Who Is Eligible to File USCIS Form I-360?

Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, is issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It is a visa petition -- meaning that it starts off the process of applying for a green card. Use of Form I-360 is limited to specific categories of immigrants, as described below.

I-360 Petition for Amerasian Immigrants

The I-360 petition can be used by people who were born between December 31, 1950 and October 22, 1982 in Laos, Vietnam, Korea, Kampuchea, or Thailand, to a U.S. citizen father. (This category is rarely used now.) An Amerasian must provide evidence that the alien was fathered by a U.S. citizen and was born in one of the designated countries during the eligible time frame. The immigrant will also need to have a U.S. citizen or permanent resident  sponsor.

I-360 Petition for Widows and Widowers

Widows and widowers of U.S. citizens may use Form I-360 to petition for a green card, on condition that they were not legally separated from the citizen at the time of his or her death, have not remarried, and that they file the petition within two years of the citizen's death. Note that if the U.S. citizen already filed a Form I-130 visa petition for the immigrant, filing an I-360 is not necessary -- the I-130 automatically converts. 

I-360 Petition for Battered Spouses/Children

An immigrant who has been a victim of violence or extreme cruelty at the hands of his or (more often) her U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent may petition for a green card using Form I-360. The applicant will also need to provide a great deal of documentary proof, in particular evidence of the U.S. citizen or permanent resident's status, marriage or birth certificates proving the marriage or parental relationship, evidence that the marriage was bona fide (the real thing, not a sham to get a green card), proof of the abuse, proof of the applicant's good moral character, and proof of the hardship the applicant would face if denied the green card.

I-360 Petition for Special Immigrants

So-called "Special Immigrants," eligible under category EB-4 of employment-based green cards, also use Form I-360 to petition for a green card. Despite being placed unde the "employment" category, not all of these green cards have a connection to U.S. employment. For example, special immigrant juveniles are covered by this category. For a complete rundown on who qualifies as a special immigrant, see "Who Is Eligible for a U.S. Green Card as a Special Immigrant."