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Marie C. Puertollano

Immigration Attorney at San Diego, CA

5.0   87 reviews
  • Licensed for 11 years
    State CA
    Acquired 2012
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Marie

Learn Marie’s areas of practice.

1
Practice area
  1. Immigration
    100%
    Work and Investment visas, extraordinary abilities, Family, and Naturalization. Representation in court including the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

    11 years, 1,000 cases

My practice is entirely dedicated to U.S immigration law. With hundreds of cases approved from 40 different countries in a high volume immigration firm, I am one of only 24 Certified Immigration Specialists by the State Bar of California in San Diego county. As immigrant in the United States, I experienced first hand the hardship and stress that the immigration process can be.

I represent clients in removal before the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the BIA and immigration courts. I file employment based (H-1B, H-3, TN, R-1 religious, L-1, EB1C, PERM EB2, PERM EB3), family based (marriage, fiancé, I-751), and investment based petitions (E-2), as well as naturalization, DACA, F-1 reinstatement, visas based on extraordinary abilities (O-1, NIW and EB-1A), athlete visas (P-1), I-360 Victim of Violence Visas (VAWA) and asylum cases. I prepare the clients for their marriage first or second (fraud) interviews, I-751 and citizenship interviews and attend the interview with them. I also deal with complex motions to reopen as well as I-601, I-601A and 212(d)(3) waivers.

 I was born and raised in France. I earned two Master Degrees in Law; one in France in Public Law and one in the United States in Comparative Law (LL.M). And I am fluent in French, English and Spanish. While being a social worker in Gainesville, GA, I developed a passion for the protection of immigrants' rights. I attended California Western School of law in the United States with the sole purpose of becoming an immigration lawyer. 

In my free time, I am a motivational speaker and I mentor High schoolers. I enjoy swimming, and biking. I regularly serve food to the homeless. I also love spending time with my friends and family.

Photos and videos

Weekly update
November 14, 2018. ABC 10 News
Interviewed about the impact of applying for asylum in Mexico for the caravan coming from Honduras

Contact Marie

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Law Offices of Jacob Sapochnick
1502 6th Ave
San Diego, CA, 92101-3216

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  87 customer reviews
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Posted by Jorge | May 31, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Immigration Lawyer
Marie has been our lawyer for our immigration process. She is the best not only for her knowledge but also her attention to every detail. She is professional and kind. If you need help with your immigration process there is no one better than Marie!. So thankful we found her.
Posted by Jonathan | March 4, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Green Card
Marie, was very knowledgeable and professional in her advice and services. I highly recommend her
Posted by Emir | March 3, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Help during the COVID-19 pandemic
When Marie began working on my K1 Visa petition, I was in a very worried and tense state as my K1 Visa petition for my fiancé at the time, had been delayed for over a year (since March 2020). Additionally, the Russian embassy was working under a "skeleton" staff so even the most basic transactions were severely delayed. In the midst of all the geopolitical and pandemic issues, Marie provided a guide plan of force multipliers that would hopefully push my petition to the top of the queue. Beyond this clarity, Marie delivered calm and most importantly was super responsive. Anytime I sent an email, she answered promptly and this meant so much as her expertise and clear explanations eased my mind. And the result...well, after 2 year of delays, my fiance and her daughter arrived from Russia in Sept. 21' and we have subsequently gotten married! So, I want to extend a personal thanks to Marie as your navigation during these tenuous geopolitical moments and COVID-19 pandemic was stellar and deeply and heartily appreciated. You are a blessing!
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Posted by Mohammad | November 16, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Marie go beyond the expectation
the dream came true Finally thank you God. Jacob and his team work hard and fight helping me and my family. in 1 month they did amazing follow up and organized my case . they are professional and organized 100%. what happened with my case is a miracle. thank you again Jacob for you and your team, Marie, Kristin, Marjorie and others you change our life for the best Marie kept following up our case.. she kept us informed and gave us solutions. the interview at 8am my time she waked up 6Am her time just to be with us thank you again Marie for everything ❤
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Posted by anonymous | October 30, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Jean
Marie is an excellent lawyer . She successfully helped in my immigration papers and was very professional and prompt. She did always answered my inquiries in a timely manner and gave me good advice. I will highly recommend her as an excellent immigration lawyer.
Posted by Diego | October 13, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A lawyer you can trust and count on
We understand the world was hit by this pandemic and many things changed, not to mention processes, procedures and embassies being closed making USCIS's duties challenging to carry out and I would expect this firm's as well. However, we were changed specialists twice. In other words, we had three specialists. I will not focus on the first two individuals as I would rather prefer focusing on Marie. It was only when Marie Puertollano was assigned to our case that we felt we were being taken care of and could finally breathe out our worries. Aside from being friendly which is nice, immigrants want and need someone who we feel can get the job done...and this is Marie. In simple terms, you feel safe with her. She is extremely professional and proficient in what she does. I arrived in the U.S. in the 70s and have been a citizen for many decades but not so my wife and our 4-year old boy at the time. We were separated due to the pandemic. It was a very traumatic experience for us as a family but Marie was amazing in making this process much more swift and smooth. She is clear, concise, knowledgeable...proficient and detailed. I want to stress this last adjective. My son is now a U.S. citizen and my wife a resident. We can't thank Marie enough for all the legal advice and personal advice she gave us throughout this long and arduous process. If we had to go through this process again, it would not take us a single second to reach out to her. We will be forever in her debt.
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Posted by Matteo | October 7, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great experience!
We hired Marie for our green card petition through marriage (US Citizen). While a relatively simple case on the surface, che case was processed during the pandemic, so there was a lot of uncertainty. Marie did a fantastic job at staying on top of our case, keeping us informed on a regular basis and making us feel more comfortable. She guided us through the application process step by step, prepared us for the interview and came to the interview with us. Overall a great experience, we only have good words to share about her.
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Posted by RamsinghThapa | October 4, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
The most compassionate humble& Experienced lawyer I’ve ever worked with”
Marie you are such a brilliant lawyer I am so appreciative of the work you did “ You united my family” Yes you did it You don't know how much your passion impacts the lives of others. Thank you so much for everything
Posted by Keyla | October 4, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Fantastic, highly recommend Marie
Marie Puertollano is in my opinion, one of the most dedicated and empathetic attorneys that I have ever met. Her deep understanding of the immigration process is truly valuable. Basically, after being rejected for a couple of law offices, which didn’t offer any help or good understanding of my case, she listened, immediately offered resources, and started working diligently with me. Today I can say that I don’t have enough words to say thank you for all your hard work and the most important thing: your passion to help others. I already sent a couple of friends over to this office, and I will definitely like to recommend Marie as one of the best professionals in her area and she provides excellent service to me every time I needed.
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Posted by Maria | October 4, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
The best Lawyer
My family and I have been working with Marie since the past year. She is very knowledgeable and professional. We strongly recommend Marie if you need any help regarding your immigration situation. She is the best!
Posted by Igal | October 2, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Marie is a fantastic immigration lawyer
I've been working with Marie on my employment case (Consular) and she made it happen on our first attempt to the USCIS. It's an advanced case with tons of documents, and everything went smoothly. Marie is a sharp, professional lawyer. She's pleasant, patient, and accurate. In short, Marie's a pro.
Posted by Swethasri | September 5, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Lawyer
She made the impossible thing possible for me , we got success in our case after multiple denials(due to previous attorneys mess up). She is a brilliant lawyer. We are so THANKFUL for your in-depth knowledge of law, passion, dedication and professionalism.All the best Marie...!!!!
Posted by Biplav | August 27, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great lawyer
She helped me walk through what to expect during my interview and what documents to take. She is a great lawyer who has a great knowledge on her field.
Posted by Tamer | August 6, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best immigration attorney ever
I had very tough case almost mission impossible , Marie helped me With it, she is very professional , honest and straightforward Attorrny. She is the best attorney ever, I worked with many different attorneys but for me she no. 1 for sure.
Posted by Giselle | July 12, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Amazing !!
Marie helped us in the process of getting our green card. She is a great lawyer with a creative mind! Super helpful and answered all of our doubts that we had along the way. She guided us in the right direction since the beginning and I am grateful I got to work with her. Highly recommend Marie!
Posted by Zeina | June 4, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Marie Puertollano
Marie Puertollano Is an excellent immigration attorney. She works with you with so much honesty and compassionate way. She treats your case in very professional way and she is very smart. She worked for my sister’s paperwork and my sister got the Green Card because of Marie’s hard work. Thank you Attorney Marie you are the best.
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Posted by Stephanie | December 20, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
You are the BEST
If you are looking for a great immigration lawyer- please look no further! Marie is truly AMAZING! My husband and I are extremely grateful to her as she helped us every step of the way for our spousal visa. Marie is a very responsive person. She replies e- emails in a quick manner. And during the final meeting/coaching she made sure that everything will be okay. Now i'm here in US already. Salamat Marie for doing such a wonderful job. I will highly recommend her because MARIE is simply the BEST.
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Posted by Teo | December 1, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great lawyer
I hired Marie to help me and my company with the H1B visa process. The process was overall very smooth and painless. Marie explained to us clearly what the steps would be and what my chances of approval were. Everything worked out fine and I'm happy I chose her firm to get the job done. I will definitely reach out again to her regarding my future immigration needs.
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Posted by Johanna | October 28, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Successful E2 Visa
Attorney Marie helped me successfully receive a 5 year E2 visa thanks to her extensive mock interview prep and thorough attention to detail. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for help with more complicated applications. She also helped my friend get her TN visa successfully. Thank you Marie!
Posted by Nasim | October 19, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Attorney in Town
Marie is one of the best attorney in San Diego, not only she is caring and kind but she knows how to get you a green card! Marie helped me get my green card through my marriage case in less than 2 years, considering being in the US for about ten years (changing 3 lawyers), she did an amazing job. My husband and I definitely recommend her.
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Cost

Rates
  • Retainer Always
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Managing Attorney
  • Law offices of Jacob Sapochnick
  • 2016 - Present
  • Attorney
  • Law Offices of Jacob Sapochnick
  • 2012 - 2016
  • Law Clerk
  • American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project
  • 2011 - 2011
  • Law Clerk
  • San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program
  • 2011 - 2011
View all work experience

Education

  • California Western School of Law
  • LL.M - Master of Laws
  • 2011
  • University of Bordeaux
  • Master 2
  • 2007
  • University of Paris Pantheon Assas
  • Bachelor
  • 2006

Legal Cases

  • NIW and AOS for Lead Scientist with almost no citations
  • Approved
  • NIW and AOS for very young entrepreneur
  • Approved
  • EB-1C Executive of a small US company
  • Approved without RFE
View all legal cases

Associations

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Co chair of New Member Division
  • 2019 - Present
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2016 - Present
  • U.S Court of Appeal for the 9th Circuit
  • Admitted to Practice
  • 2015 - Present
  • State Bar of California
  • Member
  • 2012 - Present
  • American Society of Legal Advocates
  • Member
  • 2017 - 2018
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish

Honors and Awards

  • Certified Immigration Specialist
  • California State Bar
  • 2020
  • Top 40 Immigration Lawyers under 40 in California for 2018
  • The American Society of Legal Advocates
  • 2017
  • 2015 Pro bono award
  • ABA Immigration Justice Project
  • 2016
  • Appreciation Award
  • Law Offices of Jacob Sapochnick
  • 2014
  • Wiley W. Manuel Award
  • SDVLP
  • 2012
  • Academic Award Achievement: Legal Skills
  • California Western School of Law
  • 2011
View all awards

Speaking Engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (13)
Given (21)
Endorse Marie
Immigration Attorney | Jan 23
Relationship: Supervised lawyer
"Marie is an excellent immigration lawyer. Not only she knows the law well and is always up to date, but she’s also passionate about her practice. She’s a pleasure to work with."
Immigration Attorney | Nov 28
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marie is an honest, dedicated and incredibly knowledgeable lawyer. I would recommend her to anyone seeking an Immigration Attorney. I endorse her without hesitation."
Immigration Attorney | Sep 23
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"Marie is an honest and hard working attorney. I have had the pleasure to work with her and have seen her dedication towards her clients. She is fluent in French and Spanish and is a great attorney."
Immigration Attorney | Apr 20
Relationship: Co-worker
"Marie is a great attorney. She is experienced and cares for her clients. I confer with her almost daily about a wide variety of legal issues. Her breadth of experience and professional judgment are great assets for her clients."
Immigration Attorney | Dec 11
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marie really cares about her clients and is conscientious, absolutely reliable, knowledgeable, and committed to helping her clients. She is also honest, forthright, and completely trustworthy. I highly recommend her services."
Immigration Attorney | Jun 16
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Marie is very capable at handling immigration cases; she is mostly handling H1B, E,P,R, and marriage immigration cases. She is very passionated about her work and she cares clients very much."
Immigration Attorney | Jun 11
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marie Puertollano is an experienced immigration lawyer who is diligent, brilliant, knowledgeable in both family and business immigration, and truly caring about her clients. I highly endorse this lawyer to anyone seeking quality services."
Immigration Attorney | May 20
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marie has what is sorely lacking in much of the legal community - a kind heart. Marie genuinely cares for her clients and is an excellent communicator. Having emigrated to this country herself, she has a special understanding of the process. You won't be sorry if you hire Marie. I endorse this lawyer."
Immigration Attorney | May 14
Relationship: Other
"I endorse this lawyer. Marie is a caring, family-oriented person who happens to be a great immigration lawyer."
Immigration Attorney | Jan 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Immigration Attorney | May 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Marie is a very passionate attorney. She is very knowledgeable in family visa petitions, H-1B visas, R-visas, N-400 applications, and I-751 petitions."
Immigration Attorney | Apr 29
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marie Puertollano is one of the most hardworking and dedicated attorney I know. She makes her clients a priority and goes above and beyond what is expected from an attorney providing exceptional level of legal service and personable attention to each case. I highly recommend Marie Puertollano to anyone seeking quality legal assistance."
Immigration Attorney | Aug 28
Relationship: Co-worker
"I endorse this lawyer."
View more endorsements
San Diego Immigration Lawyer Marie C. Puertollano
Marie C. Puertollano
Immigration Attorney
San Diego, CA
Licensed for 11 years