Description

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) classification is granted to certain undocumented minor children that are currently in the United States who have experienced abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment by one or both parents. These minor children must adhere to strict eligibility requirements in order to successfully navigate through this multi-step process to obtain permanent resident status in the United States. To qualify for SIJS, the minor child must be under the age of 21 years old at the time of filing of a special immigrant petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), be unmarried, and have a valid custody order from a state juvenile court finding that the minor is in the custody of an individual appointed by the court, that reunification with one or both parents is not viable due to abandonment, abuse, and/or neglect, and that it is not in the minor child’s best interest to be returned to his or her country of last habitual residence.

Following the detention of the minor child, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will contact a parent or other adult family member to arrange release of the minor child following the completion of all required documentation and identity verification. In a situation where the minor child has reunited with a parent in the United States, a complaint for custody may be filed with a family state court that has jurisdiction over the minor child’s best interests, generally the place of residence. Depending on the state, a court may have jurisdiction over a minor child until 18 or 21 years of age. Therefore, it’s important to act quickly and to ensure proper processing of a custody determination under SIJS requirements as it may differ from state-to-state. All filings with the state juvenile court should support a ruling that finds the minor child dependent and placed under the care of an interested parent under the basis that reunification with the other parent is not possible due to abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect and return to a country of last habitual residence is not a viable option.

Once the state juvenile court grants custody over the minor child, he or she can submit a special immigrant petition with USCIS. To be eligible, the minor child must be under the age of 21 years old at the time of filing the petition. All supporting documentation should reference the requisite custody order and any immigration records related to apprehensions, detentions and/or deportation proceedings. Although a minor child may be granted SIJS status by USCIS, a juvenile visa must be available for the minor child to apply for adjustment of status, a green card. Unfortunately, some minor children incur a longer wait time until a visa becomes available based on the number of visas allocated per year to certain countries. In the case of a minor child who “ages out” (turns 21 years old) before his or her visa is available, the minor child retains his or her SIJ status if he or she filed the petition prior to turning 21 years old. In cases where a minor child will face a significant wait time for visa availability, USCIS may grant the minor child deferred action for a period of 4 years. A minor child who has been granted deferred action by USCIS may apply for an employment authorization document (EAD).

Unfortunately, all immigration courts are currently experiencing significant delays and court hearings may not be available immediately upon release from a detention center. Therefore, the minor child’s custodian must periodically check with the immigration court’s hotline and/or database to attentively act on any pending hearings. In a situation where the minor child has deportation proceedings pending before an immigration court, the process of filing additional motions and/or attending hearings may be required to terminate and/or dismiss pending proceedings.

Upon USCIS’ approval of SIJS classification and availability of a visa, the minor child may apply for adjustment of status. Under SIJS classification, minor children are exempt from certain grounds of inadmissibility that facilitate the process of obtaining a green card. The minor child may simultaneously file for an employment authorization document (EAD) while the green card application is pending. USCIS generally reviews the case and issues a decision without the need to interview the minor child in person at a local field office. Unless an interview is required, the minor child will receive a green card in the mail and be granted lawful permanent resident (LPR) status.

Benefits

The filing or the approval of a special immigrant petition does not grant the minor child status or an immediate immigration benefit in the United States. The minor child must successfully navigate through the multi-step process, which in some cases may incur a lengthy wait time, to obtain approval of an adjustment of status and receive a green card. The minor child may also request an employment authorization document (EAD) and receive social security while the application for adjustment of status is pending. Additionally, the minor child may seek U.S. citizenship in the future upon eligibility based on lawful status duration and good moral character.

Derivative Dependents

SIJS classification protects undocumented minor children. Therefore, no derivative dependents will be eligible under this classification. Once a minor child navigates through the SIJS multi-step process and obtains U.S. citizenship, sponsorship may be permitted and limited solely to spouses, children, and siblings. However, sponsorship for parents is not permitted as it violates conditions established under SIJS classification.

Process Description

Obtaining lawful permanent residence under SIJS classification is a multi-step process that involves agencies such as a State juvenile court, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the U.S. Department of State.

Depending on the state juvenile court, a custody case may generally take at least 8-10 months to be processed and approved. However, assuming that all procedures and requirements are met by the time a custody hearing is scheduled before a court’s Judge and/or Magistrate, rapid processing of the case can be achieved if the accused party’s (the opposing parent) whereabouts are known, and service of court documents is feasible without incurred delays. If the minor child is close to reaching the age of majority in that jurisdiction, an expedited process may be required. The importance is to quickly file for SIJS with USCIS while the minor child is under 21 years of age.

In the case where a visa is not available and the minor child can only file a SIJS petition with USCIS, the wait time may be at least 4 months. If the minor child is eligible to file for adjustment of status concurrently with the SIJS petition, a decision may be obtained within at least 12 months. (Please note that current times may vary significantly due to the ongoing pandemic impact). Unfortunately, if the minor child does require additional processing at an EOIR level, the wait time to obtain termination and/or dismissal of deportation proceedings may vary from court to court and delay the process of filing for adjustment of status.

Unfavorable Circumstances

Under SIJS classification, minor children are exempt from certain grounds of inadmissibility related to the public charge, unlawful presence permanent bars, fraud, or misrepresentation, etc. However, criminal convictions and other serious criminal involvement may negatively impact the eligibility process under SISJ classification. In certain circumstances a waiver may be required under certain grounds of inadmissibility. Although some factors may not necessarily cause the denial of a petition, it is best to consult with a licensed attorney and/or an accredited legal representative to confirm eligibility and to establish the best course of action. A licensed attorney may be able to assess a minor child’s circumstances according to the law and restrictions.

Relevant Links List

Citations

SIJS petitions are processed and adjudicated under strict eligibility. Certain relevant laws and regulations are specified under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and/or U.S. Code. Some of the applicable laws and regulations include:

Citations List

Related Forms List

Supporting Documents

For an initial filing of a special immigrant petition, documentation may include:

Supporting Documents List