SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS (SIJS)

Immigration relief for minors.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) is a form of immigration relief for undocumented minors (age 21 or under) living in the United States. It is a path to citizenship for the child; however the child cannot acquire green cards or other immigration relief for their parents or guardians. There are certain requirements for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status in Maryland, namely:

  • The child is under 21 years of age

  • The child is unmarried

  • The child has been abandoned, abused, or neglected by at least one parent and cannot be reunified with that parent

  • It is not in the child’s best interest to be returned to their country of last residence, citizenship, or that of the child’s parents

  • The child has been declared dependent on a juvenile court

 There are two steps to the SIJS process: (1) obtain a predicate order from state court and (2) obtain an approved petition from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Markham Law Firm can help you obtain a predicate order from state court, but we cannot help you with proceedings related to the USCIS. We recommend that you first consult with an immigration attorney before employing our services.

To obtain a predicate order, you will file for either custody (generally parents) or guardianship (third parties) and for SIJS findings in state court. The Court will then schedule a hearing to establish the facts required as outlined above. After this hearing, the Court will grant guardianship or custody and enter an Order making the required findings. This predicate order can then be submitted to the USCIS.

To schedule a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys, call our office at 240-396-4373 or click here to contact our office.