Immigration

To get a U visa, you must do everything explained in #1 and #2 below:

1. You must get a certification from law enforcement or another certifying agency that says all of the following:

• you are a victim of one of the U visa crimes;
• the crime took place in the U.S., including U.S. territories and possessions, or the crime violated a U.S. federal law that specifically allows the U.S. to prosecute crimes committed in another country;
• you have credible and reliable information about that crime; and
• you were helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful in the criminal investigation or prosecution of that crime.¹

2. Also, you must show that:

• you suffered substantial physical or mental harm from the crime;² and
• none of the grounds of inadmissibility applies to you. “Grounds of inadmissibility” are a long list of crimes and other acts that prevent people from getting status or entering the U.S. Note: If one of the grounds of inadmissibility applies to you, you must ask for a “waiver” in order to be able to qualify for a U visa. It is up to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to decide whether you should get that waiver after weighing the pros and cons of your case.³

¹ INA § 214(p)(1)
² INA § 101(a)(15)(U)(i)(I)
³ INA § 212(d)(14)