The U Visa: Immigration Protection for Crime Victims
The U nonimmigrant visa is designed for crime victims who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to help law enforcement investigate or prosecute the crime. It provides a path to legal status and eventually a green card.
Reviewed by Gracie Johnson, Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, State Bar of California, California State Bar #276536
Last reviewed: July 2, 2026
To qualify for a U visa you must: have suffered substantial abuse as a victim of a qualifying crime; have information about the crime; have been helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement, prosecution, judges, or other officials in the investigation or prosecution of the qualifying crime; and the crime must have occurred in the United States or violated US laws.
Qualifying crimes include: domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, abusive sexual contact, kidnapping, murder, manslaughter, human trafficking, stalking, torture, witness tampering, felonious assault, and other serious crimes. The list is broad; if you were a victim of any violent crime, consult an attorney.
The key step in the U visa process is obtaining a certification on Form I-918B from a certifying agency, typically the police department or district attorney's office. In Los Angeles, LAPD and the LA County District Attorney's Office are both certifying agencies. We work with these agencies regularly to obtain certifications for our clients.
There is a cap of 10,000 U visa approvals per year. USCIS has a backlog, but even while waiting on the waitlist, applicants may receive deferred action and work authorization. Once approved, U visa holders can remain in the US for up to 4 years, and after 3 years of continuous presence with U visa status, may be eligible to apply for a green card.
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Also available in Spanish: La Visa U: Protección Migratoria para Víctimas de Crímenes