Can our church or community group help neighbors fill out immigration forms?

This page is about helping with immigration paperwork. It is general information, not legal advice. To check a lawyer or spot a scam, see Warning signs of an immigration scam.

Can a church or community group legally help?

Yes, within limits. Federal rules (8 CFR 1.2) let a person who is not a lawyer help fill in the blanks on a government immigration form, as long as they are paid nothing or only a nominal amount and do not present themselves as experts in immigration law. USCIS says the same thing in plain words: people who are not lawyers or accredited representatives may give limited help filling out USCIS forms, but they may not represent anyone or give legal advice.

The line is between writing and advising. Writing down what your neighbor tells you is help. Deciding what they should say, which form they need, or whether they qualify is legal advice. That belongs to a lawyer or a Department of Justice accredited representative.

Why it matters so much: a wrong form, or a wrong answer on the right form, can lead to a denial and lost fees, and for some people, filing anything at all carries risk. Good intentions do not undo that. The safest help is help that works hand in hand with a real legal expert.

What may volunteers do and not do?

California law (Business and Professions Code 22441) lists almost the same allowed tasks for paid immigration consultants: filling out a government form without advising on the answers, translating answers, getting supporting papers, submitting forms at the person's request, and making referrals to lawyers. The difference is that a paid consultant must follow strict state rules, which is why your volunteers should not be paid at all.

Can we charge a small fee or take a donation?

Do not. Here is why.

• Federal rule: a helper who is not a lawyer or accredited representative may charge only a nominal fee.
• California law: anyone who gives this kind of help for compensation, other than a lawyer or an accredited representative, is acting as an immigration consultant. Compensation means money, property or anything else of value. Immigration consultants must follow a long list of rules. See What an immigration consultant in California must do by law.

So keep form help completely free, with no "suggested donation" tied to it. If your church takes a general offering, keep it separate from any form help and never connect the two.

Who signs the form?

Most USCIS forms have sections for an interpreter and a preparer. USCIS says that if someone helps complete a USCIS form, as an interpreter or a preparer, that person generally must give their name, address and contact information, and sign and date the form.

That means:

• The volunteer who filled in the form signs as the preparer. The volunteer who interpreted signs as the interpreter.
• Never leave these sections blank to hide that you helped. That is not honest, and it can cause trouble for your neighbor.
• Only your neighbor signs as the applicant. Never sign for them.
• Your volunteer may be contacted later by the government with questions about how the form was prepared. Tell volunteers this before they agree to help.

Can our pastor go to an interview with a neighbor?

Sometimes. Federal rules (8 CFR 292.1) allow a "reputable individual" of good moral character to appear for someone in a single case, for no pay, if they already know the person, for example as a relative, neighbor, clergy member or friend. The official in charge must give permission, and it will not be given to someone who regularly does immigration work or presents themselves as qualified to.

USCIS says people in this group cannot file Form G-28, which is the form that makes someone the official representative, and their role is limited to being there in person, with permission. They cannot replace a lawyer.

If a neighbor wants support at an interview or a court date, the best plan is a lawyer or accredited representative for the legal part, and your pastor or a friend for moral support. Ask the lawyer first. For court, see What happens at your first immigration court hearing.

How do we run a safe workshop?

Group workshops are one of the best things a faith or community group can offer. Some, like the free monthly citizenship workshop at the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area in Redwood City, work like this: trained volunteers do the typing and translating, and a lawyer or accredited representative reviews every case one on one before anything is filed.

To set one up:

1. Find a legal partner. Ask a DOJ recognized nonprofit or a pro bono lawyer to screen each person and review each form. See Free legal help in the Bay Area.
2. Screen first. Every person should talk with the lawyer or accredited representative before anyone fills in a form. Some people should not file at all, and only a screening can find that.
3. Train volunteers on the ground rules below, and on privacy.
4. Plan the signatures. For citizenship forms (Form N-400) at a group event, USCIS lets the sponsoring organization list its own name, address and contact information in the interpreter and preparer sections, instead of each volunteer's. If you do this, you must also name the organization representative who manages the event, and that person must sign and date each form by hand. Stamps, stickers and autopen signatures are not accepted.
5. Pick the right organization representative. USCIS says this person may later have to answer government questions about how your event worked, so a short term volunteer is not a good choice. If several groups work together, name one lead organization.

For more on this kind of event, see How to host a citizenship document gathering workshop and How to fill out the citizenship application.

How do we keep neighbors' information safe?

You will see birth dates, A numbers, addresses and painful stories. Protect them.

• Collect only what the form needs. Do not keep extra copies.
• Do not take photos of people's papers on volunteers' personal phones.
• Keep any paper files locked, and give them back to the neighbor when you are done.
• Never post about a neighbor's case or share their story without their clear permission. See What to know before you share your immigration story.
• Talk about cases only with the lawyer or accredited representative working with you.

How can our group become DOJ recognized?

If your group wants to give real legal help, not just form help, it can apply to the Department of Justice Recognition and Accreditation Program. Catholic Charities, for example, is a recognized organization with offices in San Mateo and San Jose.

The organization must:

• Be a nonprofit with a religious, charitable, social service or similar purpose, and be federally tax exempt
• Serve mainly people with low income. If it charges fees, it needs a written policy for reducing or waiving them.
• Have enough knowledge and experience in immigration law, which can include formal agreements with outside lawyers or other recognized groups for advice and support
• Name an authorized officer
• Apply at the same time to have at least one staff member or volunteer accredited

The person must:

• Work or volunteer for the organization, and not be a lawyer
• Have good character and fitness, with no conviction for a serious crime
• Show broad knowledge of immigration law, with records of formal training that include a fundamentals course, and at least two letters of recommendation

What they get: a partially accredited representative may represent people before DHS, which includes USCIS. A fully accredited representative may also appear in immigration court and before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and needs advocacy training or experience.

How to apply: the organization files Form EOIR-31 for recognition and Form EOIR-31A for each representative. Email them to R-A-Info@usdoj.gov, and email a copy to the USCIS district director for your area. Questions: 703-305-0289. There is no fee to apply for recognition or accreditation (DOJ program FAQ, checked October 21, 2026).

How long it lasts: a first recognition is conditional and lasts 2 years. After that it is renewed every 6 years. Accreditation lasts 3 years, and since December 15, 2025, renewal has a training hours requirement.

What mistakes should we avoid?

• Telling a neighbor, "You qualify," or "You do not need a lawyer for this"
• Filling out a form before anyone has been screened by a lawyer or accredited representative
• Charging, or asking for a donation, for form help
• Leaving the preparer and interpreter sections blank
• Using the words notario, consultant or immigration expert in flyers
• Helping with a court case or a form you have no training for
• Keeping copies of people's papers after the work is done

Questions people ask

A neighbor asks me which box to check. What do I say? "I can write what you tell me, but I cannot tell you what to answer. Let's ask the lawyer." Then write the question down for the screening.

Can we help with simple things, like a change of address? You can help write in the neighbor's own information. But even simple forms can have risks for some people, so a quick check with a lawyer or accredited representative is the safe habit.

Our pastor speaks Spanish. Can he translate at the lawyer's office? Yes, if the neighbor wants that and the lawyer agrees. Translate word for word and do not add advice.

Can a notary in our congregation help? Being a notary public does not make someone a lawyer. USCIS says notary publics cannot represent people in immigration cases. A notary may volunteer under the same rules as everyone else on this page.

Is it safe for undocumented neighbors to come to a workshop? Ask your legal partner to talk about risks at the start. Every case is different, and the screening is where those risks are found. For rights at events and in public places, see Can ICE arrest me at a courthouse, hospital or church?

Who can help?

These are public offices and nonprofit legal programs. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• DOJ Recognition and Accreditation Program: questions about becoming recognized or accredited. 703-305-0289, R-A-Info@usdoj.gov. justice.gov/eoir
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): a DOJ recognized nonprofit. Call to ask about a community presentation. 650-326-6440. clsepa.org
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA), Redwood City: a DOJ recognized nonprofit at 600 Allerton Street, Suite 101. Its free citizenship workshop runs the second Tuesday of each month, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with trained volunteers and a legal review. Workshop registration: (650) 780-7530. Free first consultation by appointment: (650) 587-1558. No drop ins. iibayarea.org
• More recognized groups and lawyers: Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area
• Other ways to serve: How your church can support a neighbor arrested by ICE and How to lead a family preparedness workshop

Your care matters to your neighbors. Joined with honest legal help, it gives a family a safe next step.

Is there a sheet for our volunteers?