Different visas help people in unique situations. There are visa programs for professionals with specialized skills and visas for immigrant investors. There are also family-based visas. Sometimes, those who enter the country through family-based immigration may find that they are in a difficult situation. They may face exploitation or domestic violence. Such individuals may be eligible for U visas. U visas protect victims of criminal activity.
What qualifications must U visa applicants meet?
Being the victim of a qualifying crime
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers U visas to people harmed by specific criminal activities. Those crimes include:
- kidnapping
- prostitution
- domestic violence
- extortion
- peonage
- witness tampering
- blackmail
- forced labor
- many other violent and offensive crimes
Those who have documentation affirming that they were victims of qualifying criminal acts can potentially request a U visa to remain in the United States.
When they assist with prosecution
The more challenging aspect of acquiring a U visa relates to participating in the prosecution of the criminal. In some cases, immigrants have to testify against spouses or other family members to be eligible for a U visa.
However, if they do assist the state, they may then be eligible for a U visa that allows them to stay in the country. People with U visas don’t face removal if a family member who secured them a visa faces removal. They are also protected from removal if they had a marriage visa but did not remain married for two years due to criminal activity involving their spouse.
Learning more about the U visa program can be beneficial for those harmed by criminal activity. Immigrants have legal protections and may need assistance accessing those protections, and that’s okay.