Self-petitioners who are petitioning as a child or a parent need to show the familial relationship to the abuser. This is shown with the birth certificate of the self-petitioner and the abuser. Adopted children and stepchildren will need additional documentation for their self-petition.
Stepchildren will need to provide documentation showing the marriage, which created the stepchild relationship, occurred before their 18th birthday. Some of the evidence that can be used to show this is the stepchild’s birth certificate, the marriage certificate of the stepparent and the natural parent showing when the marriage occurred, and any
evidence of legal termination of prior marriages (if any existed).
Adopted children will need to provide evidence that the adoption was finalized before their 16th birthday (or the child is the sibling of a child adopted by the same parents before the age of 18). Evidence that can be provided to show this is the adoption decree and proof of residence with the abusive parent for some period of time.
Adopted children under VAWA do not have to meet the two-year residency requirement (as required in family-based petitions) and can still qualify even if they lived for less time with their abuser.
CALL/TEXT/WHATSAPP to learn if you qualify 201.565.0099 or book online .