For many green card cases, a child must be unmarried and under the age of 21 in order to obtain a green card. The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) is a U.S. law that was enacted in 2002 to address the issue of aging out for certain children of family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa petitions. Aging out occurs when a child reaches the age of 21 before the completion of the immigration process, potentially resulting in the loss of their eligibility for a green card as a derivative beneficiary.