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Legal Information: Federal
Laws current as of May 29, 2024 Can family members be included in my self-petition?
The only family members that could be included are your children and step-children. When you file a VAWA self-petition, you may be able to include your children and step-children as “derivatives.” Specifically, if the abuser is your spouse or parent, you may 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 your children as derivatives.
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