(a) At any time during the pendency of a petition to terminate parental rights under any provision of sections 45a-715 to 45a-717, inclusive, or to approve an adoption under section 45a-727, a party may file a petition requesting the Probate Court to make findings under this section to be used in connection with a petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for designation of the minor child as having special immigrant juvenile status under 8 USC 1101(a)(27)(J). The Probate Court shall cause notice of the hearing on the petition to be given by first class mail to each person listed in subsection (b) of section 45a-716, and such hearing may be held at the same time as the hearing on the underlying petition to terminate parental rights or approve an adoption. If the court grants the petition to terminate parental rights or approve the adoption, the court shall make written findings on the following: (1) The age of the minor child; (2) the marital status of the minor child; (3) whether the minor child is dependent upon the court; (4) whether reunification of the minor child with one or both of the minor child's parents is not viable due to any of the grounds set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of section 45a-717; and (5) whether it is not in the best interests of the minor child to be returned to the minor child's or parent's country of nationality or last habitual residence.

(b) If the court has previously granted a petition to terminate parental rights under section 45a-717 or to approve an adoption under section 45a-727, a statutory parent, guardian, adoptive parent or attorney for the minor child may file a petition requesting that the court make findings under this section to be used in connection with a petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for designation of the minor child as having special immigrant juvenile status under 8 USC 1101(a)(27)(J). The court shall order notice of the hearing on the petition to be given by first class mail to the statutory parent, each guardian, adoptive parent and attorney for the minor child, to the minor child if the minor child is twelve years of age or older and to other persons as the court determines. The court shall make written findings in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

(P.A. 14-104, S. 9; P.A. 15-14, S. 12.)

History: P.A. 15-14 made a technical change in Subsec. (b).