Important Updates
Important Updates
November 20, 2025 | Switzerland Switzerland: Unchanged Quotas in 2026
November 21, 2025 | Costa RicaCosta Rica: Resolution Published Adjusting Certain Visa and Entry Rules
November 21, 2025 | IndiaIndia: Electronic Travel Visa Categories Expanded to Transit, Mountaineering, Film and Entry
November 21, 2025 | OmanOman: New Cultural Visa and Cultural Residence Permit Introduced
November 21, 2025 | United StatesUnited States: USCIS and DOS Take Further Steps Toward Implementation of Gold Card Permanent Residence Program
November 20, 2025 | Switzerland Switzerland: Unchanged Quotas in 2026
November 21, 2025 | Costa RicaCosta Rica: Resolution Published Adjusting Certain Visa and Entry Rules
November 21, 2025 | IndiaIndia: Electronic Travel Visa Categories Expanded to Transit, Mountaineering, Film and Entry
November 21, 2025 | OmanOman: New Cultural Visa and Cultural Residence Permit Introduced
November 21, 2025 | United StatesUnited States: USCIS and DOS Take Further Steps Toward Implementation of Gold Card Permanent Residence Program
November 20, 2025 | Switzerland Switzerland: Unchanged Quotas in 2026
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Chad Blocker

Partner

Chad Ellsworth

Chad Blocker
Chad Blocker
  • People

Partner

Chad Ellsworth

Country / Territory

  • United StatesUnited States

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  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

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Get in touch

Languages

  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

Connect via Linkedin

Get in touch

Languages

  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

Connect via Linkedin
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Chad has nearly 20 years of immigration experience and represents some of the firm’s largest information technology and financial services clients out of the Northeast and Northern California regions of the United States. He leads many of the firm’s New York-based financial and other professional services engagements. Separately, he also serves as the Managing Partner of Fragomen’s San Francisco office.

Chad’s practice focuses on representing large clients across multiple industry sectors, including global financial institutions, professional services firms, information technology organizations, private clients and entrepreneurs. He also has extensive experience representing students, graduates, executives, high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs in a wide variety of business travel, mobility and business immigration employment matters.

Chad’s U.S. and international immigration experience include assistance with immigration audit, compliance and enforcement matters. In addition, he helps advise on government relations strategies in key jurisdictions. Chad also advises key corporate stakeholders, including human resources personnel, global mobility specialists, legal departments and executives on a variety of global immigration issues. Chad has extensive experience with the establishment, enhancement and outsourcing of compliant global mobility programs, including but not limited to jurisdictions with less formalized immigration processes and procedures.

Chad also has deep experience providing legal support for the economic citizenship/residency programs utilized by most private clients. He advises many top executives and high net worth individuals on their immigration related travel, investments and/or other global business immigration needs.

Chad is a member of the firm’s People, Private Client and Pro Bono Committees and is a regular speaker at national and international immigration conferences, including for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, SelectUSA, Conference Board of Canada, Council for Global Immigration (formerly ACIP), Investment Migration Council, US-China Business Alliance, EB-5 Investors, Invest in America Shanghai Summit and Exhibition and Immigration Lawyers on the Web (ILW). He is also the author of numerous immigration related articles.

Education

  • Tulane University School of Law, J.D., 2002
  • University of Southern California, B.A., 1998

More from Chad

Admissions

Bar Admissions: New York, New Jersey

Practice Limited to Federal Immigration & Nationality Law

Awards

Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2026

Listed in Chambers USA, 2021-2025

Named to Crain’s New York Business’ Notable LGBTQ Leaders, 2022

Listed among "Top 25 Immigration Attorneys," EB5 Investors Magazine, 2017, 2021, 2022

Professional accomplishments

Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

Member, AILA National EB-5 Committee

Publications and lectures

Speaker, Global Mobility Executive Leaders Exchange | San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 21 October 2025.

Speaker, “Saudi Entrepreneurs, Students and Families Leading Business in a Diversified Global Marketplace.” Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business Families, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 8 October 2025.

Speaker, “USA Immigration Panel.” Investment Migration Forum, Dubai, UAE, 7 May 2025.

Speaker, “The Future of Mobility: Remote Work and Business Travel.” Global Mobility Executive (GME) Live Americas ’22, San Francisco, California, 24 May 2022.

Quoted, “2022 Forecast: What’s Next for Tech Workers?” The New Stack, 28 December 2021.

Quoted, “Golden Visas: The Investment Migration Industry Evolves Globally.” Mansion Global, 23 August 2020.

Quoted, “Shielded From Green Card Ban, EB-5 Investors Still At Risk.” Law360, 1 May 2020.

Quoted, “EB-5 Modernization Rule No Substitute for Legislative Fix.” Law360, 27 February 2019.

Speaker, “How Can Canada Become the Global Leader in Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration?” Entrepreneur & Investor Immigration Summit 2018, Ottawa, Canada, November 27-28, 2018.

Quoted, “Selling citizenship is big business—and controversial.” The Economist, 29 September 2018.

Author, “Emphasis on Compliance and SEC Interagency Cooperation a Year after the Appointment of Chief Nicholas Colucci to the USCIS Immigrant Investor Program (EB-5).” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Volume 22, No. 12 (December 2014): 18. Print.

Author, “Looking Elsewhere: Options for Investors in the Wake of Canada’s Termination of Two Key Visa Programs.” World of Expats, 2014. Web.

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Country / Territory

  • United StatesUnited States

Get in touch

Languages

  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

Connect via Linkedin

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Get in touch

Languages

  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

Connect via Linkedin

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Get in touch

Languages

  • English

Contact information

Email

[email protected]

T:+1 212 230 2826

F:+1 212 758 7215

San Francisco, CA

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

555 Montgomery St, 4th Floor

San Francisco CA 94111

United States

New York, NY

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP

1400 Broadway

New York NY 10018

United States

Connect via Linkedin

Chad’s insights

October 21, 2025 | Conference

GME Leaders Exchange | San FranciscoRead more

October 8, 2025 | Conference

Cross-Border Planning: Critical Issues Impacting Middle Eastern Business FamiliesRead more

September 18, 2025 | Awards

Fragomen Receives Ally in Action Award from Oasis Legal ServicesRead more
More related insights

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Explore more at Fragomen

Media mentions

Gazeta Prawna: Cyfrowy odwrót. Wojewodowie chcą odzyskać kontrolę nad kolejkami

Partner Karolina Schiffter explains why Poland has paused online residence permit bookings and returned to paper-based submissions.

Learn more

Blog post

Swiss Immigration Quotas for 2026: What Employers and Workers Need to Know

Senior Manager Ana Bessa Santos outlines Switzerland’s 2026 immigration quotas and what employers should expect across non-EU/EFTA, EU/EFTA and UK permit categories.

Learn more

Blog post

UAE Updates Residency Rules to Support Residents Following Marital Status Changes

Manager Ruaida Hussein outlines the UAE’s updated residency rules introducing a one-year residence permit for eligible individuals following divorce or the death of a spouse

Learn more

Blog post

USCIS Lowers EB-5 Filing Fees After Court Ruling

Partner Rahul Soni outlines USCIS’ decision to reduce EB-5 filing fees following a federal court ruling that invalidates the agency’s 2024 fee increases.

Learn more

Media mentions

Construction Management: Illegal Working in Construction: Expanding Right to Work Checks

Manager Clara Gautrais and Immigration Paralegal Sean Pearce highlight how the UK government’s consultation on expanding right to work checks could affect construction employers.

Learn more

Awards

China Managing Partner Becky Xia Named Among the "Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025" by Forbes China

China Managing Partner Becky Xia is named among the “Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025” by Forbes China for her leadership in immigration law and contributions to global mobility.

Learn more

Awards

Fragomen Recognised on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms List

Fragomen is featured on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms list in the category of immigration.

Learn more

Blog post

Foreign Birth Registration: How to Claim Irish Citizenship Through Ancestry in 2025

Senior Immigration Consultant Patricia Rezmives explains the 2025 process for claiming Irish citizenship through ancestry and key considerations for foreign birth registration.

Learn more

Fragomen news

Fragomen Named Among Top Firms on Law360 Pulse's 2025 Social Impact Leaders List

Fragomen is recognized on Law360 Pulse's 2025 Social Impact Leaders list.

Learn more

Awards

Partner F. Joseph Paldino Honored with the 2025 Utah State Bar Paul Moxley Outstanding Mentor Award

Partner F. Joseph Paldino is recognized with the Utah State Bar’s Paul Moxley Outstanding Mentor Award for his dedication to mentorship in immigration law and fostering professional growth in the legal community.

Learn more

Blog post

The Compliance Paradox: Why Immigration Compliance Must Become Strategic Governance

In this blog, Partner K. Edward Raleigh explains how modern immigration compliance must evolve from paperwork and formality into a strategic governance discipline that aligns outdated laws with today’s business realities and measures true compliance through systems, behavior and integrity.

Learn more

Blog post

UK Immigration Reforms: A Moment to Shape the System

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit examines the UK’s evolving immigration framework, outlining recent reforms, upcoming consultations and the key areas where business can help shape the system’s future direction.

Learn more

Media mentions

Gazeta Prawna: Cyfrowy odwrót. Wojewodowie chcą odzyskać kontrolę nad kolejkami

Partner Karolina Schiffter explains why Poland has paused online residence permit bookings and returned to paper-based submissions.

Learn more

Blog post

Swiss Immigration Quotas for 2026: What Employers and Workers Need to Know

Senior Manager Ana Bessa Santos outlines Switzerland’s 2026 immigration quotas and what employers should expect across non-EU/EFTA, EU/EFTA and UK permit categories.

Learn more

Blog post

UAE Updates Residency Rules to Support Residents Following Marital Status Changes

Manager Ruaida Hussein outlines the UAE’s updated residency rules introducing a one-year residence permit for eligible individuals following divorce or the death of a spouse

Learn more

Blog post

USCIS Lowers EB-5 Filing Fees After Court Ruling

Partner Rahul Soni outlines USCIS’ decision to reduce EB-5 filing fees following a federal court ruling that invalidates the agency’s 2024 fee increases.

Learn more

Media mentions

Construction Management: Illegal Working in Construction: Expanding Right to Work Checks

Manager Clara Gautrais and Immigration Paralegal Sean Pearce highlight how the UK government’s consultation on expanding right to work checks could affect construction employers.

Learn more

Awards

China Managing Partner Becky Xia Named Among the "Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025" by Forbes China

China Managing Partner Becky Xia is named among the “Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025” by Forbes China for her leadership in immigration law and contributions to global mobility.

Learn more

Awards

Fragomen Recognised on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms List

Fragomen is featured on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms list in the category of immigration.

Learn more

Blog post

Foreign Birth Registration: How to Claim Irish Citizenship Through Ancestry in 2025

Senior Immigration Consultant Patricia Rezmives explains the 2025 process for claiming Irish citizenship through ancestry and key considerations for foreign birth registration.

Learn more

Fragomen news

Fragomen Named Among Top Firms on Law360 Pulse's 2025 Social Impact Leaders List

Fragomen is recognized on Law360 Pulse's 2025 Social Impact Leaders list.

Learn more

Awards

Partner F. Joseph Paldino Honored with the 2025 Utah State Bar Paul Moxley Outstanding Mentor Award

Partner F. Joseph Paldino is recognized with the Utah State Bar’s Paul Moxley Outstanding Mentor Award for his dedication to mentorship in immigration law and fostering professional growth in the legal community.

Learn more

Blog post

The Compliance Paradox: Why Immigration Compliance Must Become Strategic Governance

In this blog, Partner K. Edward Raleigh explains how modern immigration compliance must evolve from paperwork and formality into a strategic governance discipline that aligns outdated laws with today’s business realities and measures true compliance through systems, behavior and integrity.

Learn more

Blog post

UK Immigration Reforms: A Moment to Shape the System

UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit examines the UK’s evolving immigration framework, outlining recent reforms, upcoming consultations and the key areas where business can help shape the system’s future direction.

Learn more

Stay in touch

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