- Profile
- Young people under 21
- Category
- SIJ, I-360
- Preparation time
- 4–6 months
- Result
- I-360 petitions approved
Key facts
These are real examples of our clients' approved I-360 petitions for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status, prepared together with our partner attorneys. In these cases the fastest decision came in about 4 months, the longest in about 6.
What SIJ status is
Special Immigrant Juvenile status is a path to a green card for unmarried people under 21 who are in the U.S. It rests on a state court order (in New York, usually Family Court) finding that reunification with one or both parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, abandonment or a similar basis, and that returning to the home country is not in the child's best interest.
After the court order, Form I-360 is filed with USCIS. Approval opens the way to a green card in the EB-4 category.
Timelines in our client cases
| Example | Receipt to approval |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 months (109 days) |
| 2 | 4 months (126 days) |
| 3 | 6 months (190 days) |
| 4 | 6 months (191 days) |
The median was about 5 months. By statute USCIS should decide SIJ petitions within 180 days; our cases came close to that benchmark.
Answer a few questions and a specialist will review your case.
What to plan for
- Age. Every step depends on being under 21, and the court stage takes time. Start early.
- Court first, then USCIS. The I-360 cannot be filed without a state court order with the required findings. Attorneys handle that part.
- The green card queue. The I-485 is filed when an EB-4 visa is available for your country, which can take longer for some countries.
- Rules change. Deferred action and work authorization for SIJ beneficiaries have been revised in recent years. We cover the current rules in a consultation.
Result: I-360 approvals
Names, case numbers, dates, addresses and representative details are redacted.
How M&M helps
- An initial assessment of age, family history and timing.
- Working with an attorney — partner attorneys handle the court stage; our team prepares the USCIS filing.
- The path to a green card — support with the I-485 once a visa is available.
Published with our clients' consent; personal data redacted. Every case is individual; approval is not guaranteed. M&M is a document preparation company, not a law firm; legal matters are handled by licensed partner attorneys.
FAQ
Unmarried people under 21 in the U.S. for whom a state court has found that reunification with one or both parents is not viable.
