VAWA I-360 | Religious Worker

VAWA I-360, Petition for Religous Workers, is designed for foreign nationals wishing to begin the green card (lawful permanent residence) application process within one of the below “special immigrant visa” categories.

Qualifications

You properly file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
You are physically present in the United States at the time you file your Form I-485
You are eligible to receive an immigrant visa
An immigrant visa is immediately available to you at the time you file your Form I-485 and when USCIS makes a final decision on your application
None of the bars to adjustment of status apply (depending on how you entered the United States or if you committed a particular act or violation of immigration law, you may be barred from adjusting status. However, VAWA self-petitioners and beneficiaries are exempt from all of these bars to adjustment)
You are admissible to the United States for lawful permanent residence or eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility or other form of relief
You merit the favorable exercise of USCIS' discretion
A special immigrant. A special immigrant is one of the following:
Religious worker
Panama Canal company employee, Canal Zone government employee, or U.S. government in the Canal Zone employee
Physician licensed and practicing medicine in a U.S. state as of Jan. 9, 1978
International organization or NATO-6 employee or family member
Juvenile who needs the protection of a juvenile court because they have been abused, neglected or abandoned by a parent
U.S. armed forces member
Afghan or Iraqi national who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government as a translator
Iraqi national who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq
An Afghan national who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government or the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan
Broadcasters for the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) or for a USAGM grantee

What You'll Need

A valid determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) establishing the organization is a tax exempt or establishing that the group is tax-exempt if the religious organization is covered under a group tax exemption
A Prospective Employer Attestation (in Part 9 of Form I-360) and a certification completed, signed, and dated by an authorized official of the prospective employer of the beneficiary seeking religious worker status
For a bona fide organization affiliated with the religious denomination, if the organization was granted tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) of 1986 section 501(c)(3) (or a subsequent amendment or equivalent sections of prior enactments of the IRC) as something other than a religious organization, include the following:
A valid determination letter from the IRS establishing the organization is a tax-exempt organization
Documentation that establishes the religious nature and purpose of the organization
Organizational literature describing the religious purpose and nature of the activities of the organization
A Religious Denomination Certification (in Part 9 of Form I-360) completed, signed, and dated by the religious organization certifying the petitioning organization is affiliated with the religious denomination

Questions? Contact us.

Whatever your immigration issue may be, we are here to help. Our team of attorneys and staff work hard to help you reach your goals.

FAQs

Is there a fee to file the VAWA I-360?

Yes, there is an $435 filing fee for the VAWA I-360. However, you are exempt from paying the fee if you are:

An Amerasian
A self-petitioning abused spouse or child of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident under VAWA
A self-petitioning abused parent of a U.S. citizen under VAWA
A Special Immigrant Juveniles
An Iraqi national who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq
An Afghan national who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan

How can I file my VAWA I-360 form?

You can file your form online or by mail. Filing online allows you to:

Pay your filing fee online
Check the status of your case
Receive notifications and case updates
View personalized case completion date estimates
Respond to requests for evidence
Manage your contact information, including updating your address

You can create an account to file online. You can also mail your form to your region’s designated USCIS office.

Of course, you can choose to manage your case independently. However, working with immigration experts can help you navigate the process and provide guidance throughout.

Do I need legal representation to file?

You may be represented, at no expense to the U.S. government, by an attorney or other duly authorized representative. Your representative must submit Form G-28, Notice of Entry or Appearance as Attorney or Representative. Your representative may also submit Form G-28 at the time of your interview.

Why should I work with ImmigrationUSA?

Immigration issues can be quite complicated. Combine that with the current rate of change in U.S. policies, it can be hard to keep up. Our team puts their experience to work for you and your particular situation. We work hard to stay on top of policy changes and are prepared for changes down the line. We offer patented online software, MyEsq, that streamlines the filing process and makes our knowledgeable team of lawyers just a click away.

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