NEW YORK IMMIGRATION LAWYERS
Representation Inspired by You
Empower yourself by teaming up with Urena & Associates, a premier, full-service immigration law firm. With a proven track record of success, our attorneys bring unparalleled knowledge and dedication to your case.
Immigration Attorneys Serving the New York Metro Area
Ureña & Associates is a New York law firm based in Brooklyn that handles immigration and naturalization matters and nothing else. Our attorneys have represented more than 30,000 people in cases ranging from Green Cards and family petitions to asylum, DACA, student and employment visas, and removal defense. Whether you are starting a case, responding to something the government sent you, or trying to understand what your options actually are, we can tell you where you stand.
We work with clients in Arabic, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English, so the conversation happens directly rather than through a translation service. Principal Attorney Rafael Urena is a federal litigator who has taken the government to court over stalled and unlawfully delayed cases, and Managing Attorney Jana Al-Akhras oversees our firm's day-to-day operations alongside a team of associate attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants.
Consultations at our Brooklyn office are free, while virtual consultations are available for a standard fee. Call a New York immigration lawyer at (845) 932-0679 or contact us online to get started today.
Helping New Yorkers Find Pathways to U.S. Citizenship
Naturalization is the final step in a longer process, and most of the work happens before the application is filed. Our attorneys review your residency timeline, travel history, tax filings, and any past contact with law enforcement to confirm you qualify before anything reaches the government. An application filed too early or without accounting for a long absence from the country or a prior arrest can fail. It can also put the status you already hold under review.
Once eligibility is established, we handle the citizenship and naturalization application and prepare you for the interview, covering the civics and English requirements, as well as the exemptions available to older applicants and those with qualifying medical conditions.
If you are not a permanent resident yet, citizenship still belongs in the conversation today. Most clients reach a green card first, whether through a family visa, a marriage petition, or employment-based sponsorship, while others get there after asylum or through a VAWA self-petition.
Most permanent residents become eligible for citizenship after five years. However, spouses of U.S. citizens and VAWA self-petitioners can generally apply after three years. What differs most between these routes is how long the green card itself takes to obtain, which is why the path you choose now shapes when you can naturalize later.
“I highly recommend them to anyone who needs legal assistance in asylum cases.”
Assem M.
Protecting the Status You Already Hold
Losing status rarely feels like a crisis while it is happening. A renewal window closes, a course load drops below full-time, a trip abroad runs longer than planned. Nobody calls to warn you, and the consequences often surface months later, when a work permit expires, or a border officer asks a question you were not prepared for.
We handle the maintenance side of immigration as carefully as the applications. That includes DACA renewals filed early enough that work authorization never lapses, and guidance for student visa holders on the rules that quietly govern F-1 status, from full-time enrollment to OPT and CPT authorization and the timing of a change in program or employer. For permanent residents, it means answering questions that arise years after approval about extended travel, green card renewal deadlines, and how an old criminal matter may resurface at a port of entry or during a naturalization interview.
A short conversation before you travel, change schools, or let a deadline approach is far cheaper than repairing a lapse afterward. Our attorneys stay reachable to existing clients for exactly these questions, because keeping what you have is part of the case, not something separate from it.
When Removal Proceedings Have Already Started
A Notice to Appear changes the nature of an immigration case. You are no longer applying for something; you are defending against a case the government has already decided to bring.
Our attorneys represent clients at master calendar and merits hearings in the immigration courts at 26 Federal Plaza and Varick Street, pursue bond hearings for people held in custody, and file appeals and motions to reopen when a decision needs to be challenged rather than accepted.
What often decides these cases is a criminal record, and this is where our approach differs from most immigration practices. Rafael Urena spent the first year of his career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx before moving into immigration law. He knows how a plea agreement is negotiated, what a disposition actually means, and how a charge that seemed minor in criminal court becomes the central issue in immigration court years later. That reading happens at the start of a case with us, not after the government raises it.
Removal defense also opens doors that may not have been available before. Asylum can be raised defensively before an immigration judge, and related protections, including withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture, may apply when an asylum claim faces obstacles.
For clients who entered as refugees or hold refugee status, the analysis is different again. Cancellation of removal remains available to some long-term residents.
Removal proceedings run on the court's schedule rather than yours, and the earliest decisions shape everything that follows. Call (845) 932-0679 or contact us online to schedule a case consultation with an immigration lawyer in New York today.
Our intake process is designed to be simple and accessible. Because our attorneys and staff are multilingual and culturally aware, we ensure every step is communicated clearly, so your story is fully understood and effectively represented.
Step 1
Initial Consultation
Our intake team responds quickly to calls and emails. We offer a free in-person consultation or a $250 virtual consultation, applied to retainer fees if you choose to move forward.
Step 2
Case Assessment
After the initial consultation, we carefully review your situation to find the best legal path for your case and explain your options in clear and simple terms.
Step 3
Legal Strategy
Based on our assessment, we craft a tailored plan to move your case forward. Our attorneys apply proven strategies and legal insight to give your case the strongest path to success.
Step 4
Resolution
With focus and experience, our team works to secure the best possible outcome. Guided by our values, we handle your case with skill, care, and commitment.
Reviews & Testiominals
What Our Clients Say
“Definitely Recommend”
“I would like to thank Urena & Associates for their professionalism and exceptional service.”
Salwa H.
“Outstanding”
“Calm, patient, and reasonable in the turmoil we were going through.”
Ahmed H.
“Great Law Firm”
“They went above and beyond to satisfy my needs for my sister's visa.”
Alridee A.
“Great Job”
“I really thank you all guys from the bottom of my heart and all thanks to my attorney who done great job Ramsey.”
Mohamed E.
“Honest & Caring”
“Got my wife and kids their green cards in less than 3 months. Very well connected and will get the job done.”
Mohamed A.
“Professional & Compassionate”
“They provide clear guidance and genuine support throughout the process.”
Thekra E.
“The Best”
“He patiently walked us through the entire process, he was always available to answer our questions day or night, and he always presented us with all the options.”
Yasi K.
“Highly Recommend”
“I had a great experience working with Attorney Rafael Urena and his paralegal Ahmed Kaid on my fiancée’s K1 (Fiancé) visa.”
