Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Practice manual
Mar 27, 2026
VAWA: Recent Significant Updates and Practice Tips
In December 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitioners. According to USCIS, the updated policy guidance clarifies policies and requirements for those seeking protection as VAWA self-petitioners. Several of the revisions and clarifications implemented through these updates narrow how someone can demonstrate VAWA eligibility, expand USCIS’s officers’ discretion, and subjec