Special Immigrant Juvenile Program (SJI)
New Jersey Attorneys Protecting Abused Children
The Special Immigrant Juvenile program is one designed to offer aid for foreign children in the United States who have been abused by their parents or primary caretakers. The program allows victims under the age of 18 to obtain a green card under this status that could, after a set duration of permanent residency in the United States, lead to full citizenship and all of the rights that pertain to it.
Of course, this program is only available to those who qualify, and the Department of Homeland Security has put limitations in place so that the program is not used by their parents as a means of obtaining a green card for themselves. Our New Jersey immigration attorneys explain the conditions.
In order to be eligible for the SJI program, the following must be true:
- Your under 21 years old when you file
- You are not married
- You are in the United States when you file
- You have been abused, neglected, or abandoned
- This history makes it impossible for you to be reunited with your parents
Exceptions and Rules with an SJI Green Card
This status is very generous, as it ignores a lot of the other conditions that stop most people from getting a green card, such as an inability to provide for yourself, not having passport, and the manner in which you entered the country, all for a humanitarian cause. But it does have limitations.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to be sure that you are not a public danger because of a mental disability, and if that applies to you, they want to see that you’re treating the condition. Additionally, they also want to know that you are not willfully involved in the drug, prostitution, or human trafficking industries. Once you obtain an SJI, there will be certain things you cannot do.
You will not be able to:
- Petition for a green card for your parents
- Petition for a green card for siblings until you are a full U.S. citizen
If all of these conditions are met, the proper ones avoided, then our New Jersey immigration attorneys can help you file and afford you the ability to live and work in the United States independently.
Call (800) 909-8129 today to speak with one of our attorneys about your eligibility.
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Common Questions
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Q:How is a personal injury claim different from a personal injury lawsuit?
A:Many victims are unsure what legal actions they should take to pursue fair compensation for their injuries. If you wish to hold the person responsible for your injuries liable, it is important to know the differences between a claim and a lawsuit.
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Q:What is negligence?
A:Negligence is one of the key aspects of any personal injury case. Negligence occurs when a person or party does not act with the proper amount of care and caution that a reasonable person would use to prevent harm or injury to another individual, or when the person or party does something harmful that a careful and reasonable person would not have done in a similar situation.
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Q:How important is negligence to my case?
A:Negligence is perhaps the most integral factor in an injury claim or lawsuit, and in order to fight for justice against the liable party (also called the defendant), you must first be able to prove their negligence and that it is the direct cause of your injuries.
