U.S. adopts rules easing path to green cards for abused, neglected minors

FILE PHOTO: Information packs are distributed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services following a citizenship ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., July 18, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

(Reuters) - U.S. immigration authorities released new policies on Monday that will make it easier for immigrant minors who are victims of parental abuse and neglect to qualify for green cards, finalizing changes first proposed more than a decade ago.

The rules from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) expand the pool of individuals who are eligible for "special immigrant juvenile" (SIJ) status and clarify the types of evidence that must be submitted to support an application.