US Names 6 Conditions Children Must Meet To Qualify for a Special Green Card
- The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services published the full conditions immigrant children must meet to qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile classification
- Applicants must satisfy six requirements, including age, marital status, US residency, and a valid juvenile court order from a US state court
- Some children in federal custody must also secure written consent from the Department of Health and Human Services before filing a petition
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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published the full set of conditions that immigrant children must satisfy to qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification, a legal route that can ultimately lead to a Green Card and permanent residency in the United States.
The requirements are grounded in the Immigration and Nationality Act and federal immigration regulations, and USCIS states that applicants must meet all six conditions without exception.
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What is SIJ classification?
SIJ classification is a form of immigration protection available to certain foreign-born children living in the United States who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Children who successfully obtain the classification become eligible to apply for a Green Card through the employment-based fourth preference immigrant visa category, granting them lawful permanent residence.
The 6 conditions children must meet
According to USCIS, a child must be under 21 years of age, currently living in the United States, and unmarried. The applicant must also hold a valid juvenile court order issued by a US state court, be eligible to receive USCIS consent for the classification, and, where applicable, obtain written consent from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The juvenile court order is a central requirement of the process. It must confirm that the child has been declared dependent on the court or placed in the custody of an individual or a state agency.
Crucially, the order must also establish that reunification with one or both parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a comparable basis recognised under state law.
Beyond the custody and reunification findings, the juvenile court must separately determine that returning the child to their home country or country of last habitual residence would not be in their best interest.
HHS consent and the path to a green card
The HHS consent requirement applies specifically to children who are in ORR custody, the federal body responsible for overseeing the care of unaccompanied migrant children held in facilities across the country.
Children who satisfy all six conditions may submit a petition to USCIS requesting formal recognition of their SIJ classification. Once that recognition is granted, they can proceed with their Green Card application.
USCIS has made the full eligibility guidance available on its official website for families, legal representatives, and advocates seeking to understand the process.
US approves green cards for skilled worker types
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had outlined who qualifies for a green card under the Employment-Based Second Preference category.
Eligibility under the EB-2 category falls into two broad groups: professionals holding advanced degrees and individuals demonstrating exceptional ability in their fields.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
