The U visa was created as part of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act, passed by Congress in 2000. This type of visa provides immigration protection to individuals who have been the victim of certain types of crimes and who have cooperated or intend to cooperate with authorities for prosecution purposes. A U visa gives temporary legal status to these victims as well as making them eligible to work in the U.S. for up to four years. It is a non-immigrant visa. 10,000 U visas are available annually in the U.S.
If you wish to obtain a U visa, we recommend that you enlist the services of the Los Angeles immigration lawyer at our firm, the Bolour/Carl Immigration Group. Our attorney is highly knowledgeable and experienced in all facets of U.S. immigration law and can help you file a petition and application and ensure that all necessary requirements are fulfilled.
U VISA ELIGIBILITY
In order to be eligible for a U visa, you must have experienced physical or mental abuse of a substantial order due to being a victim of the following crimes. You must have pertinent information concerning the crime and have helped or are willing to help in the investigation or prosecution of such a crime, which is illegal in the U.S. or which occurred in the U.S.
- Torture
- Trafficking
- Rape
- Incest
- Domestic violence
- Sexual assault or exploitation
- Abusive sexual contact
- Abduction
- Blackmail
- Extortion
- False imprisonment
- Felonious assault
- Female genital mutilation
- Hostage
- Involuntary servitude
- Kidnapping
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Obstruction of justice
- Peonage
- Perjury
- Prostitution
- Slave trade
- Unlawful criminal restraint
- Witness tampering
A law enforcement certification must be obtained in order to file a petition for a U visa. Such certification can be obtained from a law enforcement agency, judge, prosecutor, child protective service, or other authority.
For further information and legal help obtaining a U visa, contact the Los Angeles immigration lawyer at the firm today.
