Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas
/ Immigration overview
Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) visas are a category of immigrant visas available to foreign national children who have been declared dependent on a U.S. state juvenile court because they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by one or both of their parents. The SIJ program is designed to provide protection and legal status to vulnerable children who are unable to reunify with their parents due to abuse or neglect.SIJ visas are an important mechanism for protecting and providing legal status to children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment and are unable to return to their home countries or reunify with their parents.
Am I eligible for SIJ Visa?
To be eligible for an SIJ visa, a child must meet several criteria, including a state court finding of dependency, abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The child must also be under 21 years of age and unmarried.
Is there an age limit?
To be eligible for an SIJ visa, the child must be under 21 years of age at the time of filing the I-360 petition. Once they turn 21, they may no longer be eligible for SIJ status.
What is dependency finding?
The first step in the SIJ process is obtaining a dependency finding from a state juvenile court. This finding typically results from a court order declaring that the child is dependent on the state due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The state court must also make a determination that it is not in the best interests of the child to be returned to their parents' custody. This decision may be based on evidence of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
What happens after I obtained the state court order?
After obtaining the state court order, the child can file a Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant (Form I-360) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to apply for SIJ status.
Can I get a green card?
After approval of the SIJ petition, the child can apply for lawful permanent residency (a green card) in the United States.
Can I pursue citizenship?
SIJ visa recipients can pursue U.S. citizenship through the naturalization process once they become lawful permanent residents.
How Kananchuk Law Office can help you through SIJ Visa process?
SIJS cases can be legally complex, involving both state family law and immigration law. Our experienced SIJ attorney will help you to make an informed decision about your specific situation and navigate these complexities and ensure that the necessary legal standards are met.
We will guide you through the complex and multi-faceted nature of the SIJS process.
Book a consultation
Attorney Krystsina Kananchuk is committed to obtaining protection for you and your family.
Services
Immigration overview
Family based
Employment
Non-immigrant visas
Deportation and removal defense
Contacts
Address
1750 East Golf Road, Suite 1130, Schaumburg, IL 60194
Attorney Advertising. This information is designed for general information only. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Past results and testimonials are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of the outcome of your case, and should not be construed as such. Past results cannot guarantee future performance. Any result in a single case is not meant to create an expectation of similar results in future matters because each case involves many different factors, therefore, results will differ on a case-by-case basis. By providing certain contact information herein, you are expressly authorizing the recipient of this message to contact you via the methods of communication provided.
Developed by Edisoncorp