VAWA
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) was the first ever legislation to address violence against women and providing a pathway to legal status for battered immigrants. In addition to physically abused victims, VAWA is also available to spouses of US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents who have also suffered severe emotional or psychological abuse, financial abuse, threats of deportation and abandonment. The goal of the immigration protections for battered immigrants is to remove immigration laws as a barrier that keep battered immigrant women, men and even children locked in abusive relationships. VAWA also provides battered spouses and children who were experiencing domestic violence at home with protection against deportation.
Attorney Barbara Ann Williams and her team of legal professionals have successfully procured lawful permanent residency status to hundreds of victims of domestic violence at the hands of their US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident spouses both affirmatively as well as defensively in removal proceedings.
Qualifying for VAWA
Applicants must establish they were victims of abuse by a US Citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse.