U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is providing an email address for juvenile courts and child welfare professionals to submit general questions about the Special Immigrant Juvenile program. You can also submit requests for a USCIS representative to talk to your organization about the program. The address is: USCIS-IGAOutreach@uscis.dhs.gov.
Note: Please do not submit case-specific inquiries to this email address. For inquiries about specific cases, call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. The TTY number (for deaf or hard of hearing) is 1-800-767-1833.
Background
Some foreign-born children present in the United States may qualify for humanitarian immigration protection because they have been abused, abandoned or neglected by a parent. Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status is a classification that may allow a vulnerable child to immediately apply for status as a lawful permanent resident.
SIJ classification is unique in that specific state court findings are required in order for USCIS to determine eligibility. The juvenile court makes factual findings (based on state law) concerning the care, custody and best interests of the child.
Additional Resources
The following information and resources about SIJ status are available at www.uscis.gov:
- Immigration Relief for Abused Children: Information for Juvenile Court Judges, Child Welfare Workers, and Others Working with Abused Children
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Information for Child Welfare Workers
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Information for Juvenile Courts