The Violence Against Women Act lets abused spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens or green card holders petition for themselves: no abuser signature, no abuser knowledge, strict confidentiality. VAWA protects people of every gender. Here’s the whole vawa self petition guide, in plain English.
Abuser involvement: no signature, no knowledge, and strict confidentiality under 8 USC 1367.
Fee for the I-360 itself: VAWA self-petitions carry no filing fee.
Recently divorced spouses can still file within two, where the divorce is connected to the abuse.
Four things make or break a VAWA case, and none of them require the abuser’s cooperation. Meeting these vawa eligibility requirements is what a vawa self petition turns on, and the vawa visa requirements are all satisfied without the abuser’s help.
Of a U.S. citizen or LPR. Recently divorced spouses can file within 2 years where the divorce is connected to the abuse.
The abused child of a citizen or LPR, or the abused parent of an adult U.S. citizen.
Physical abuse is not required: emotional, financial, and psychological abuse count.
plus, for spouses, a marriage entered in good faith.
The vawa application process runs the same five steps for every survivor.
Build the record safely: declarations, police or medical records where they exist, protective orders, counselor letters, and proof of the relationship and good-faith marriage.
File Form I-360, the I-360 immigration self-petition. The abuser is never notified, and USCIS confidentiality rules (8 USC 1367) protect the filing. .
An approved, or prima facie, petition supports deferred action and work authorization (Form I-765).
File Form I-485 to adjust: immediately for spouses and children of citizens, or when the priority date is current for LPR-based cases. VAWA applicants are excused from many status bars.
Interview and green card approval, fully independent of the abuser.
The VAWA self-petition, sometimes searched as i360 immigration relief. No fee for the form itself, and the abuser is never notified.
Work authorization, supported by an approved or prima facie petition.
Adjustment of status, the green card application, independent of the abuser.
The green card application, filed inside the U.S. with the underlying petition.
Removes conditions on a marriage-based green card after 2 years.
The abuser is never notified of the filing, and federal confidentiality rules (8 USC 1367) protect it. Talking to us is safe and confidential too.
For once, the answer is simple: Congress and USCIS made this path free at every government step. The self-petition, the work permit, the green card application, and even the waivers some cases need all carry no filing fee for VAWA self-petitioners. And because everything is filed with USCIS inside the U.S., the new $250 visa integrity fee for consular visas never enters the picture. The one real cost is the medical exam, paid to a private doctor rather than the government.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I-360 self-petition | $0 | No filing fee for VAWA self-petitioners |
| I-485 green card application | $0 | Normally $1,440; VAWA self-petitioners are exempt |
| I-765 work permit | $0 | Normally up to $520; exempt in VAWA cases |
| I-601 / I-601A waivers, if ever needed | $0 | Normally $1,050 and $795; exempt for VAWA self-petitioners |
| Medical exam (Form I-693) | Varies | Paid to a USCIS-approved civil surgeon; each clinic sets its own price |
Not from the government. Federal law forbids officials from releasing anything about your case, penalizes those who do, and bars decisions built solely on an abuser's accusations. Mail goes only to the safe address you choose. Nothing in the process requires your abuser to be contacted, served, or told anything at all.
Yes. A conversation with a VAWA visa lawyer creates no filing, no record, and no obligation. Some people prepare for months before they are ready, and the case moves at your pace. If a safety plan needs to come first, that comes first.
Your own detailed declaration is the heart of the case, and the law allows any credible evidence. Texts, photos, medical or counseling records, and letters from friends, family, clergy, or shelter staff who saw what happened all carry weight. Cases are approved without police involvement regularly.
Remarrying before you file ends a spouse self-petition, but remarriage after filing does not undo it. A two-year filing window applies after a divorce connected to the abuse, after the abuser's death, or after the abuser loses status because of a domestic violence incident. When a clock might be running, ask early.
No. A self-petition can be filed while proceedings are underway, and immigration court has its own VAWA-based cancellation of removal with different requirements. Which tool fits, and in what order, depends on your history, so get advice from a VAWA immigration lawyer before your next hearing.
Unmarried children under 21 can be included in your petition, protections exist when a child turns 21 while the case is pending, and children abroad can follow once it is approved. They do not need to have been harmed themselves to be included.
Every case is different. Tell us your story. The evaluation is free and confidential, and our vawa self petition team tells you exactly which path fits.
