Suffolk County Green Card Lawyers

Suffolk County Green Card Lawyers

Thanks for visiting Spodek Law Group – a second-generation law firm managed by Todd Spodek. We have over 50 years of combined experience helping Suffolk County residents obtain green cards through family sponsorship, employment, asylum, diversity visa, and special immigrant categories. Our immigration attorneys have handled thousands of green card cases since 1976, securing permanent residence for clients from every country. You know our work – we represented Anna Delvey in the case that became a Netflix series.

If you’re pursuing a green card in Suffolk County in 2025, you have multiple pathways – family-based (immediate relatives and preference categories), employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5), asylum-based, diversity visa, special immigrants. Making up 19% of the population, immigrants are a vital part of Suffolk County’s social, economic, and cultural life. Suffolk County’s foreign-born population grew 4.2% between 2020 and 2024, spurring business development and workforce expansion. Effective August 1, 2025, new USCIS policy guidance significantly raises the stakes for anyone applying for a green card through a family member, giving immigration officers more discretion to deny applications without warning.

You need Suffolk County green card lawyers who understand the pathways, who can navigate backlogs and priority dates, who handle cases from petition through interview through approval.

Family-Based Green Cards in Suffolk County

Family-based green cards are common for Suffolk County residents. Two categories exist:

Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens (No Annual Cap)

– Spouses of U.S. citizens

– Unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens

– Parents of U.S. citizens (if citizen is 21+)

No annual cap, no waiting list. File I-130, wait for approval (12-18 months), then I-485 adjustment or consular processing. Total timeline: 18-36 months.

Family Preference Categories (Annual Caps Apply)

– F1: Unmarried adult children (21+) of U.S. citizens – 7+ years wait

– F2A: Spouses and children of LPRs – 2+ years wait

– F2B: Unmarried adult children of LPRs – 7+ years wait

– F3: Married children of U.S. citizens – 12+ years wait

– F4: Siblings of U.S. citizens – 15+ years wait

Subject to annual caps (480,000) and per-country limits (7% per country). High-demand countries face longer waits.

Suffolk County has significant populations from countries with severe backlogs – Latin American communities (particularly in Brentwood, Central Islip), Asian communities (Chinese Americans), Indian communities. These communities face brutal waiting periods for green cards.

Our Suffolk County green card attorneys help families understand wait times, priority dates, strategies to reduce delays.

New August 2025 Family Immigration Policy – Critical Changes

Effective August 1, 2025, USCIS issued new policy guidance that significantly raises the stakes for anyone applying for a green card through a family member. Key changes:

– Immigration officers have more discretion to deny applications without warning

– Increases risk that some applicants could be placed in deportation proceedings

– Applies to all family-based immigrant visa petitions

– Covers petitions filed by U.S. citizens and green card holders for spouse, child, parent, or sibling

This makes professional representation even more critical for Suffolk County families pursuing green cards. Errors or omissions that might have resulted in requests for evidence (RFEs) now risk outright denials.

Our Suffolk County green card lawyers prepare meticulously documented applications accounting for the stricter August 2025 standards.

Marriage-Based Green Cards in Suffolk County

Marriage to U.S. citizen is fastest family pathway. USCIS scrutinizes marriage cases for fraud.

Process:

1. U.S. citizen files I-130 for spouse

2. If spouse in U.S., file I-485 adjustment concurrently

3. If spouse abroad, consular processing after I-130 approval

4. Interview at USCIS or embassy

5. If married under 2 years, conditional 2-year green card

6. File I-751 to remove conditions before 2-year anniversary

USCIS scrutinizes marriage cases for red flags: age differences, cultural differences, marriage shortly after deportation order.

Suffolk County marriage cases reflect Long Island’s diversity – Latin American communities in Brentwood and Central Islip, Asian communities, diverse international marriages throughout the county.

Our Suffolk County green card lawyers prepare couples for marriage interviews. We gather evidence of bona fide marriage – joint finances, Suffolk County lease agreements or home ownership documents, photos throughout relationship, affidavits from friends and family.

Employment-Based Green Cards for Suffolk County Workers

Suffolk County’s economy creates employment-based green card opportunities in healthcare, education, technology, professional services, and businesses throughout the county.

EB-1 – Extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers, multinational executives. No labor certification required. Priority dates typically current.

EB-2 – Advanced degree or exceptional ability. Requires PERM labor certification unless NIW applies. India: 10+ year wait. China: 2-3 years. Others: current or minimal wait.

EB-3 – Skilled workers, professionals. Requires PERM. Wait times vary by country.

EB-4 – Special immigrants (religious workers, certain international organization employees).

EB-5 – Investors ($800,000 TEA or $1,050,000) creating 10 jobs.

Suffolk County employers – hospitals and healthcare facilities, Stony Brook University, schools, tech companies, professional services firms, businesses – sponsor employment-based green cards.

Our Suffolk County employment-based green card attorneys identify fastest route to permanent residence based on qualifications and country of birth.

PERM Labor Certification in Suffolk County

EB-2 and EB-3 require PERM labor certification – employer proves no qualified U.S. workers available. Process:

1. Prevailing Wage Determination (Suffolk County wages vary by occupation and location within county)

2. Recruitment (newspaper ads, job postings, internal posting, 3 additional steps)

3. Report of Recruitment results

4. ETA-9089 filing with DOL

5. DOL adjudication (6-12 months) or audit

Suffolk County recruitment challenges: U.S. workers apply for positions, job requirements must be normal for occupation.

Our Suffolk County green card lawyers handle PERM regularly. We structure job requirements lawfully. We complete proper recruitment. We respond to audits.

Asylum-Based Green Cards in Suffolk County

Suffolk County has diverse asylum population from countries worldwide. If you were granted asylum, you can apply for green card 1 year after asylum approval.

File I-485 based on asylum grant. No visa number required. Processing: 12-18 months. After 5 years as LPR (dating back to asylum grant), naturalize.

Suffolk County asylees from Latin American countries, Asian countries, Eastern European countries, African countries build lives throughout the county’s diverse communities. Asylum provides stability and path to citizenship.

Our Suffolk County green card attorneys help asylees adjust status. We ensure clients maintained asylum status. We file I-485 applications.

Suffolk County Immigration Resources

CARECEN (Central American Refugee Center) has offices in Hempstead and Brentwood, providing legal services like naturalization and family petitions.

These resources help with straightforward cases or for individuals who cannot afford private counsel. Complex cases – those involving criminal history, prior denials, multiple applications, unlawful presence issues – benefit from experienced private counsel.

Our Suffolk County green card lawyers handle complex cases that free services cannot take. We work with clients facing inadmissibility issues, waiver applications, appeals.

Services We Provide for Suffolk County Green Card Cases

Family-Based Petitions – I-130, I-485, marriage interviews, consular processing under new August 2025 standards

Employment-Based Petitions – PERM, I-140, I-485, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3

National Interest Waiver – EB-2 NIW self-petitions

Marriage Green Cards – Interview preparation, fraud defense, evidence gathering

Removal of Conditions – I-751 for conditional residents

Asylum Adjustments – I-485 for asylees

Diversity Visa Processing – For DV lottery winners

Waivers – I-601, I-601A for inadmissibility grounds

Why Spodek Law Group for Suffolk County Green Card Cases

We pride ourselves on having a rock star team of attorneys who have over 50 years of combined experience. We’ve helped thousands of Suffolk County residents from every country obtain green cards.

In 2022, Netflix released a series about one of Todd’s clients: Anna Delvey. Our firm has been featured on NY Post, Newsweek, Fox 5, Business Insider, Bloomberg, USA Today, and the New York Times.

We’re available 24/7. Our managing partner, Todd Spodek, is a seasoned attorney – who has many, many, years of experience. Regardless of how complicated your case is – we can help you.

Call Spodek Law Group today. Suffolk County green card cases require understanding complex employment and family immigration under new August 2025 standards – you need the best Suffolk County green card lawyers guiding you to permanent residence.