reflect the new representative once it processes that entry.
Lodging Form G-28 redirects most case correspondence to the registered representative, though USCIS may still mail certain notices to the litigant depending on the matter and any preferences noted on the form.
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