Are there any special rules for a child to be considered a derivative spouse on a family petition?

Yes, a child must meet certain criteria in Washington in order to be considered a derivative spouse on a family petition. Generally speaking, a child must be unmarried, under 21 years of age, and the son or daughter of a petitioner who has filed a family-based petition. In addition, the petitioner and the child must have a legal parent-child relationship. Specifically, this relationship can be established through: 1) genetic testing; 2) a valid adoption decree; 3) a state or foreign court order establishing the parent-child relationship; 4) other proof that is acceptable to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); or 5) the presumption of paternity or maternity under the law. Under Washington law, children of a petitioner may also be legally adopted by the petitioner and their original parent’s marriage must have occurred before the child turned 16 in order to make him or her a derivative spouse of the petitioner. In any event, the child must show that they are the child of the petitioner in order to be considered a derivative spouse. Finally, it is also important to note that the child must remain unmarried and under 21 years of age throughout the entire process in order to be considered a derivative spouse of their parent’s petition. If any of the above criteria are not met, the child will not be eligible to receive the benefits of being a derivative spouse.

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Existen reglas especiales para que un niño sea considerado como un cónyuge derivado en una petición familiar. Esto significa que el niño debe reunir los requisitos establecidos por la ley de inmigración de Washington. De acuerdo con la ley federal, el niño debe ser soltero, tener menos de 21 años, y ser considerado en idioma legal como el hijo biológico o adoptivo de uno de los titulares de la petición. El niño también debe haber entrado al país con un permiso de inmigrante legalmente válido, o haberse convertido legalmente a este status antes de cumplir los 21 años. Además, el niño debe iniciar los trámites de inmigración dentro de un año de la fecha de aprobación de la petición familiar. En general, el niño beneficiará de ser considerado como un cónyuge derivado de una petición familiar, ya que esto le permitirá recibir un permiso de residencia y también se beneficiará de la caducidad de la petición. Si el niño no cumple con los requisitos indicados, el solicitante principal deberá proporcionar pruebas adecuadas de que el niño cumple los requisitos legales para ser considerado como parte de la petición.

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