Current status AOS - Changing Employer : Belle/JoeF/All please advice

[pearl12970]

I am on AOS since 2005. My I-140 got approved on 2005 and so did my EAD . Since my H1 expired ( I forgot to renew it in time); I opted to continue working for my employer on EAD ( since 2005).

I am now planning to change my job and have some concerns .Until now everyting was being done by the employers immigration attorney. They filed by I485 and I have paid only USCIS fees ( not the attorney legal fees - I assume my employer took care of that ).

If I change my employer - how does it impact my AOS / I485 ? Do I request my current employers immigration attorney to mail my documents to me ? Do I need to hire my own immigration attorney for future needs ? Do Ihave to inform USCIS about change of employment ?

Please advice .

[reddycool]

i am in the same boat,well talk to your employer's immigration lawyer and see how you want to proceed.

Because your employer might already paid your lawyer fee.

but why to change your lawyer (in case there might be some RFE on your case,which can be handled by them easily ).

[Belle]

Your options are to keep the same lawyer, hire a new one, or go unrepresented (i.e. represent yourself).

If you want to keep the lawyer, you should call them and ask if they are willing to continue representing thme, and what you need to do. In other cases, you will need to update the USCIS about the change of representation by filing G28.

[SRRV]

I will recommenend to have your own attorney. That way you don't have to worry much about our case in future. If the attorneys of the new company you are planning to switch, will represent you,.... that's also fine.

But have them ( either attorney ) to contact your previous employer's attorney to get all the papers related with your case.

SRRV

[ramanii]

You may want to select some good attorney & send the G28 & AR11 forms promptly.

That will ensure your case is represented all the times.

You may need to file AC21 too (may cost couple of grands depending on which state you live).

[Gjutsn]

I did this in 2008. I changed jobs, gave new employer copies of approved I-140 and pending 485. New employer sent letter to USCIS that i am now working for them, etc etc.

I called previous attorney and requested all original docs for my case. In this case, the attorney worked for only the consulting firm that i worked with, so it was not possible to continue using them. I went Solo and I had been renewing AP/EAD by myself until I-485 got approved this week.

[pearl12970]

Thank you All for the advice. Very helpful.

I will probably hire an independent attorney or let the new employer's attorney represent me. I am not organized enough to represent myself and rather leave it to the professionals :)

Thank you all again !

[pearl12970]

One more question - is there any advantage to hiring an immigration attorney local to the state that you live in ?

[Belle]

"is there any advantage to hiring an immigration attorney local to the state that you live in "

Not really. Immigration law is federal.