Guide to Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification
This guide helps with understanding:
Understanding Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification
SIJ classification allows undocumented immigrant children or youth who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned to stay in the U.S. and apply for lawful permanent residency and authorization to work (a green card).
⚠️ SIJ classification doesn't give you immigration status.
You may qualify for SIJ classification if:
- You're in the U.S.
- You're under 21 years old
- You're not married
- A state court has determined that:
- You're a dependent child of the court or places you in the custody of a person or agency
- You can't reunite with at least one parent due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment
- It's not in your best interest to return to your home country
If approved, SIJ classification lets you:
- Apply for a green card (lawful permanent residence)
- Apply for work authorization
⚠️ If you get a green card through SIJ classification, you can't help your parents get any immigration benefits—even if they were not the ones who harmed or abandoned you. This also applies if you later become a U.S. citizen.
How to apply for SIJ classification
To apply for SIJ classification with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you first need an SIJ order from a state court.
Get a state court SIJ order
A state court (like a California superior court) must:
- Declare you a dependent child of the court or place you in the custody of a guardian or agency
- Decide you can't reunite with at least one parent because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment
- Determine that it is not in your best interest to return to your home country
To apply for federal SIJ classification, a state court must make a decision that protects you from abuse, neglect, or abandonment by a parent. You must ask a state court to:
- Make a new decision in a court case about your safety and custody, or
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Write down a decision the court already made on an SIJ order (a special form for your immigration case).
If you already have a court case open, you or a trusted adult can ask for the SIJ order in that case. If you don’t have a case, you may need to start one. A lawyer can help you.
Immigration law is federal, but federal agencies don’t handle child custody or abuse cases. These are handled by state courts and follow state law.
To qualify for SIJ classification, you must show that you were abused, neglected, or abandoned. To do that, you need a state court order—called an SIJ order.
This order is the proof you’ll send with your SIJ application to the federal agency.
Apply for SIJ classification with USCIS
If the state court gives you an SIJ order, you can apply for SIJ classification with USCIS. Learn more about the application process from USCIS.
Where to get help
- Need legal help? Visit our Getting Legal Help page.
- Other helpful resources:
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Information about common immigration options for youth
- California Department of Social Services – Resources for immigrant families
Key takeaways
- SIJ classification helps undocumented youth who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned stay in the U.S. and apply for a green card.
- To apply, you need a state court order confirming you can't reunite with at least one parent and that returning to your home country is not in your best interest.
- SIJ classification does not give immigration benefits to your parents, even if you later become a U.S. citizen.
- Legal help is available! A lawyer or court self-help center can guide you through the process.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification