Legal Information: Federal
Can family members be included in my self-petition?
When you file a VAWA self-petition, you may be able to include some of your close relatives as “derivatives.” If the abuser is your spouse, you may be able to include your children who are under 21 and unmarried at the time of filing your petition. If the abuser is your parent, you may be able to include your children who are under 21 and unmarried at the time of filing your petition. If the abuser is your adult child, you cannot include other relatives as derivatives.
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