Attorney Maria L. Santos is an immigrant from Azores, Portugal and a proud naturalized citizen of the USA.  She graduated from Boston College Law School in 1988 and immediately joined a small firm in the suburbs.  Being part of a community matters.  She is an elected member of the Chelmsford School Committee, now on her third term.

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Alphen & Santos was co-founded by Attorney Maria L. Santos , opening for business in 1997 and since that date, attorney Santos has focused on immigration law and exclusively practicing immigration since 2000.  It is now over 25 years of working side by side with companies and individuals so that employers have great workers and communities have individuals who are legally in the USA and participating fully in their lives.  It is a privilege to be able to work with clients, companies and individuals, and share the immigration experience.

 

Attorney Santos represents clients at hearings in New England district offices for USCIS.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA), the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).  In AILA, attorney Santos has served as the AILA NE Coordinator for National Day of Action because she deeply committed to advocating for a highly functional immigration system in the USA.

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Attorney Santos’ breath of experience in immigration is wide.  She has gone in-house to work with company - clients processing numerous H-1b’s, L-1’s and PERM based green cards, managed blanket Ls for large consulting companies through consulates world-wide, represented small and medium size employers  in various industries who sponsored H’s or TN’s or individual L’s and O-1’s and represents religious organizations of various denominations sponsoring ministers or religious workers.  Working with self petitioners, the extraordinary ability workers of the USA who are the scientists, entrepreneurs and creators of employment for others in the community has been part of Attorney Santos’ path in immigration.   

 

She also represents US citizens (and green card holders) and their foreign-born qualifying family members with green card processes some of which start as K-1 visas.  Naturalization is often the end of the pathways for many clients and representing individuals who really want to be citizens of the USA is a privilege.

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Attorney Santos is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is licensed to practice before the Federal District Court of Massachusetts.  Immigration law is federal and Attorney Santos represents clients throughout the USA and globally.

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Attorney Paul Alphen, co-founder of Alphen & Santos PC became OF COUNSEL to the firm effective January 1, 2025.  He is retired after spending 30 plus years practicing real estate law and focusing on real estate development matters with so many clients over his industrious and fulfilling career.   To reach attorney Alphen, please e-mail the firm at:  info@alphensantos.com and we will get your message to Paul.