Sometimes, to grow …

You need to make a move.

Chodorow Law Offices is committed to your success.

Excellence in U.S. immigration law.

Personal touch.

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

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Multinational managers and executives
  • EB-1 extraordinary ability
  • Outstanding professors and researchers
  • 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
  • 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
  • To be used for purposes such as immigration and employment background checks
  • To be used for purposes such as U.S. immigrant visa applications and Forms I-485, Applications to Adjust Status

Recent Blog Posts

Read the LawAndBorder Blog. You’ll be in good company.
We have been quoted in:

Pro Forma Visas for U.S.-China Dual National Children

It’s tricky for a U.S.-China dual national child to depart China. The child must present to the immigration inspector in the China airport both (a) a travel document issued by the Chinese government and (b) a document authorizing their entry to the U.S. The most obvious strategy won’t work. The child cannot present their China…

USCIS Processing Times for I-130s and I-129Fs Remain Stubbornly High

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…

Update: Entry Suspended for Chinese Students and Researchers with Military-Civil Fusion Links

The President has issued a May 29, 2020, Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from the People’s Republic of China.The proclamation appears to be counter-productive, a distraction from real measures needed to fight Beijing's theft of sensitive technologies, and an attempt to boost Trump's electoral odds by stoking…

China Joins Hague Apostille Convention

Introduction On March 8, 2022, China officially acceded to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the “Hague Apostille Convention.” The Apostille Convention will officially go into effect in China on November 7, 2023. The Convention was adopted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) in 1961,…

DHS to Increase Employment Authorization Validity Periods for Adjustment of Status Applicants

The Department of Homeland Security will “increase the maximum validity period of initial and renewal EADs [employment authorization documents] to 5 years for …. applicants for … adjustment of status,” among others, according to a Sept. 20 fact sheet. This change should be effective for initial and renewal EADs issued beginning Oct. 1. The American…

How a Government Shutdown Could Impact Immigration Agencies

Congress appears to be on track to trigger a government shutdown on October 1, 2023, because it is not expected to pass the 12 appropriations bills that fund government operations before the start of the new fiscal year. During a shutdown, personnel funded by annual congressional appropriations are furloughed and not permitted to work. Exceptions are made…

Client Reviews

Gary Chodorow and Tang Yumei were very helpful in our K-1 (fiancée) visa application and subsequent marriage green card application. They showed extensive experience and knowledge of the immigration laws relevant to our cases. Their case schedule and meetings were clear, and they always kept us updated on the progress of the case. They made the complex application process simple and easy to understand, and our expectations always matched the results. Thank you.

Jacob & Jingzhu

[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….

Source: LinkedIn

Dheeraj Raina, MD

Hafid_N-600_Natz

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.

Hafid

I have known Gary for many years. He has an in-depth understanding of the U.S. Consulates in China. Every time I have difficult issues with one of these consulates, Gary is the first person that I go to for assistance, and he has been extremely helpful. I highly recommend Gary to anyone who would like to negotiate the U.S. visa process in China.

Source: Avvo

Jared Leung, Immigration Attorney

Attorney Gary Chodorow represented me in applying for a visa at the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang. When the Consulate returned my passport, it was accompanied by a note thanking Gary for the “thorough and well-prepared” visa application. I’ve never heard of a consular officer sending out a thank-you note!

Wendy

I would like to personally thank you for this great source of information…. I wish I would have known three years ago what I’ve learned from reading your “Law and Border Blog.” It would have helped me make better decisions and avoid a lot of pain and travails….

Darren

Many thanks for all your help throughout the [U.S. family-sponsored immigration] process. You were very friendly, supportive and professional. You made a difficult task manageable. I am very happy to have completed the process within six months.

Catherine Platt

Gary Chodorow and his team provided support far beyond our expectations resulting in a K-1 visa for my Chinese fiancé. He and his team are experienced with the issues faced by international LGBT couples. Chodorow Law Offices is effective in working across language and cultural boundaries. I recommend them highly.

Source: Avvo

Kenneth

I found Chodorow Law Offices at a time when my US visa application was stuck in administrative processing as I was unable to provide a Chinese police clearance covering my period of residence in China more than 10 years ago. Gary and Linda managed not only to solve my problem quickly but also to restore something I was starting to lose: hope. Their work helped me reunite with my wife in the US. I’ve read somewhere that a lawyer can change people’s lives. Chodorow Law Offices did that for me.

Antonin

Thank you for your professional and timely management of my application for a China police clearance.

Ludivine Grippay

Gary Chodorow and Pete Zhang were a great help to me in getting an immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy in London. The Embassy initially denied my application because the public security bureau in China refused to issue me a police clearance on the grounds that I lacked sufficient evidence of my residence there long ago. Then I hired Chodorow Law Offices. With attention to detail and expertise, Gary and Pete prepared evidence that persuaded the Embassy to waive the China police clearance requirement and approve my visa application. Thank you!

Marie Thomas

We worked with Chodorow Law Offices on my CR-1 immigrant visa application. The services provided by Gary Chodorow, Linda Tang, and Natalie Xin were very professional. They made a clear plan for my case and worked efficiently, preparing and checking each document very carefully. The staff is patient and friendly. Thank you for your hard work to help me get to the U.S. Here’s a photo at the airport in Boston after I entered with the CR-1 visa!

LIU Wenjing

Chodorow Law Offices helped get my Canada permanent residence application approved. In particular, the law firm proved to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that it was not possible for me to meet the normal requirement of submitting a police certificate from China, where I previously lived. The firm’s work was quick, with clear, prompt, and personal communications, thanks especially to Pete Zhang. I have no hesitation in recommending your firm.

Benjamin Kearney

Pete Zhang, the paralegal who helped with my application for a Nanjing police certificate, was exemplary in every way. He introduced himself at the beginning; responded to questions and requests promptly; showed initiative to track down the right people; and was patient and reassuring, building trust and confidence in his competence and the professionalism of the firm.

Catherine Kendall

Thank you for doing a fantastic job with our K-1 visa and adjustment of status. Throughout this whole process, you guys were on the ball and handled everything professionally. In particular, we want to thank our case manager, Linda, for keeping us informed and updated about our case. Linda was a pleasure to work with.

Bobby and Xin Fischer

Our firm’s secure and confidential client portal makes your case available 24/7:

  • View your case schedule
  • 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

This portal helps our firm work seamlessly with clients anywhere in the world.