How to Qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)

In order to qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), a minor must meet specific requirements set forth by U.S. immigration law. SIJS is an immigration classification that allows eligible minors who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned to apply for lawful permanent residency in the United States.

Criteria for Qualifying for SIJS

Final answer:

To qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a minor must be under 21, unmarried, and under the jurisdiction of a state juvenile court due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. They must also be in the U.S. and unable to reunify with parents because of these issues.

Explanation:

To qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), a minor must meet certain criteria. They must be under the age of 21 and currently living in the United States. The juvenile must be unmarried and have been subject to state juvenile court proceedings related to abuse, neglect, or abandonment or a similar basis under state law.

The court must determine that it's not in the child's best interest to return to their home country or their parent's country. Furthermore, it is required that the juvenile cannot reunify with one or both of their parents due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a similar reason under state law.

It is important to note that the protections offered by the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 are particularly relevant, as they ensure minors from non-contiguous countries the right to a hearing before an immigration judge. This hearing can be an avenue through which the juvenile may request asylum based on a credible fear of persecution or torture.