Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Green Cards for Certain Unmarried Immigrants Under 21 Years of Age
If you are unmarried and under the age of 21 who has been a victim of abuse, neglect, or abandonment you may be eligible to obtain lawful immigration status in the United States by applying for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS provides foreign national children a basis to become lawful permanent residents of the U.S. (“Green Card” holders) with the permission to live and work indefinitely in the U.S. Applying for SIJS is a complex process which involves working with juvenile courts and immigration, but the attorneys at our law firm are skilled to take on challenging immigration cases.
To obtain SIJS the following must occur:
- A state court must declare that you are a dependent of the court or to legally place you with a state agency, a private agency, or a private person
- A state court must declare that it is not in your best interest to return to your home country
- A state court must declare that you cannot be reunited with a parent because of abuse, abandonment, neglect, or similar reason under state law
- You must be under 21 years old
- You cannot be married (includes marriage that ended due to annulment, divorce, or death)
Our Los Angeles immigration court lawyers specialize in immigration law and can help you determine whether you qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Call our office at (562) 445-4870 to schedule a free consultation.