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TEACHING, INTERPRETING,
& CHANGING LAW SINCE 1979
COMMUNITY
EXPLAINER
ILRC.ORG PG. 2
are the parent of a child who was abused by their U.S. Citizen or Lawful
Permanent Resident parent
are a parent of a U.S. Citizen son or daughter
AND you were abused by them.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO SHOW TO APPLY FOR VAWA?
There are several requirements that need to be met and proven when applying for
VAWA. You will need to demonstrate that you:
1. are the spouse or child of a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident or the
parent of a U.S. Citizen adult son or daughter,
Note: If the family member who abused you loses status, you might still be able to apply so
long as you seek VAWA within two years of the person losing status.
2. were abused by the U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident family member,
Note: Immigration states the person suffered from “battery or extreme cruelty”—while this
can include a lot of different things, some examples of this include:
a. Threatening to beat or terrorize you
b. Emotionally abusing you, such as insulting you at home or in public
c. Forcing you to engage in sexual activities
d. Threatening to deport you or turn you over to immigration authorities
e. Controlling where you go, what you can do, and who you can see
3. lived with the abuser at some time,
Note: There is no requirement to still live with them in order to apply or to show that you
lived with them for a certain amount of time.
4. with some exceptions, are currently living in the United States,