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Chodorow Law Offices helps businesses, families, and others worldwide with U.S. visas, permanent residence, and citizenship.
We invite you to schedule a consultation in person, by video conference, or by phone.
Gary Chodorow, Managing Attorney
Gary has helped clients with U.S. visas, permanent residence, and citizenship for more than 30 years. Gary also has been a founding member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Asia-Pacific chapter, co-chair of the American Chamber of Commerce-China’s visa committee, and an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent School of Law. Read more.
What We Do
Family Immigration
- Spouses of U.S. citizens
- K-1 fiancé(e)s
- Parents, children, and other relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Form I-864, Affidavit of Support
- Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence
- Complex issues for children’s immigration related to artificial reproductive technology, surrogacy, and IR2 visas for adopted children not covered by the Hague Adoption Convention
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Naturalization
- Expeditious naturalization for spouses of U.S. citizens employed abroad for certain U.S. companies or organizations
- Acquisition of citizenship by birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent
- Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
- Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes
- Advice for children with dual U.S. and Chinese nationality
Temporary Visas
- L-1 intracompany transferees
- O-1 extraordinary ability
- E-2 treaty investors
- H-1B professionals
- H-3 trainees
- F-1 students
- J-1 exchange visitors
- B1/B2 visitors for business, pleasure, or medical treatment
- Etc.
Waivers / Overcoming Visa Denials
- Overcoming visa denials
- 212(d)(3) nonimmigrant visa waivers
- 214(i) waivers for fraud or misrepresentation
- Inadmissibility and waivers for Communist Party members
- I-212 permission to reapply after removal
- Waivers of the 3- and 10-year unlawful presence bars
- 212(h) waivers of crime-related grounds of inadmissibility
- Overcoming visa sanctions and security-related administrative processing for Chinese nationals
Protecting Permanent Resident Status
During Stays Abroad
- Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (Reentry Permit)
- Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation)
- Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes
- Form DS-117, Application to Determine Returning Resident Status (SB-1 returning resident visa)
- Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status
Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests
- Request copies of your alien file (A-file) from USCIS
- Request your entry-exit records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Request prior visa applications and consular officer decisions from the State Department
Employment-Based Immigration
- Multinational managers and executives
- EB-1 extraordinary ability
- Outstanding professors and researchers
China Police Certificates
- Applications for China police certificates for foreigners, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan residents, and former citizens from Mainland China, to be used for purposes such as immigration and employment background checks, including proving to foreign immigration agencies that police certificates are unobtainable, as applicable
Recent Blog Posts
Read the LawAndBorder Blog. You’ll be in good company.
With over 700 articles, we have been quoted in:
China Police Certificates
Our law firm routinely assists clients in obtaining China police certificates for purposes such as immigration (to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries) or employment background checks. Our clients include foreign nationals, including former Chinese citizens, and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Background Information A police certificate is a…
How to Prove a China Birth Certificate Is Unobtainable 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 China notarial birth certificate (NBC). That’s true regardless of whether you are filing a Form I-485 (Application to Adjust Status) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or are applying for an immigrant visa at…
How to Apply for a China Notarial Birth Certificate
If you were born in Mainland China, you may need a notarial birth certificate (NBC) for purposes of applying for immigration or citizenship in another country, such as the United States, Canada, Italy, etc.
Updated USCIS Processing Times for I-130s and I-129Fs
Summary This article focuses on processing times for Forms I-130 (Petitions for Alien Relatives) on behalf of immediate relatives (i.e., spouses, parents, and children under age 21) and Forms I-129F (Petitions for Alien Fiancé(e)s) who will apply for their visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. Table 1 below, based on our firm’s monthly check…
Guide to Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence
A spouse who immigrates based on marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident will be granted conditional resident (CR) status if, at the time of admission as an immigrant, the marriage is less than two years old.
Visa Denied? Consider Requesting an Advisory Opinion from LegalNet
If your visa is denied, you may be confused and frustrated. And consular officers may be unwilling or unable to properly explain the grounds for refusal and your options for overcoming the refusal. There is no right to appeal a visa refusal. 9 FAM 103.4-1. Still, there may be several ways to challenge a visa…
Client Reviews
Client Portal
- View your case schedule anytime
- Upload documents for our law firm to review
- Fill client questionnaires
- Review materials drafted by our law firm
- Read legal advice
- Track your complete immigration history
Our secure and confidential client portal helps our firm work seamlessly with clients anywhere in the world.
The ABC’s of U.S. Immigration Law
Are you looking to become more literate in the basics of U.S. immigration law and its jargon? Read here for the fundamentals of:
- Who is a U.S. citizen?
- What types of nonimmigrant visas are there?
- How can one become an immigrant through employment or family?
- How do employers verify that a new hire is eligible for employment in the U.S.?
- Etc.