U Visas for Victims of Crimes
What are U visas?
This is a special type of visa that is available in the United States of America and is set aside for people who have been victims of certain crimes. Some examples of these crimes are domestic violence, robbery, and murder. The victims must have experienced physical and mental abuse as a result of that crime. The victims also need to have been helpful to the government officials and the law enforcement officers in the investigation conducted towards the crime, helping the previously mentioned agencies in bringing the perpetrator to justice and aiding the prosecution of the said criminal activity. The U visa is available to the victim, his or her spouse and children and stepchildren even if living outside of the United States so long as the relationship existed at the time of the filing of the application.
This visa type is a nonimmigrant visa, and was created by the Congress in October of 2000, after the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, which includes the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act. This legislation was passed with the sole intention of providing help to law enforcement agencies and strengthens their ability of investigating and prosecuting crimes that ranged from sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking of non-nationals and other criminal acts. This legislation also provided support and protection to the victims who had already undergone considerable mental and physical damage due to the crime and have agreed to help the authorities in finding the perpetrator and allowing the authorities to investigate the crime and prosecute the criminal. This legislation also provides law agencies a considerable assistance of being able to serve the victims of such crimes.
If you are a victim of any such crime and wanting to know the process, and eligibility for U visas, or have any doubts regarding the process, please contact us at the Law Offices of Carmelia Taylor, PLLC., as we can provide you with any kind of legal representation that you might need.
What is VAWA?
VAWA, also known as the Violence Against Women Act, is considered to be a groundbreaking legislation in the United States that sought to find an improvement in relations to criminal justice in the country, as well as community-based responses to incidents of dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault. VAWA was first passed in the year 1994, and was reauthorized again in the years 2000, 2005 and 2013, changing the landscape for people who had previously suffered such violence and subjugation in silence and giving them a voice.
Under the VAWA, an abused child, parents or spouse of a Lawful Resident of the United States has the right to self-apply for US citizenship, get an employment authorization and enjoy access to other public benefits. VAWA allows the victims of the previously mentioned crimes to escape their lives of abuse and establish a safe and independent life for themselves in the US.
If you happen to be an undocumented immigrant survivor of domestic violence who qualifies for VAWA and, please contact the Law Offices of Carmelia Taylor, PLLC.,, so that we can guide you through the exact process that is part of the application procedure and help you build a new life for yourself.