U-Visa for Victims of Crime

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You Were the Victim of a Crime in the United States. You May Have an Immigration Option Nobody Told You About



What Is A U-Visa?

Most people who qualify for a U-Visa do not know it exists.


If you were the victim of a crime in the United States -- domestic violence, assault, robbery, sexual abuse, human trafficking, or any number of other qualifying offenses -- and you reported it to the police, cooperated with law enforcement, or provided a statement, there is an immigration path designed specifically for people in your situation.


The U-Visa gives you legal status in the United States for up to four years. After three years, you can apply for a green card. Your immediate family members may qualify too.


Our office is based in Fort Worth. We work with clients across the country.



Who Qualifies For A U-Visa?



To qualify for a U-Visa, you must meet three requirements:


  1. You were the victim of a qualifying crime that occurred in the United States or violated U.S. law.
  2. You suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result.
  3. You were helpful, are being helpful, or are willing to be helpful to law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting that crime.
  4. You do not need to be in the country legally to apply. You do not need a conviction -- or even charges -- to have been filed against the person who harmed you. And you can still qualify even if you have a criminal record yourself, as long as you apply for the appropriate waiver.


Qualifying crimes include:

  • Domestic violence
  • Sexual assault or rape
  • Human trafficking
  • Felonious assault
  • Kidnapping
  • Robbery
  • Stalking
  • Witness tampering or obstruction of justice
  • Extortion or blackmail
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Involuntary servitude or forced labor
  • Fraud in foreign labor contracting
  • Other crimes where the elements are substantially similar to those above


If your crime is not on this list but involved violence or coercion, it may still qualify. An attorney can review your situation and tell you directly.


What Does "Cooperating With Law Enforcement" Actually Mean?

This is the question that stops most survivors. They assume they had to press charges, or that the case had to go to trial, or that the person who harmed them had to be convicted.


None of those things are required.


Cooperating with law enforcement means you reported the crime, gave a statement, provided information when asked, or were willing to help with the investigation. Law enforcement does not need to have arrested anyone. The case does not need to be open. Charges do not need to have been filed.


What is required is a signed certification -- called Form I-918 Supplement B -- from a law enforcement agency confirming that you were helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful. This can come from a police department, a prosecutor's office, a labor agency, or other certifying authorities.


Getting that certification is often the most challenging part of the process, and it is where having an attorney makes the biggest difference.


How the U-Visa Process Works


Step 1: Contact an immigration attorney before anything else.

The U-Visa process involves law enforcement, USCIS, and potentially a waiver application. The order in which you take steps matters. An attorney can make sure you do not do something that hurts your case before it starts.


Step 2: Obtain your law enforcement certification (Form I-918 Supplement B).

Your attorney will help you request this certification from the police department, prosecutor, or other agency involved in your case. This is the most important document in your application.


Step 3: Prepare and file your petition (Form I-918).

This includes your personal statement describing the crime, the harm you suffered, and how you cooperated. Supporting documentation is filed with it.


Step 4: Wait for USCIS processing.

U-Visa petitions are processed at the USCIS Vermont Service Center. There is a cap of 10,000 U-Visas per year. If the cap has been reached, approved petitioners are placed on a waiting list and receive deferred action -- meaning they are protected from deportation while they wait.


Step 5: Apply for your green card after three years.

Once you have held U-Visa status for three continuous years and have continued to cooperate with law enforcement, you can apply for lawful permanent residence.


Can My Family Members Get Status Too?


Yes, in many cases. Qualifying family members can receive derivative U-Visa status based on your petition.


If you are 21 or older, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may qualify.


If you are under 21, your parents and unmarried siblings under 18 may also qualify.


Family members with their own grounds of inadmissibility may need to file a waiver as part of the process. An attorney can review each family member's situation individually.


What About the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)?


If you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, you may have heard of VAWA -- the Violence Against Women Act. It is worth understanding how it differs from the U-Visa, because the right option depends on your specific situation.


The U-Visa applies to survivors of a wide range of crimes -- not just domestic violence -- and does not require the person who harmed you to have any particular immigration status. What it does require is law enforcement contact and a certification that you cooperated.


VAWA allows survivors to self-petition for immigration status on their own, without involving their abuser in the process. But it applies in a narrower set of circumstances: the person who abused you must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and the relationship must be a qualifying one -- spouse, parent, or child.


In plain terms:

  • If your abuser is a U.S. citizen or green card holder and you were in a qualifying relationship, you may be eligible for VAWA, the U-Visa, or both
  • If your abuser does not have U.S. status, the U-Visa is more likely the right path
  • If the crime was not domestic violence -- robbery, trafficking, assault, fraud -- the U-Visa is the relevant option
  • VAWA protections apply to people of any gender. The name is historical; the law covers men, women, and nonbinary survivors equally.


Attorney Connor can review your situation and tell you directly which form of relief applies -- or whether both are worth pursuing.


How Attorney Connor Approaches U-Visa Cases


Arzoo Connor has seen what happens when survivors try to navigate the U-Visa process without an attorney. The law enforcement certification gets denied. The personal statement is too vague. The waiver is filed wrong. The case stalls.


She works with survivors from the very beginning -- before they make contact with law enforcement, before anything is filed -- to make sure each step is done right.


That means helping you request and obtain your Supplement B certification, preparing a personal declaration that tells your story clearly and completely, identifying whether a waiver is needed and filing it, and tracking your case through USCIS.


This process takes time. U-Visa cases are not fast. But for clients who qualify, the outcome is significant: legal status, work authorization, and eventually a path to a green card.


Our office is based in Fort Worth. We work with survivors across the country. Consultations are $50 and same-day response is standard.


If you were the victim of a crime and you are not sure whether you qualify for a U-Visa, call us.


You do not need to have all the answers before you pick up the phone. That is what the consultation is for. We will review your situation, tell you honestly what your options are, and let you decide how to proceed.


Everything you share is confidential.


FAQ

  • Do I qualify for a U-Visa if I reported a crime to the police?

    Possibly. Reporting the crime and cooperating with law enforcement is a key requirement, but there are other factors. You must have suffered substantial physical or mental harm, the crime must be on the qualifying list, and a law enforcement agency must be willing to sign a certification form (Form I-918 Supplement B) confirming your cooperation. An immigration attorney can review your specific situation and tell you directly whether you are likely to qualify.

  • Does the criminal case have to result in a conviction for me to get a U-Visa?

    No. The person who harmed you does not need to have been arrested, charged, or convicted. You can qualify for a U-Visa even if the case was closed, the charges were dropped, or the prosecutor chose not to file. What matters is that you reported the crime and were helpful, or willing to be helpful, to law enforcement in their investigation. An immigration attorney can help you request the required certification from the relevant agency.

  • What crimes qualify for a U-Visa?

    Qualifying crimes include domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, human trafficking, kidnapping, felonious assault, robbery, stalking, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, extortion, blackmail, fraud in foreign labor contracting, involuntary servitude, and other crimes where the key elements involve violence or coercion. If your crime is not on this list but involves physical or mental harm and law enforcement contact, it may still qualify under a "substantially similar" standard. An attorney can review the specific offense.

  • Can I apply for a U-Visa if I am undocumented?

    Yes. You do not need to have legal immigration status to apply for a U-Visa. The U-Visa was designed specifically to protect undocumented survivors who might otherwise be afraid to report crimes because of fear of deportation. If you have grounds of inadmissibility, including being undocumented, you can apply for a waiver as part of the U-Visa petition process

  • How long does the U-Visa process take?

    The U-Visa process can take several years from application to approval. There is an annual cap of 10,000 U-Visas per fiscal year. When the cap is reached, approved petitioners are placed on a waiting list. During that wait, USCIS grants deferred action, which means you are protected from deportation and can apply for a work permit while you wait for your visa to become available. Once you receive your U-Visa, you must hold that status for three continuous years before applying for a green card.

  • Can my family members also get status through my U-Visa?

    Yes, in many cases. If you are 21 or older, your spouse and children under 21 may qualify for derivative U-Visa status. If you are under 21, your parents and siblings under 18 may also be included. Family members must meet their own admissibility requirements or file a waiver. An attorney can review each family member's eligibility individually.

  • What is Form I-918 Supplement B and why is it so important?

    Form I-918 Supplement B is a certification signed by a law enforcement agency -- typically a police department, prosecutor's office, or labor enforcement agency -- confirming that you were the victim of a qualifying crime and that you were helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful in their investigation or prosecution. Without this certification, a U-Visa petition cannot be approved. Obtaining this certification is often the most difficult and most important step in the process, and having an attorney assist with the request significantly increases the likelihood of success.

  • What is the difference between a U-Visa and VAWA?

    Both the U-Visa and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) offer immigration relief to survivors of certain crimes, but they work differently and apply in different situations. VAWA allows survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to self-petition for immigration status without their abuser's involvement -- but only when the abuser is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child. The U-Visa covers a much broader range of qualifying crimes and does not require the abuser to have any U.S. immigration status. What the U-Visa does require is law enforcement certification confirming the survivor cooperated with an investigation. Some survivors may be eligible for both. An attorney can review the specific circumstances and identify which option, or combination of options, gives the strongest path forward.