Q & A Session for Potential Clients

How quickly can I expect my case to be prepared and filed if I work with Chen Immigration Law Associates/North America Immigration Law Group?

Our timeline is always standard and predictable. We will provide the recommendation letters in 10 business days, and the petition letter in 10 business days. This timeline is specified in the contract and is binding on us. So, you can always expect us to work efficiently and prepare your case in the most timely manner. The actual case preparation time depends largely on factors such as how promptly you provide the information we need and how fast you can get permission from the references that can support your case and collect the signed recommendation letters prepared by us.

What is the current average processing time for I-140 cases?

Processing times can change frequently and the actual processing time can vary from case to case. Therefore, we are unable to provide you a general processing timeframe. You can find the current processing times at the various service centers at this link:
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

What does your “Approval or Refund^®” policy really mean?

It means if your I-140 case is denied, you can request us to refund the attorney fee immediately and we will send you a check within 7 business days for the full amount of the attorney fee you’ve paid.

Is being eligible for your “Approval or Refund^®” service a guarantee that my I- 140 will be approved?

No. Adjudication of your petition is subject to the discretion of the Immigration Officer who reviews your case. We offer our “Approval or Refund^®” service based on our honest evaluation of your credentials. But, it is not a guarantee of case approval.

Do you actually draft the recommendation letters for me or you just review my drafts? How many reference letters do you draft for clients?

We draft all of the documents for our clients; we do not just review clients’ drafts. This saves our clients a large amount of time. In addition, we do so to build up clients’ cases by including strong and specific language in the reference letters, so that we can later use those letters as evidence in the petition letter. We draft up to six reference letters for clients and most of the letters are about 1,000 words.

I live in a state where you do not have an office. Can I still work with you? Do I need to come in the office to discuss the case with you?

You can still work with us. We are admitted to file cases for clients from all states in the United States and all over the world, and over 90% of our clients are in a state where we do not have an office or are outside of the US. As we spend most of our time drafting documents, we always communicate with clients via our case management system and phone calls. This is the most efficient way as NIW and EB-1 petitions are primarily about document drafting/exchange and we make sure the quality of the documents we draft is superb. Our attorneys are very responsive to clients' messages in the case management system and always make sure any questions/issues/concerns are properly addressed in an efficient manner.

After I leave a message in the case management system for an attorney at Chen Immigration Law Associates/North America Immigration Law Group, how quickly can I expect to get a response?

During business hours, you can expect to get a response from the attorney within 24 hours after leaving a message in our case management system. If you have a more complicated visa question, however, it might take up to 48 hours for us to get back to you.

Everything looks good; how can I start to work with you?

When you are ready to proceed, please sign, scan/email or fax back the provided retainer agreement. Your signature and the date are required after the “Execution” page. Please make sure the signature is in English and that it is hand- written. If you wish to have a contact person communicating with us on your behalf or about your case, please let us know.

You may make payment of the first installment of the attorney fee by a personal check payable and sent to North America Immigration Law Group at 2723 South State St., Ste. 150, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104. You may also make payment by domestic bank transfer, bill pay function, or Chase Quick Pay using your online banking account.

When you are ready to make the payment, we will send you a payment invoice email with detailed instructions regarding the payment options.

After we receive the agreement and the first installment of the attorney fee, an attorney- client relationship will therein arise. We will then create an account in your name in our Case Management System where you can download our Client Packet, where step-by-step instructions and a variety of sample documents related to the application process can be found.

Do I need to have a job or a job offer in the U.S. to file EB-1A, EB-1B or EB-2 NIW?

EB-1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability (EB-1A) and EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) are self-petitioned categories and do not require a job or a solid job offer in the U.S. However, you do need to show that you plan to continue to work in the same field after entering the U.S. You should provide a detailed, sworn statement regarding your plan to work in the U.S. in your field of expertise when filing your I-140 case. We also encourage you to begin seeking employment in your field in the U.S. after we start to work together and to save any correspondences with potential or interested employers until you obtain your immigrant visa to enter the U.S.

In order to file a petition under EB-1B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor), a U.S. employer needs to act as the petitioner while you are the beneficiary. So, a job or job offer is required for EB-1B.

If I request premium processing for my EB-1A, EB-1B or EB-2 NIW petition, am I still entitled to your “Approval or Refund^®” service?

Yes. Whether or not you request Premium Processing has no effect on your eligibility for our Approval or Refund service. We would still refund the attorney fee in the event that your I-140 is denied even if you requested Premium Processing.