BIA Edge

Connect ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, or another AI tool to BIA Edge

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Connect BIA Edge to your AI tool.

BIA Edge is a remote MCP server. Claude, ChatGPT, and Codex can connect by OAuth; clients that cannot complete OAuth can use an issued API key. Ask for pilot access before starting so the email address or key you use can be approved.

The BIA Edge address

Use this addresshttps://mcp.biaedge.com/mcp
Connection typeRemote MCP server
How you get inOAuth sign-in after approval, or an issued API key

Claude: connect with OAuth

Remote custom connectors are available on Claude and Claude Desktop for Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans. On Team and Enterprise workspaces, an Owner or Primary Owner must add the organization connector before members connect it.

  1. Open connector settings

    In Claude, go to Settings → Connectors. For Team or Enterprise, first open Organization connectors. Then choose Add custom connector.

  2. Paste the BIA Edge address

    Use https://mcp.biaedge.com/mcp. Leave the client ID and client secret fields blank so Claude can use BIA Edge’s OAuth discovery flow.

  3. Sign in

    Select Connect, complete the sign-in window with the approved email address, then enable BIA Edge from Claude’s Search and tools menu.

See Anthropic’s current custom-connector instructions.

ChatGPT web: developer-mode connection

BIA Edge is not currently published as a ChatGPT plugin. Approved pilot users can connect it as a developer-mode app on eligible ChatGPT web accounts: Pro, Plus, Business, Enterprise, and Education. Workspace policy can still restrict access.

  1. Enable developer mode

    In ChatGPT web, open Settings → Security and login and turn on Developer mode.

  2. Create the app

    Open Settings → Plugins (or chatgpt.com/plugins), select the plus button, and create a developer-mode app using https://mcp.biaedge.com/mcp.

  3. Sign in and use it

    Choose OAuth, complete sign-in with the approved email address, then select Developer mode from the Plus menu and enable BIA Edge for the conversation.

See OpenAI’s current developer-mode guide.

Codex: connect with OAuth

From a terminal with Codex installed, run:

codex mcp add biaedge --url https://mcp.biaedge.com/mcp
codex mcp login biaedge
codex mcp list

The login command opens the OAuth flow. Use the approved email address. Codex CLI, the Codex IDE extension, and the ChatGPT desktop app share the MCP configuration for the same Codex host. See the current Codex MCP instructions.

API-key fallback

If BIA Edge has issued you a per-user API key, keep it in an environment variable instead of writing the key into a shared configuration file. Codex can use: 

# ~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.biaedge]
url = "https://mcp.biaedge.com/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "BIAEDGE_API_KEY"

Set BIAEDGE_API_KEY in your local environment using the value issued to you. Other MCP clients may use a bearer-token field instead; follow that client’s secret-storage instructions. Keep keys out of source control, screenshots, support emails, and shared configuration files. Contact support if a key may have been exposed.

Getting access

During the pilot, connections are by request and free for individual practitioners and small teams. Use the AI access form with the email address you sign in with or a note that you need an API key for command-line use, and say which AI tool you use. Access is issued after approval; there is no self-service checkout during the pilot.

What your AI can do once connected

Once connected, your AI can search cases, check ImmCite validity, look through unpublished BIA and AAO decisions, pull statutes and regulations, review state criminal codes for crimmigration questions, find USCIS policy, check visa bulletins, and retrieve specific passages to cite. See the full tool index and how ImmCite validity works.

Data handling

Remote access uses an approved, revocable OAuth identity or an issued API key. Queries are processed to answer the request and operate the service; they are never used to train models by BIA Edge. MCP usage counters retain identity, tool, date, counts, and timing—not raw tool arguments or query text. Operational logs are minimized and ordinarily retained for no more than 90 days. The library is built from public legal materials.

Your AI client may process prompts, MCP tool calls, and tool results under that client's own terms and workspace settings. BIA Edge’s no-training commitment applies only to BIA Edge and does not control the client provider’s retention, training, review, residency, or administrator settings. For confidential client work, use a firm-approved organizational workspace or another no-training account that meets your retention requirements, and avoid client identifiers unless they are necessary and authorized. Details: security and confidentiality, privacy policy, and AI disclaimer.

BIA Edge uses private database networking, purpose-bound runtime roles, managed point-in-time recovery, and a recovery process tested through an isolated restore. The security page describes the current controls and assurance limits.

BIA Edge is a research tool, not legal advice. Verify authorities against the linked primary sources before filing, and review the source and provenance supplied with each result.