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An Alien In Your Home

Monster spouses are increasingly ruining the lives of Indian immigrant women

Visa And Violence

Conditional residency status Immigrant women who marry US citizens or permanent residents enjoy conditional residency for 24 months. They must file a joint application to get this condition lifted 90 days before the expiry of this period.

But abusers refuse to file a joint application. Domestic violence (DV) victims can self-petition, but must provide proof that the marriage was conducted in good faith.

The U visa

Open to all DV victims regardless of their spouses’ immigrant status

But they must provide proof of substantial physical abuse and get a judge or police officer to certify that they would provide information to prosecute the crime

The H4 visa

Those on H4 visa are disallowed from working legally in the US. Lack of independent finances prevent DV victims from walking out of abusive relationship.

But victims can secure the V visa.

The V Visa

It allows DV victims to work legally in the US.

But the process to obtain this visa is tedious.

Calls for Help

Name of Group         Location                        No. of cases
Sakhi                       New York metropolitan area         685
Maitri                       San Francisco Bay Area           2,215
Manavi                     New Jersey                                401
Daya                        Houston                                   2,451
(All figures for 2006)

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Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence Among South Asian Immigrants in the United States
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Published At:
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