At Chodorow Law Offices, we help businesses and professionals with employment-based immigration, i.e., green cards. This includes, for example:
- Multinational managers and executives
- EB-1 extraordinary ability
- Outstanding researchers and professors
We have represented startups and Fortune 500 companies, Nobel Prize winners, Olympic and professional athletes, EB-5 regional centers, high tech companies, symphonies, artists, health care professionals, diplomats, and many others facing complex immigration matters.
In addition, we have unparalleled experience and resources on the ground for representing clients before the U.S. Consulates in China that handle immigrant visa applications (Guangzhou and Hong Kong). We make it our business to know each consulate’s policies, practices, and procedures.
Highlights
How to Read the State Department Visa Bulletin
Under U.S. immigration law, there is an annual quota on the number of persons who may be granted lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in any category. The monthly Visa Bulletin explains to whom an immigrant visa number is immediately available.
FAQ: Outstanding Professors and Researchers
To qualify in the outstanding professor or researcher category, you must demonstrate international recognition for your outstanding achievements in a particular academic field. You must have at least 3 years experience in teaching or research in that academic area.
L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visas and EB-1 Multinational Managers: A Guide for Startups and Mature Companies
This Guide provides an overview of the requirements and procedures involved in applying for an L-1 (intracompany transfer) visa, seeking admission to the U.S., and complying with the terms and conditions of the visa. This Guide also discusses the related green card category for EB-1 multinational managers.
Testimonials
Gary Chodorow was the attorney for my J-1 waiver, H-1B, outstanding professor green card, and naturalization. Recently, he helped apply for certificates of citizenship (Form N-600K) for my children living in Paris. We couldn’t have achieved this without his expertise and guidance. We’re deeply grateful for the wonderful job he did. The above photo of the kids’ naturalization ceremony hangs in our living room.
Gary is one of the most thorough, patient and analytical attorneys I’ve met. He was a joy to collaborate with on an article we co-wrote. I would highly recommend Gary for investor visa work and other complex immigration cases.
[Gary’s] knowledge, expertise and professionalism were evident from the day we first met him…. He helped my wife overcome a US visa renewal crisis during a trip overseas. He represented her at the US embassy by calling the consular officer at what were ungodly hours in the US, and managed to succeed in presenting an oral and written argument that got her back. Having Gary on our side was the best thing that could have happened to us….Articles Related to Employment-Based Immigration
China Birth Certificate: What Is Needed for U.S. Immigration Purposes?
If you were born in Mainland China and are applying for a U.S. green card, you will need to submit a notarial China birth certificate. That’s true regardless of whether you are filing a Form I-485 (Application to Adjust Status) with USCIS or are applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad.
EAD Renewal Still Pending? 540-Day Automatic Extension
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is experiencing significant delays renewing employment authorization documents (EADs). To prevent a lapse in employment authorization in these circumstances, upon filing a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, the automatic extension of employment authorization is being increased to 540 days. Previous regulations provided that upon filing a Form I-765……
USCIS Announces New Cycle Time Goals
I recently wrote about how USCIS processing times for family-sponsored immigration, which increased during the Trump administration, remain stubbornly high. For example, adjudication of a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of a citizen’s spouse or child, can take up to 16 months. And that’s just the first of multiple steps for the……
USCIS Albuquerque Field Office Updates
The USCIS Albuquerque Field Office provided the following updates during the Mar. 17, 2022, stakeholder meeting. Processing Times for Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status January: 11.01 average months, 185 cases adjudicatedFebruary: 9.7 average months, 203 cases adjudicatedMarch: 11.67 average months, 55 cases adjudicated to date Some cases have experienced delays because the Albuquerque Field……
Guide to the Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status
Contents1. Introduction1.1 Choosing Between Adjustment and Consular Processing1.2 Rights and Obligations of Permanent Residents2. Requirements2.1 Physical Presence in the U.S.2.2 Eligibility to Receive an Immigrant VisaConcurrent FilingTermination or Revocation of Visa PetitionDerivative Family Members2.3 Visa Availability Requirement2.4 Not “Restricted”The Section 245(i) Exception to “Restricted” Foreign NationalsThe Section 245(k) Exception to “Restricted” Foreign Nationals2.5 Not “Ineligible”2.6……
Does a Short Stay Establish a “Residence” for Immigration Law Purposes?
The article addresses the question, does a short stay establish a “residence” for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)? This may seem like a trivial question, but it comes up in many contexts for U.S. immigration cases. For example, the following forms all appear to ask about residence history: INA § 101(a)(33) defines……