අපරාධ වින්දිතයින් සඳහා U වීසා
ඔබ අපරාධයක වින්දිතයෙක්. පොලිසියට යාම නිසා ඔබව පිටුවහල් කරනවා කියලා ඔබ බයයි. U වීසාව නිර්මාණය කළේ නීතිය බලාත්මක කරන ආයතනවලට සහාය වන අපරාධ වින්දිතයින් සඳහායි. එය ක්රියා කරන ආකාරය සහ එයට අවශ්ය දේ අපි පැහැදිලි කරනවා. අපි නීති බලාත්මක කිරීමේ සහතිකය, පෙත්සම, waiver එක සහ දිගු බලා සිටීම හසුරුවනවා.
What You Should Know
You Are Protected
The U visa exists because Congress decided that protecting crime victims and helping law enforcement matters more than immigration status. You do not need to be documented to apply.
The Wait Is Long
The U visa has a 10,000 annual cap with over 300,000 pending applications. But once USCIS issues a bona fide determination, you get deferred action and a work permit while you wait.
Your Family Can Be Included
Your spouse, children, and in some cases parents and siblings can receive derivative U visa status with the same protections and benefits, including work authorization.
You Were the Victim. Not the Criminal.
You were the victim of a crime. You are afraid that going to the police means being deported. The U visa was created for crime victims who help law enforcement. Congress created it because when crime victims are too afraid to report what happened, criminals walk free and communities become less safe for everyone.
The U visa provides immigration status to non-U.S. citizens who have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of certain qualifying crimes and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of that crime. It does not matter how you entered the country. It does not matter whether you have documents. What matters is that you were hurt, you helped, and you deserve protection.
The U visa leads to a work permit, protection from deportation, and eventually a green card. It is not charity. It is the law recognizing that you did the right thing by cooperating with authorities, and that you should not be punished for it.
The Backlog Is Real
Congress caps the U visa at 10,000 per year. There are currently over 300,000 pending applications. The wait from filing to receiving U status can be 8 to 10 years or longer. But filing sooner means getting in line sooner, and a bona fide determination gives you protection and work authorization while you wait.
28 Qualifying Crimes
Congress defined a broad list of crimes that qualify for the U visa. If you were the victim of any of the following, or of a substantially similar crime under state or federal law, you may be eligible.
What You Need to Qualify
The U visa has four core requirements. You must meet all four, but an experienced attorney knows how to build the strongest possible case on each one.
Victim of a Qualifying Crime
You must have been a victim of one of the 28 qualifying crimes listed in the Immigration and Nationality Act. The crime must have occurred in the United States or violated U.S. law. Congress intentionally defined the list broadly to protect people who have been hurt.
Suffered Substantial Physical or Mental Abuse
USCIS considers the severity of the crime, the nature of the injury, and the impact on your life. You do not need hospitalization or permanent scars. Psychological trauma, fear, anxiety, and the disruption to your daily life all count. We help you document every part of what you went through.
Helpful to Law Enforcement
You must have been helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of the qualifying crime. This means cooperating with police, prosecutors, judges, or other authorities. Reporting the crime is often enough. Your attorney obtains the law enforcement certification that proves your cooperation.
Admissible or Eligible for a Waiver
If you have any grounds of inadmissibility, such as unlawful presence, a prior removal order, or certain criminal history, you can file Form I-192 to request a waiver. USCIS applies a more favorable standard for U visa applicants, weighing the benefit of your cooperation against the negative factors. Many people who would be denied in other contexts are approved here.
The Law Enforcement Certification
Form I-918, Supplement B is the document that proves you cooperated with law enforcement. It must be signed by an authorized official at a qualifying agency within the last six months. Getting this signed is often the biggest hurdle in a U visa case. Some agencies sign readily. Others resist or have no policy in place. We prepare the request package, identify the right official to approach, and follow up with the agency.
The I-192 Waiver of Inadmissibility
Most U visa applicants have some ground of inadmissibility. You may have entered without inspection, overstayed a visa, been previously removed, or have a criminal record. In other immigration contexts, any of these would be a serious problem. For U visa applicants, Congress created a more forgiving standard. Form I-192 allows you to request a waiver of almost any inadmissibility ground. USCIS weighs the seriousness of the negative factors against your cooperation with law enforcement and the harm you suffered. We prepare waiver applications that make the balance clear.
Protection for Your Family Too
The U visa does not just protect you. It protects the people you love. Congress recognized that crime victims often have family members who are also vulnerable, and that separating families only compounds the harm. Derivative family members receive their own U visa status, their own work authorization, and their own path to a green card.
If you are 21 or older, your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 can be included as derivative beneficiaries. If you are under 21, the protection extends further: your spouse, children, parents, and unmarried siblings under 18 can all be included. We prepare derivative petitions for every eligible family member as part of your case.
Spouse
Your husband or wife receives derivative U status with full work authorization and protection from removal.
Children
Your unmarried children under 21 are included as derivatives, regardless of their own immigration status.
Parents (if you are under 21)
If you are under 21, your parents can receive derivative status, protecting the entire family unit.
Siblings (if you are under 21)
Unmarried siblings under 18 can also be included when the principal applicant is under 21.
What Happens After You Hire Us
The U visa process is long. We handle every stage so you can focus on rebuilding your life while we fight for your status.
We Evaluate Your Case
You tell us what happened. We listen. Then we figure out whether the crime you experienced qualifies, whether you meet the eligibility requirements, and which law enforcement agency is the right one to approach for the certification. We give you a clear, honest picture of where you stand before you commit to anything.
Requesting the Law Enforcement Certification
This is the hardest part for most people. You need a qualifying law enforcement agency to sign Form I-918, Supplement B, confirming you were a victim and that you cooperated. We know which agencies sign and which ones resist. We prepare the request, present it to the right official, and follow up with the agency.
We File the Petition
We prepare and file Form I-918 along with the signed Supplement B, your personal declaration describing the crime, evidence of the abuse you suffered, and the Form I-192 waiver if you need one. Every document is organized so USCIS has no excuse to issue an unnecessary Request for Evidence.
Protection While You Wait
Once USCIS issues a bona fide determination, it may grant deferred action and a work permit. We file the Employment Authorization Document application immediately. If you are in removal proceedings, we use the pending U visa petition to seek a continuance or administrative closure of your case.
We File for Your Green Card
After three years in U nonimmigrant status, we file Form I-485 to adjust your status to lawful permanent resident. We prepare the evidence showing your continued cooperation with law enforcement and your ties to the United States. This is the final step in the U visa process.
From Victim to Permanent Resident
The U visa is not just temporary protection. It is the beginning of a permanent life in the United States. After three years in U nonimmigrant status, you become eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence by filing Form I-485. You must show that you have not unreasonably refused to assist law enforcement and that your continued presence in the U.S. is justified on humanitarian grounds, for family unity, or in the public interest.
Once you receive your green card, you are a lawful permanent resident. You can live and work anywhere in the United States without restriction. After five years as a permanent resident, you become eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization. The U visa is a long road, and each stage has its own requirements.
The Timeline
Bona Fide Determination
USCIS reviews your petition and grants deferred action and work authorization.
U Visa Number Available
Due to the annual cap and massive backlog, the wait for a visa number is currently 8 to 10 years or longer.
Green Card Eligible
After three years in U status, file Form I-485 for lawful permanent residence.
Citizenship Eligible
Five years after receiving your green card, you can apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
Related Services
You Helped the Police. Now Let Us Help You.
You did the brave thing. You cooperated with law enforcement even though you were afraid of what it might mean for your immigration status. The law may offer you protection. Call us and we will explain how the U visa works and what it requires.