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Tonello

Anastasia Tonello

Partner

Practices:
Immigration
Employment & Labor
Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Anastasia Tonello

Partner

Practices:
Immigration
Employment & Labor
Litigation & Dispute Resolution

With diverse experience from successfully managing immigration practices in New York and London, Anastasia is well placed to advise clients on the commercial and practical issues facing overseas businesses as they expand into the United States. She has extensive experience advising a range of individuals, including entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, entertainers, and artists, and has effectively advised on investor, extraordinary ability, family-based petitions, and complex U.S. citizenship issues. Anastasia has held numerous leadership roles with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), including serving as president, charter officer of AILA’s Rome District—European, Middle East, and Africa Chapter, and chair of AILA’s Department of State Committee.

Anastasia is frequently quoted in the media, including in The New York Times and The Independent and has been broadcast on BBC World News, New York 1/Spectrum News, i-24 Tel Aviv and New York, Al-Jazeera America, and NPR’s All Things Considered. She is a regular speaker at professional conferences, training events, and leading business and law schools. An internationally recognized practitioner, she is listed in leading legal directories including Legal 500 UK Edition, Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Chambers UK, Super Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal Corporate Immigration, and The Best Lawyers in America©.

AILA 2023 Member

Education & Admissions

Education

  • Indiana University

    (B.A., 1995)

  • University of Notre Dame Law School

    (J.D., 1998)

  • BPP University Law School

    (QLTT, 2003)

Admissions

  • State of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • England and Wales

Experience

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Anastasia has experience in all areas of immigration law including employment, family and investor based nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions, consular visa applications including waivers of inadmissibility, complex nationality and residency issues including the transmission and loss of citizenship, and maintenance of residence. This includes:

  • Employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for highly skilled foreign professionals, including corporate managers and executives, engineers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists and entertainers, researchers, scientists, and scientists.
  • Extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers and professors, and national interest waiver petitions for entrepreneurs, business leaders, researchers, entertainers, artists, and other professionals.
  • E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader and Investor visas for businesses and entrepreneurs trading with and investing in the United States.
  • Nonimmigrant waivers of inadmissibility for foreign executives, managers, entertainers, professionals, and others inadmissible to the United States.
  • Consular representation at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, including applications for immigrant and nonimmigrant visa waivers and citizenship issues.
  • Complex citizenship and nationality matters, including applications for initial N-400s, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, and applications based on 319j(b) and the Child Citizenship Act.
  • Advising on maintenance and loss of lawful permanent residence status and renunciation of citizenship.
  • Counseling families, journalists, and members of the press on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa options.
  • EB-5 immigrant investors visas based on individual, TSA, and regional center investments.
  • Options for support personnel for U.S. citizens and nonimmigrants.

Publications & Presentations

Client Alerts

Publications

  • “The Invisible Wall: What’s Happening to Legal Immigration?” Open Access Government (January 2020)
  • “Evidentiary Criteria in B, I, O, P, and Q Visa Categories: Tips and Recent Trends at USCIS,” 2019 Athletics, Culture, Entertainment, and Sciences (ACES) Conferences Handbook (August 2019)
  • “Scaling the Invisible Wall: Approaching New Client Fees and Fee Agreements,” 2019 AILA Immigration Practice Pointers (June 2019)
  • “Digital Innovations Bring Welcomed News for the Immigration System,” HRM Guide (August 2015)

Presentations

  • “Obtaining the Elusive NIV Consular Appointment and What to Do Once You Get It,” 2023 AILA Annual Conference on Immigration Law (June 2023)
  • “DHS Civil Rights, Community Engagement Round Table,” Panelist (May 2023)
  • “Visas for Diplomats, Foreign Government Officials,” Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations Diplomatic Spouse Career Group (January 2023)
  • “Citizenship and Nationality Issues,” Practicing Law Institute (PLI) 55th Annual Immigration and Naturalization Institute (November 2022)
  • “A Year in Review: The Biggest 10 Updates That Occurred in 2021,” AILA Canada Chapter Annual Conference (January 2021)
  • “U.S. Immigration Update,” Ulmer Webinar (October 2021)
  • “E Visa Issues: Are We Swimming in Crocodiles or Crocodile Dundees?” AILA Asia-Pacific Chapter Annual Conference (May 2021)
  • “Global Mobility Series: US,” PCD Club (March 2021)
  • “Regulation and Litigation: Schoolhouse Rock Edition,” AILA National Midwinter Conference (March 2021)
  • “State Department/Consular Affairs Update,” PLI 53rd Annual Immigration and Naturalization Institute, New York (December 2020)
  • “Hot Topics,” AILA RDC- EMEA Chapter Conference, Remote (November 2020)
  • “Family Office Summit: Structuring a New Family Office in the US and Challenges in Advising Existing Multinational Families,” STEP New York (October 2020)
  • “Immigration and the 2020 Elections,” AILA Virtual Annual Conference (July 2020)
  • “Gems in the FAM and Pitfalls in Consular Interviews,” AILA Latin American Caribbean Chapter Conference (November 2019)

Involvement

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (Past President; Past Officer of AILA’s Rome District—European, Middle East, and Africa Chapter; Past Chair of AILA’s Department of State Committee)
  • Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • St. George’s Society of New York

Honors
  • Ranked in Band 1 for Immigration in New York by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2020-2023)
  • Ranked nationally in Immigration by Chambers USA (2019-2023)
  • Ranked internationally in Immigration by Chambers Global (2020-2023)
  • Named to the New York Super Lawyers list (2013-2014, 2016-2022)
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America, Immigration Law (2016-2024)
  • Named to the Lawdragon 100 Leading Immigration Lawyers (2023)
  • Named to the Citywealth Leaders list (2019-2020)
  • Named to The Legal 500 United States (2019-2020)
  • Listed in the Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers (2020-2023 Global Elite Thought Leader)
  • Named to the New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (2011-2012)

Media Mentions

News
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