Brooklyn Family Immigration Lawyer
A Brooklyn Family Immigration Attorney Who Has Lived the Process Firsthand
Family-based immigration gives U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents a legal path to bring qualifying family members to the United States, granting them the right to live and work here permanently. The process involves filing petitions, assembling supporting documentation, meeting financial eligibility requirements, and preparing for USCIS interviews. For Brooklyn families navigating this, the stakes couldn’t be more personal.
At Devon King Law Firm, PLLC, we’ve helped many Brooklyn-area clients work through the family-based immigration process, including clients with proceedings at the Varick Street Immigration Court. We understand what’s riding on every filing and every interview, and we approach each case with the thoroughness and responsiveness these matters demand.
Ready to start the process or get help with a stalled case? Contact Devon King Law Firm, PLLC through our online form or call (718) 569-8122.
Why Brooklyn Families Work With Devon King Law Firm, PLLC
Attorney Devon King came to the United States as an immigrant from the Caribbean. That firsthand experience with the immigration system isn’t a tagline. It shapes the way he listens to clients, reads their cases, and prepares their applications. Before founding Devon King Law Firm, PLLC, he served as a senior immigration associate for more than 13 years. The firm has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 2012, and Attorney King is admitted to the bar in New York, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
How We Support Clients Through Every Stage
Clients get representation that is both deeply experienced and genuinely personal. We answer calls and emails quickly, often the same day, and keep clients updated regularly so no one is left guessing about where their case stands. Before major milestones like USCIS interviews, we make ourselves available to walk through concerns, review documents, and help clients feel prepared rather than anxious.
We also step into difficult situations. If a case has been pending for months or years, or if another attorney said it was too complicated to move forward, we’ll assess it honestly and build a clear plan. For families under financial pressure, monthly payment plans are available, and we serve clients in Spanish and other languages so communication is never a barrier.
Who Can Be Sponsored?
U.S. citizens can sponsor immediate relatives: spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents, under the immediate relative category, which carries no annual visa cap. Lawful permanent residents can sponsor spouses and unmarried children, but those relationships fall into family preference categories subject to annual limits and, in many cases, significantly longer wait times. One important distinction: green card holders can’t petition for their parents. That option is available only to U.S. citizens. In all cases, the sponsoring family member must demonstrate the financial ability to support the incoming relative through an affidavit of support.
How Long Does the Family Immigration Process Take?
Timelines vary significantly depending on the relationship category and the applicant’s country of origin. Immediate relative petitions filed by U.S. citizens move faster than family preference category petitions, which can take several years to well over a decade depending on annual limits and backlogs. USCIS processing times shift based on policy changes, administrative workload, and application volume, none of which are entirely predictable.
What you can control is the quality of your application. Errors or missing documentation at any stage can restart or stall the process. We prepare complete, accurate documentation from the outset and build a thorough evidence package to help reduce unnecessary setbacks at each stage. When it comes time for interviews, Attorney King maintains a calm, confident presence alongside clients so those meetings feel manageable, not intimidating.
Why Work With Attorney Devon King?
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Relatability - Attorney King is a Caribbean Immigrant
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13+ Years Experience in Immigration Law
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Monthly Payment Plan Available
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Spanish and Other Languages Available
What to Do If Your Family Immigration Petition Is Denied
A denial isn’t necessarily the end of the road. The right response depends on the specific grounds cited in the denial notice, so reviewing that document carefully before taking any action is essential. There are three main avenues available after a denial.
Motion to Reopen or Reconsider
A Motion to Reopen or Reconsider asks USCIS to take another look at the case. This requires submitting additional evidence or legal arguments that directly address the grounds cited in the denial: not a general restatement of the original petition. The denial notice will specify the instructions and requirements for this filing.
Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO)
The AAO conducts independent administrative review of USCIS decisions, examining whether the original determination was correct based on the evidence and applicable law. A Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office must be submitted within the timeframe specified in the denial notice. We represent clients through AAO proceedings and know how to build the record an appeal requires.
Family-Based Immigration Petitions
There are several paths available to immigrants seeking a green card based on family relationships, and the right one depends on who is sponsoring and where the applicant currently lives.
K Visas for Fiances & Spouses
The K-1 fiance visa allows a foreign national engaged to a U.S. citizen to enter the United States to complete the marriage. Both the applicant and the U.S. citizen fiance must demonstrate proof of a genuine relationship through past correspondence, dated photographs showing the length of time they’ve known each other, and other documentation of their commitment to marry. We help couples build a complete evidence package to show that their relationship is real and their plans to marry are genuine.
If the fiance living abroad has minor children, the K-2 visa allows those children to enter the United States alongside the K-1 applicant parent. A U.S. citizen whose spouse is abroad can use the K-3 visa to bring their spouse to the United States while longer-term immigration processes move forward. For more on the fiance visa process, see our K-1 Visas page.
Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130)
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can petition to have qualifying family members granted a green card by filing a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) on their relative’s behalf. This petition is the starting point for most family-based green card cases. Along with it, the sponsoring family member must sign an affidavit of support, a legally enforceable contract with the U.S. government. According to USCIS, that obligation generally lasts until the sponsored relative becomes a U.S. citizen or is credited with 40 quarters of work, which typically equates to about 10 years, though the commitment can extend longer depending on the circumstances.
For applicants already in the United States, Form I-485 is used to apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident. When the applicant is outside the United States, the path is consular processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Processing times on these applications can take a year or longer.
Common reasons for denial include:
- Concerns about the applicant’s financial situation
- A prior criminal record
- Errors in completing the forms
Thorough preparation makes a meaningful difference at every stage. We review every application carefully, build a complete evidence package, and prepare clients for their USCIS interviews by walking through likely questions in advance, providing case-specific document checklists, and reviewing documents again the day before. Clients don’t walk into their interview wondering what to expect. They walk in feeling ready.
Call Devon King Law Firm, PLLC at (718) 569-8122 or reach out online to set up a consultation. We offer monthly payment plans and serve clients in Spanish and other languages.