The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was a groundbreaking move in 1994 to address and mitigate the deeply rooted issues of domestic and sexual violence in the U.S. While physical violence often stands out as the most visible form of abuse, VAWA’s acknowledgment of emotional abuse represents a crucial step towards understanding the multifaceted nature […]
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How can the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) help an abused spouse obtain lawful permanent residence (green card)?
Under VAWA, noncitizen victims of domestic violence may “self-petition” for U.S. residence without the cooperation of an abusive spouse. Victims may also self-petition if they are divorced as long as the marriage to the abusive spouse was terminated within two years of filing the petition. An approved VAWA self-petition provides the applicant with work authorization, […]
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