Instructions For Form I-817 - Application For Family Unity Benefits (Page 8 of 14) in pdf

This evidence can vary, depending on the circumstances of your relationship.

(1) If your mother is the legalized alien, submit a copy of the front and back of your birth certificate showing

your mother’s name.

(2) If you were born in wedlock and the legalized alien is your natural father, submit a copy of the front and

back of your birth certificate showing your father’s name, your parents’ marriage certificate, and proof of

termination of any of their prior marriages. If your father’s name is not on the birth certificate, please provide

other proof of paternity, such as a court order of acknowledgment/paternity.

(3) If you are the legitimated child of a legalized alien father, submit a copy of the front and back of your birth

certificate and evidence of your legitimation. Legitimation is established by the marriage certificate of your

natural parents or by documents of legitimation issued by civil authorities. The legitimation must have

occurred while you were unmarried and prior to your 18th birthday. You must also submit evidence of any

legal termination of your parents’ prior marriages, if your legitimation resulted from your natural parents’

marriage to each other.

(4) If you were born out of wedlock and the legalized alien is your natural father, submit a copy of the front and

back of your birth certificate showing your father’s name. You must provide evidence showing that a valid

parent-child relationship exists.

Such evidence may include, but is not limited to:

(a) Money order receipts or canceled checks showing your father’s financial support;

(b) Your father’s income tax returns;

(d) Your school records;

(e) Your father’s work documents showing you as a beneficiary; or

(f) Correspondence and/or notarized affidavits from witnesses who are knowledgeable about the relationship.

(5) If the legalized alien is your stepparent, whether or not you were born in wedlock, you must provide

evidence showing that you had not reached 18 years of age at the time of the marriage creating your status

as a stepchild. Submit a copy of the front and back of your birth certificate showing the name of your

natural parent to whom your stepparent is married. You must also provide a copy of the front and back of

the marriage certificate that created the stepparent-stepchild relationship and evidence of termination of any

previous marriages of your natural parent and stepparent.

(6) If you are the adopted child of a legalized alien parent, submit a certified copy of the front and back of your

adoption decree showing that you were adopted while under 16 years of age; a copy of the front and back

of the legal custody decree (including any official stamps or seals on the document) if your custody was

obtained before adoption; and a statement showing the dates and places where you and your adoptive parents

have lived together.

NOTE: If you or your parent had a name change, you must submit the document authorizing the name change.

2. Requesting Initial Family Unity Benefits Under Section 1504 of Public Law 106-554, LIFE Act Amendments

Copies of following documents are evidence that the required relationship exists and that you may be eligible to file

an initial application:

A. If the alien eligible for adjustment under the LIFE Act is your spouse, submit a copy of the front and back of a

registered marriage certificate. If you or your spouse were married previously, submit a copy of a final divorce

decree or death certificate.

B. If the alien eligible for adjustment under the LIFE Act is your parent, provide evidence of a valid parent-child

relationship. This evidence can vary depending on the circumstances of your relationship:

(1) If your mother is the alien eligible for adjustment under the LIFE Act, submit a copy of the front and back of

your birth certificate showing your mother’s name.

Form I-817 Instructions 12/23/16 N

Page 8 of 14

Instructions For Form I-817 - Application For Family Unity Benefits Page 8

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