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Dr. Tamara Relis, immigration lawyer in New York, NY

Dr. Tamara Relis

4.5(2)
Immigration Lawyer at RelisLaw Immigration Law Firm
New York, NY Replies in ~24h English, French, Spanish 28 years practicing NY Bar No. 5398813
AsylumCitizenshipEmploymentFamilyInvestmentRemoval DefenseStudent

About Dr.

Dr. Tamara Relis is a Visa and Immigration attorney. Top-Rated Super Lawyers status to the top 2.5% Immigration Attorney. She has been a lawyer since 1998 and has repeatedly won awards for producing strategic applications involving legal research in the top 5% of hundreds of others submitted. She has represented over 100 cases in courts as a trial lawyer (barrister/litigation), and has worked as a US Law Professor of Evidence, Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, as well as a postdoctoral legal fellow at Columbia Law School and London School of Economics.

She is the author of Clients' Perceptions in Litigation and Mediation (Cambridge University Press 2009, 2011), which focuses on how lawyers and the legal system must improve to meet clients' needs, and The Purchase of Human Rights (Oxford University Press, 2017, forthcoming).

At RelisLaw PLLC, we do things differently. Your situation and your needs are our prime focus, to provide you with a most positive experience in the processing of your case. Your case will be vigorously and meticulously pursued through every available avenue to enable you to enjoy the vast array of opportunities USA and North America have to offer.

We assist clients, their businesses and their families located around the world, in all areas relating to visiting, working, performing, doing business, investing, claiming asylum, fighting removal, or immigrating to USA or Canada.

In working with Dr. Tamara Relis and her team, you will receive not only excellence and integrity in the quality of your representation, but highly personalized, compassionate service from a team who are committed to you, your business and your loved ones.

We take on only a limited number of new clients each month to enable us to care for you as part of our family, for your current visa process as well as for all of your legal needs thereafter. You will have a long-lasting relationship with us throughout your journey, with a team that truly cares about you and your

Practice areas

Asylum

Affirmative and defensive asylum cases

I-589WithholdingCAT
Citizenship

Naturalization and derivative citizenship

N-400N-600
Employment

Work visas, PERM and employment-based green cards

H-1BL-1O-1EB-2EB-3PERM
Family

Spouse, fiancé(e), parent and sibling petitions

I-130K-1I-485AOSGreen Card
Investment

Investor and entrepreneur visas

EB-5E-2L-1A
Removal Defense

Deportation and immigration court defense

NTACancellationBond
Student

F-1, M-1, OPT and STEM extensions

F-1OPTSTEM-OPTM-1

Education

Not providedJ.D. · 2000

Bar & associations

Bar license
NY Bar No. 5398813
Active & in good standing
American Immigration Lawyers Association
New York State Bar

Professional experience

Founder / Attorney · RelisLaw

Awards

Top Superlawyer AccreditationSuperlawyers · 2025
Rising StarSuperLawyers · 2023
British Academy AwardWork in International Human Rights, Movement of People · 2016
Career Development AwardResearch Council Fund · 2006
Postdoctoral Legal Research Award for Human Rights WorkBritish Academy · 2006

Client reviews

4.5
2 client reviews
51
41
30
20
10
LP
L. ParkDec 4, 2025

Honest about a weak case

Other lawyers wanted to take my money. They told me to wait six months and refile — and that's exactly what worked.

ZK
Z. KhanJun 15, 2025

Won my asylum case after 4 years of waiting

I was nervous after switching from a previous lawyer, but everything went smoothly. They prepared me for every question the judge could ask. Got approved last week — still can't believe it.

Frequently asked

A 30-minute video or phone call. We review your situation, identify the best path, outline timelines and costs, and answer your questions. You'll receive a written summary afterwards.

Most cases are flat-fee. Pricing depends on category and complexity, and is shared in writing before you retain.

Only the initial consultation is paid through Immigrantio (via Stripe checkout). Once you retain, the lawyer bills you directly — retainer, milestone or hourly fees go straight to the firm's own trust account. Immigrantio is not in the chain of custody for case payments.

Conversations on Immigrantio are end-to-end encrypted. For sensitive case documents and original evidence, you'll exchange those directly with the lawyer by their preferred secure method — Immigrantio doesn't store your case files.