At Chodorow Law Offices, we put families first. If immigration is mission critical for your family, we understand. We have the legal expertise you need. And we are sensitive to the time pressures you may face.
Did you know, that unlike many immigration lawyers, we focus on visa processing at U.S embassies and consulates? We help clients at consulates worldwide. And if your relative is in China, we have unparalleled experience and resources on the ground for representing clients before the international USCIS offices, U.S. Embassy Beijing, and the U.S. Consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, and Hong Kong. We make it our business to know each consulate’s policies, practices, and procedures.
Highlights
Utah Virtual Marriage Can Be Valid for U.S. Immigration Purposes
Generally speaking, a proxy marriage is a wedding in which one or both of the individuals being united are not physically present. Instead, an absent party may be represented by another person (“proxy”). Historically, some reasons for proxy marriage have included separation due to military service, imprisonment, or travel restrictions; or when a couple lives in a jurisdiction…
Applying for a B1/B2 (Visitor) Visa as the Spouse of a U.S. Expat
I’ve been asked several times today about how the spouse of a U.S. citizen expat can apply for a B1/B2 (visitor for business or pleasure) visa. The question typically goes something like this: I am a U.S. citizen. I have lived in China for 5 years. My wife has been denied a U.S. tourist visa…
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.
Help Center for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support
Welcome to our law firm’s Help Center for the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. You are not alone if you find the form’s requirements and procedures confusing. Technical errors with the Form I-864 are among the most common reasons for denial of permanent residence applications.
K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa Guide
This article covers the requirements and procedures to apply for a K-1 visa, as well as the terms and conditions of K-1 status. Also covered are the rules for the fiancé(e)’s unmarried children under age 21 to apply for K-2 visas.
Choosing the Best Visa Strategy for a Fiancée or Spouse: K-1, K-3, or CR1/IR1 Immigrant Visa?
A U.S. citizen planning to file a visa petition for a foreign fiancée or spouse who is outside the U.S. may have various strategies to choose from. The most common options are the K-1 fiancée visa, the K-3 visa, and the CR1/IR1 immigrant visa. This article analyzes the factors to be considered in choosing among…
Guide to Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of This Guide Family reunification is a key policy underlying U.S. immigration law. This Guide discusses how a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) can file with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Such a petition is the first step for a relative…
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.
Quick Reference to Family Immigration
Both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (also known as LPRs or green card holders) can petition for family members to immigrate.
Recent Articles on Family Immigration
Updated USCIS Processing Times for I-130s and I-129Fs
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.
Immigrant Visa Interviews Canceled Worldwide as Officers Trained on Updated Public Charge Rules
The U.S. State Department is canceling immigrant visa interviews worldwide to allow consular officers to receive new training related to updated public charge rules. Training is to take place within a week, according to the New York Times. Nonimmigrant visa appointments have not been canceled. Pre-interview processing of an immigrant visa application, which is mostly…
Update: State Dep’t Pause on Immigrant Visas for Nationals of 75 Countries “At High Risk of Public Charge Usage”
August 2026 Update On Aug. 21, 2026, Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated the State Department’s policy suspending issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries on the purported basis that such applicants were at high risk of becoming a pubic charge in the United States. Judge…
U.S. District Court Vacates 3 USCIS Directives Related to Nationals of “Countries of Concern” and Asylum Applicants
USCIS has issued a June 12 alert, “Court Order on Hold Policies.” This alert advises that on June 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued an order in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, et al. v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, et al., 26-cv-00132-JJM-PAS (D.RI.), vacating the following…
USCIS Gaslights Public with New Policy That Adjustment of Status Is “Extraordinary Relief”
The USCIS Director’s Office just released a Policy Memorandum about adjustment of status being available only in extraordinary cases. On the one hand, USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler is gaslighting the public by asserting that “From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home…
Communist Party Membership or Affiliation: Ineligibility for Permanent Residence and Naturalization, Exceptions and Waivers
1. Introduction The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has maintained a political monopoly in China’s mainland since Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The Party comprises over 100 million members, about 10% of China’s adult population. This article discusses how the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act makes certain CCP members and affiliates…