Abused / Battered Spouse / Children (VAWA)

Abused/ Battered Spouse / Children (VAWA): Self-Petitions by Battered or Abused Spouses and Children (VAWA)

Spouses and children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents can file immigrant visa petitions for themselves if they can show that their spouse or parent “battered” them or subjected them to “extreme cruelty”, that they (petitioners) are of good moral character, and that they would suffer extreme hardship if they were forced to leave the United States. The abuse may be physical, verbal, or psychological.