News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 18, 2017: This week we continue our series on getting Permanent Residency or a Green Card in Trump’s America with Option 6 – Green Cards For Victims Of Abuse.
An abused spouse, child, or parent of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, may be eligible to self-petition for a green card if they can show proof of the abuse.
Victims can file an immigrant visa petition under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
The VAWA provisions in the INA allow certain spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens and certain spouses and children of permanent residents (green card holders) to file a petition for themselves, without the abuser’s knowledge. This allows victims to seek both safety and independence from their abuser, who is not notified about the filing.
The VAWA provisions apply equally to male and female victims of abuse. A spouse can qualify to file if they are or were the abused spouse of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. They can also file as an abused spouse if their child has been abused by their U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse and can include any unmarried children who are under 21 on the application.
Parent who have been abused by your U.S. citizen son or daughter may also file while a child under 21 who is unmarried and has been abused by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident parent can also apply under this law.
Look out for Option 7 next week, in the 8 Ways To Get A Green Card In Trump’s America series!
