U Visas for Crime Victims in the United States

The U Visa is an application for a valid immigration status available to crime victims who have helped law enforcement investigate or prosecute a crime committed in the United States and who have suffered physical or mental abuse as a result of the crime. Not all crimes qualify for the U Visa – examples of crimes that U Visa clients MJB Immigration have suffered from include domestic violence, felonious assault, extortion, rape, sexual assault, and murder.

In order to apply for the U Visa, one must first be certified as a crime victim who was helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the crime by a law enforcement official – generally, this can be a police officer, prosecutor or judge. If certified, one has six months to file their application for a U Visa.

Applying for a U Visa is a long process. Only 10,000 U Visas are available to distribute each year. Because of this limit, there is a substantial waiting period to receive a decision on an application for a U Visa. It can take as long as 4-5 years to receive a decision on your application.

If a U Visa is approved, the applicant is granted U Nonimmigrant Status for four years. After one’s third year in U Nonimmigrant Status, one can apply for Lawful Permanent Residency. If you have suffered a crime in the United States, the attorneys MJB Immigration can help you determine if you qualify for the U Visa.