A special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) is used to assist children under age 21 who have been determined to be abandoned, neglected, or abused and cannot be reunited with a parent. At Villarrubia & Rosenberger, P.C., we can assist with establishing guardianship for immigrant children who qualify under this status and are eligible to receive a green card.
Often the state child welfare agencies receive a report about the status of special immigrant juveniles, and a relative, family friend, or other custodian applies for a guardianship.
In order to petition for SIJ, a state court that has jurisdiction over custody of children must evaluate each child’s circumstances to determine whether they are placed with a state agency, cannot return to their home country, or cannot be reunited with their parents, among other considerations. In addition, the child must be under 21, and unmarried. In the U.S. It is important to understand that if you receive a green card due to your status as an SIJ, you cannot petition for a green card for your parents, and you can only petition for a green card for any brothers or sisters if you get U.S. citizenship.
The SIJ application process is complicated, and the forms require attention to detail and careful consideration. You can benefit from consulting with an experienced attorney who can assist with the application and evaluate options prior to filing.
Contact our Indianapolis office by calling Villarrubia & Rosenberger, P.C., or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation. We can also schedule video and telephonic appointments. Hablamos español.
100% recommended. She is always on the lookout as are the secretaries who help her. Everyone there is very professional, efficient and always answers you promptly when you have questions about the scare.
Retaining Villarubia as our immigration lawyer was the best immigration decision my wife and I ever made. Villarubia was always kind, compassionate & transparent. Her legal expertise and background is top notch. She always nudged us to always ask questions if we didn’t understand anything…