VAWA

VAWA is the acronym for the Violence Against Women Act, which was passed by Congress in 1994. Among other things, VAWA created special provisions in United States immigration law to protect battered noncitizens. These provisions were updated in 2000 by the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act.

The special provisions that VAWA created under United States immigration law may help you obtain Lawful Permanent Residence. Under VAWA, battered non-citizens who are married to, or recently divorced from US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents can, in certain circumstances, self-petition (without the help or knowledge of their abusive spouse) to obtain Lawful Permanent Residence or to remove the condition on their 2-year Conditional Permanent Residence cards. If you have never been married to your abuser, or if your abuser is not a US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident, then you most likely do not qualify to self-petition for Lawful Permanent Residence under VAWA.