U-Visa Applications

The application is submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to obtain non-immigrant status lasting up to four years. It is specifically for non-U.S. citizens who have been victims of a serious crime while in the United States. An applicant must have suffered substantial harm or abuse from acts such as assault, domestic violence, rape, sexual exploitation, prostitution, conspiracy, witness tampering, kidnapping, incest, human trafficking, involuntary servitude, manslaughter, murder and other serious crimes. The applicant must be willing to work with authorities to bring the criminal to justice. The visa permits applicants to also petition for their spouses, children, brothers and sisters under age 18, parents, stepparents and adoptive parents under the U-2 and U-3 non-immigrant visa category. Once the visa is approved a work permit will be issued. USCIS approves up to 10,000 U-visa applications annually.