Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Petitions

This law, passed in 1994 and updated in 2000 by the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act, allows noncitizens who have been battered to obtain lawful permanent residence in certain circumstances. VAWA allows the abused spouse to bypass the normal petition process which is initiated by the citizen/resident spouse and allows the abused spouse to “self-petition” without the knowledge of the abusive spouse. Persons who do not qualify for residence under VAWA may nevertheless qualify for a U-visa, which allows crime victims, including victims of domestic abuse, to obtain legal status.