Certain children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected and are unable to be reunited with a parent may be able to adjust status as a Special Immigrant Juvenile.

To be eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS):

• The child must be under 21 years old on the filing date;
• The child must have a deprivation order issued by a juvenile court in effect on the filing date;
• In Georgia, the child must receive an order of deprivation prior to their 18th birthday in order to be eligible.
• The child cannot be married, both at the time of filing and the time of a decision; and
• The child must be inside the United States at the time of filing.

SIJS is available for minors in removal proceedings, as well as for those who have never had contact with U.S. immigration officials. Once granted SIJS, the applicant can never apply for immigration benefits for his/her biological family. Once the SIJS self-petitioning status is granted, the minor is eligible to seek Adjustment of Status.

The Marietta immigration lawyers Hope Immigration have successfully helped minors receive orders of deprivation from a variety of juvenile courts throughout Georgia. Call us at (678) 713-4255 for a consultation.