Congress created the U visa to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of aliens, and other crimes, while offering protection to the victims.
Congress wanted to encourage immigrants who are victims of criminal activity to report the criminal activity to law enforcement and fully participate in the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of such criminal activity.
🚨 Only certain very serious crimes will allow you to apply for a U visa.
You could be eligible for a nonimmigrant U visa if:
- You have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of a covered crime.
- You possess information about the criminal activity.
- A law enforcement officer will sign a statement saying that you have been helpful to them in investigating or prosecuting the criminal activity.
- The criminal activity occurred in the United States.
ℹ️ It is required to get a law enforcement officer to sign off on the U visa, by completing a form that verifies you were helpful to law enforcement. You should discuss this with the officer you are working with.
ℹ️ Be realistic about the timeline: because of yearly limits and a very large backlog, the wait for an actual U visa is now roughly a decade. While you wait, USCIS reviews pending applications for a "bona fide determination," which can provide protection from deportation and a work permit much earlier.
🛑 Important update: applying for a benefit now carries more risk if you lose.
Under a policy in effect since early 2025, when USCIS denies an application and the applicant does not have lawful status, USCIS now routinely issues a Notice to Appear — the document that starts removal proceedings. In plain terms: filing an application that gets denied can now put you in front of an Immigration Judge.
ℹ️ This does not mean you should never apply. It means that weak applications are dangerous, and an honest review of your case before filing matters more than ever.