Immigration Lawyer in Gainesville, Florida
5 Common Myths about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions
- The abuse must be physical. One requirement to qualify under VAWA is that the petitioner has been subjected to battery or extreme cruelty. Domestic violence may be physical, but verbal abuse or emotional abuse are also forms of domestic violence and depending on the specific circumstances, may amount to extreme cruelty.
- Only women qualify for VAWA. Men are also victims of domestic violence and if they meet the requirements for VAWA, they may qualify for a self-petition.
- There must be a police report. Although police reports will often demonstrate more than one of the requirements for VAWA such as residence with the abuser and battery or extreme cruelty, a police report is not a requirement to apply for a VAWA self-petition.
- Immigration will contact your abuser. VAWA contains serval confidentiality provisions making it unlawful for the government to contact your abuser or inform them you have filed a self-petition.
- You must be married to your abuser. You may still qualify for VAWA if your petition is filed within 2 years of your divorce from your abuser. Additionally, you may qualify for VAWA if you believed you were married to your abuser, but your marriage was invalid or unlawful.
Get started with our experienced and compassionate immigration team today. Call us at (904) 590-2689 or contact us online today.
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Every member of the team we dealt with was super welcoming and friendly and they took away all of the stress and uncertainty. Our application was approved way quicker than anticipated and with a minimum of stress.- John D.
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Professional team who will make sure you have everything to succeed, well organized, and always ready to answer any of your questions. Thank you so much for helping my dream to come true!- Tan L.
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The process was quick & easy. We worked with Elizabeth & she communicated very effectively in english & spanish. The green cards arrived much faster then expected, so we’re very happy!- Brandon C.
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What impressed me most about the staff was the attention to detail and their ability to explain legal issues in a way that we could easily understand. They were always available and made us feel like a priority.- Wara P.
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