Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Attorney in Frederick MD & Hagerstown MD
Sentelle Law is an trusted immigration law firm experienced in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) in Frederick MD, Hagerstown MD, and surrounding areas.
The Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) classification provides certain children who have been subject to state juvenile court proceedings related to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a similar basis under state law the ability to seek lawful permanent residence in the United States.
USCIS determines if a juvenile meets the requirements for SIJS classification by adjudicating a Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant.
Sentelle Law has successfully helped clients obtain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status in Frederick MD, Hagerstown MD, and surrounding areas.
Contact our Maryland Immigration Law firm today to schedule a consultation. We are a trusted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Attorney in Frederick MD serving all of Mid-Maryland and surrounding areas.
Maryland Immigration Lawyer - Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Attorney in Frederick MD
What are the benefits of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)?
Allows the child to remain in the United States and eventually obtain lawful permanent residency (a “green card). Provides an employment authorization document that allows the child to work and serves as a government-issued identification card.
Who is eligible for SIJS?
A child who is under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court, where the court has found (a) that the child cannot be reunified with either parent because of abuse, neglect or abandonment, and (b) that it would not be in the child’s best interest to be returned to the home country.
Sentelle Law is highly knowledgeable immigration law team experienced in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
Contact our immigration attorney in Frederick MD today to discuss your Special Immigrant Juvenile Status case. We are based in Frederick MD and serve all of Mid-Maryland and surrounding areas.
Obtain a Green Card Based on Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification
1. The juvenile court either must declare the child to be a court dependent or must legally commit the child to a state department or agency. This should include children in dependency proceedings, delinquency proceedings, and guardianship through a probate court.
2. The SIJS application will include a special order signed by the juvenile court finding that the child is “deemed eligible for long-term foster care,” because of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Eligible for long-term foster care means that family reunification is not an option, and generally
the child will be expected to remain in foster care until reaching the age of majority, unless the child is adopted or placed in a guardianship situation. The court’s order, or a social worker’s statement, must provide at least a brief reference to facts supporting the finding of abuse, neglect
or abandonment.
Sentelle Law Has Proudly Represented Many Clients in SIJS Cases.
3. The juvenile court must find that it is not in the child’s best interest to return to her/his country of origin. This can be proven through an interview with the child, a home study in the home country, or other evidence showing there is no known appropriate family in the home country.
4. The child must be under 21 and unmarried. The child’s age can be proven with a birth certificate, passport, official foreign identity document issued by a foreign government. The child can be a parent.
5. The child must remain under juvenile court jurisdiction until the immigration application is finally decided and the child receives the green card. This is important to keep in mind because the immigration interview may not be scheduled until three months to three years, or even longer, after the SIJS application is filed, depending on the local immigration office backlog and complexity of the case.
