Powell Immigration Law PC | Business, Employment and Family Immigration Law | California

Green Cards for Battered Spouses, Children and Parents (VAWA)

A basic overview of the Program is provided here. If you have further inquiries as to the application process or whether or not this is the correct route for your needs, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Overview

United States citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) generally must file an immigrant visa petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of a spouse or child so that these family members may emigrate to or remain in the United States. Some petitioner's unfortunately sometimes choose to abuse their control over this process and may subject their vulnerable family members to coercion or extortion as well as threaten to report them to USCIS. In these situations an individual may file a self-petition for immigration as a battered spouse as designated under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to obtain lawful permanent residency while married to a U.S. citizen or LPR. Unmarried children under twenty-one-years-old  may be included on your petition as "derivative beneficiaries." Moreover, immigration provisions within VAWA allow certain battered spouses to file for immigration relief without alerting the abuser to protect the spouse's safety and independence.


 

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