Carmen spent years in an abusive marriage to a U.S. citizen who controlled every aspect of her life, including her immigration status. When she finally found the courage to leave, she discovered she could self-petition under VAWA without his knowledge or cooperation.
Our team met Carmen at a local shelter where she was staying with her young daughter. She was terrified her husband would find out about the petition and retaliate. We assured her the VAWA process is confidential and began building her case immediately.
We gathered extensive evidence of the abuse including police reports, medical records, photos of injuries, statements from witnesses, and a detailed personal affidavit from Carmen. We also obtained an expert psychological evaluation documenting the trauma she experienced.
Throughout the process, we maintained strict confidentiality and kept Carmen updated on all developments. USCIS approved her VAWA self-petition in 18 months, and we immediately filed her green card application.
Carmen received her green card and now lives safely with her daughter. She's completed job training and works as a paralegal, using her experience to help other survivors understand their rights.