legal-terms
Step child if I am no longer married to the child&#39;s parent. How can it be?
<p>I'm reading instructions to U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOQlh2d2EbQ&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOQlh2d2EbQ&amp;feature=youtu.be</a>, <a href="http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2016-Instructions-Translations/DV_2016_Instructions_English.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2016-Instructions-Translations/DV_2016_Instructions_English.pdf</a>).</p>

<p>It states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Be sure to include:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>all living natural children;</li>
  <li>all living children legally adopted by you; </li>
  <li>and, all living step-children who are unmarried and under the age of 21 on the date of your electronic entry, even if you are no longer legally married to the child’s parent, and even if the child does not currently reside with you and/or will not immigrate with you.</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>I can't get last list item: how can I have a step-child if I'm no longer legally married to that child’s parent?</p>

<p>It seems fairly clear they mean for you to include persons you would consider <em>former</em> stepchildren but which they consider to be simply <em>stepchildren</em>. If you were married to a parent of children who weren't your offspring, they are calling these children your stepchildren and you should report them. Any further analysis is probably off-topic here but can be brought up on the English Language and Usage StackExchange.</p>
