Other Immigration Benefits

The purpose of the Special Immigrant Youth Program (Child Status Protection Act) SIJ is to collaborate and help those under 21 years of age who entered the United States, who have suffered violence or have been victims of abuse, neglect or carelessness for their parents, or that they cannot meet their parents again.

This law allows young minors who have entered the country without immigration status and who have been abandoned or abused to obtain permanent residence. Minors who achieve a residence (green card) through this program, may live and work legally and permanently, in the United States.

Consult with the immigration attorney.

Depending on the reason for inadmissibility and if the person meets other requirements, it is sometimes possible to request a waiver, and be successful. Some important considerations:

If the person requesting forgiveness is a direct relative of an American citizen, and is also inside or outside the United States and the main problem is that he entered undocumented, he has remained without official immigration status for more than 180 days or one year, you may be eligible for a pardon.

It is important to consult with a lawyer since it is one of the few and last instances that you have to obtain legal immigration status in the U.S.

Consult with the immigration attorney.

Through Section 245(i), some people may become permanent residents of the United States without the need to leave the country.

One of the biggest advantages of section 245(i) is that some illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. without authorization can obtain their legal and permanent residence without the need to leave the United States.

Who qualifies?

People who registered their family requests before April 30, 2001 and have lived in the U.S. since before December 20, 2000.

Consult with the immigration attorney.

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has the power to designate one or more foreign countries to the what is known as “Temporary Protected Status,” due to some conditions in those countries which prevent their citizens from returning to their own country.

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security may designate countries to the TPS due to the following characteristics:

• Conflict
• Natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.) or epidemics.
• Other extraordinary and temporary situations.

Consult with the immigration attorney.

Under the Federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), you may be eligible to become a permanent resident (green card holder) if you were the victim of aggression or extreme cruelty committed by a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident spouse or former spouse , a citizen or permanent resident, or a son or daughter a U.S. citizen.

Consult with the immigration attorney.

Refugees - This Humanitarian Program is a protection for people who qualify under the definition of refugee, who are outside their country and cannot or are not willing to return for fear of serious personal injury.

Asylum - This Humanitarian Program offers protection to people already in the US and they have suffered some kind of persecution and cannot return to their countries of origin because they fear persecution because of their 1) race, 2) religion, 3) nationality, 4) or because they are part of a certain social group or 5) political opinion. You can apply for Asylum in the United States even if you do not have immigration status. It is important to make the request before one year has passed since you entered the country, if not, the request could be made if you had an adequate reason for such delay.

Consult with the immigration attorney.