Legal

Manavi organizes Legal Clinics twice a month in Jersey City and New Brunswick. These are aimed at providing free and confidential legal guidance and advice to low/no income South Asian women facing violence. In the Clinic, the woman can briefly consult with both a family and an immigration attorney to discuss her legal options and future steps regarding the unique set of issues faced by her.

Manavi can make arrangements for language interpretation and child-care through the duration of the Clinics. Women interested in attending a Legal Clinic can let Manavi staff know in advance if they might need the same.

Some of the commonly occurring family law issues that are discussed in Manavi's Legal Clinics are separation, spousal support through a separation, divorce, alimony, child custody, child support and visitation, restraining orders and criminal cases.

The consultation with immigration attorneys usually clarifies to women survivors the different ways in which they might be able to maintain a legal immigration status in the U.S. independently. At the Clinic, immigration attorneys help women understand the different Visa options that are open to them like F1, H1, H1B, T or U visas. Women facing violence often also have questions regarding the different stages in applying and processing for Permanent Residency.

A significant immigration relief that is available to immigrant women facing violence in the U.S. is self-petitioning for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This Act is frequently discussed in Manavi's Legal Clinics, as an effective option for some battered women.

Through Project Zamin, an on-going program at Manavi, advocates assist battered South Asian women seeking permanent residency in the U.S. The goal of this project is to educate and aid women who seek permanent residency by self-petitioning under VAWA or by applying for gender asylum. Please click here for more information on VAWA.

Manavi is constantly seeking to expand our pool of family and immigration attorneys and pro-bono network. Manavi often trains attorneys in cultural issues commonly faced by South Asian women survivors. Additionally attorneys often contact us about clients who might benefit from Manavi's services. If you are a family or immigration attorney who receives cases of South Asian women facing abuse, we would like to hear from you. Please do contact us at manavi@manavi.org

Another critical piece to Manavi's legal program is the provision of legal referrals. If you are a South Asian woman facing abuse and need to find an immigration or family attorney please feel free to contact Manavi.