Non-US citizens who are victims of certain crimes and who are willing to assist the police to identify the criminals will become eligible for temporary lawful status and they can apply for U or T non-immigrant visas in the United States. These visas will permit such victims of crimes to remain in the United States for a three year period and at the end of the three year period, they can apply for lawful status and remain permanently in the United States. USCIS intends to combat human trafficking and help victims of crimes and so the agency provides immigration relief to victims of crimes and people who have suffered significant physical or mental abuse. Hence, it allows the victims of crimes to apply for visas and grants them lawful status in the country. T non-immigrant visas and U non-immigrant visas are the US visas that are meant for victims of human trafficking, domestic violence , nd various other crimes. These visas will permit the victims to remain in the country and assist the police to investigate and prosecute the individuals who involve in criminal activities.
U Non-immigrant Visa
You can apply for a U non-immigrant visa, if you are a foreign national and if you are a victim of a serious crime. At the same time, you must be willing to help the law enforcement agency to identify the criminals and if you are eligible for a U visa, you will be granted a U visa that will allow you to remain temporarily for a three year period, in the United States. You will also become eligible for lawful status in the country at the end of the three year period and you can apply for a Green Card.
You can apply for a U visa, even if you are a victim of a past crime. Similarly, your family members such as your spouse and your children also can be included in your petition. You will have to be a victim of domestic violence, rape, torture, blackmail, felony assault, prostitution, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, the slave trade, human trafficking, kidnapping, abduction, obstruction of justice, perjury, murder or attempt or homicide, to qualify for a U nonimmigrant visa. Likewise, the crime must have occurred within the United States and you must have information about the crime, in order to apply for a U visa. Similarly, you must prove that you have suffered physical or psychological injury, as a result of the criminal activity.
T Non-immigrant Visa
Victims of human trafficking, who were forced to engage in a commercial sex act or people who were smuggled into the country to engage in servitude or slavery, can apply for T non-immigrant visas and 5,000 T non-immigrant visas are made available every year. However, to become eligible for these US visas, victims must be in the United States and must be helpful in investigating and prosecuting human traffickers. Moreover, they must be admissible into the country, to become eligible for T non-immigrant visas.