Why was she seeking a VAWA self-petition versus other routes to citizenship?
Sean: In a typical petition for immigration status submitted by a citizen and immigrant couple, there is a waiting period followed by a series of interviews that both the husband and wife must attend in order for the noncitizen to obtain permanent lawful status in this country. With the VAWA self-petition, abuse victims don’t have to rely on the abuser – the US citizen – to attend the interview or otherwise sponsor them. In fact, the parameters of the self-petition specify that nothing in it can be shared with the abuser. Ideally, the victim should be able to go through the process start-to-finish without the abuser ever knowing. Melissa: Also, U visas and T visas have different eligibility requirements. U visas are designed for victims of crime who aid the police or prosecutor in bringing a case against the perpetrators of the crime. T visas are for trafficking victims. The VAWA self-petition, on the other hand, is available to an abuse victim who is married to a U.S. citizen or lawfu
