USHumanitarian protection

U visa and T visa in the US

U status and T status are forms of humanitarian protection in the United States for people who have suffered serious crime or human trafficking and are willing to cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation. Both give the right to stay and work in the country lawfully, with the prospect of obtaining permanent residence.

Visa term

Up to 4 years; extended while a green card application is pending

Threshold

No fees for the I-918/I-914; waivers are possible

Processing time

U: often 5–10+ years because of the cap; T: shorter

Work

The right to work is incident to the status; an EAD for 4 years

Source: uscis.gov — U visa for victims of crime (T visa — adjacent section)

Who can qualify

USCIS distinguishes two statuses with separate forms and eligibility criteria.

U visa — for victims of crime

You suffered a crime from the official USCIS list: domestic violence, abduction, rape, extortion, human trafficking and others
You suffered substantial physical or mental harm as a result of that crime
You hold information about the crime yourself or through a parent/guardian — if you are under 16 or cannot provide it because of a disability
You have helped, are helping or are willing to help law enforcement in the investigation or the court proceedings
The crime took place on US territory or breached US law
You meet the admissibility requirements for entry into the United States, or you request separate permission through the form waiving the grounds of inadmissibility

T visa — for victims of human trafficking

You are or have been a victim of a severe form of human trafficking: sex trafficking involving force, fraud or coercion (or with a victim under 18), or labour trafficking involving forced labour, debt bondage or slavery
You are physically present in the United States, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands or at a port of entry precisely because of the trafficking
You have complied with reasonable requests from law enforcement to assist the investigation — except where you were under 18 at the time of the trafficking or cannot assist because of psychological trauma
You can show that deportation would cause you extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm
You meet the admissibility requirements for entry into the United States, or you request separate permission through the form waiving the grounds of inadmissibility

What it costs

Fee for filing the status application — I-918 for the U visa or I-914 for the T visa, and all accompanying forms up to and including the green card application	0 USD
Fee for Form I-192 to waive the grounds of inadmissibility, where the applicant needs it	+0 USD

Documents to gather

The list applies to both statuses; the specific forms and supplements differ.

The main form — I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status, for the U visa, or I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status, for the T visa, with a personal statement about what happened
Supplement B: the law enforcement certification I-918 Supplement B for the U visa, or the trafficking victim declaration I-914 Supplement B for the T visa — or other credible evidence of cooperation with the investigation (correspondence with investigators, records, court documents, press reports)
Evidence of the physical or mental harm suffered (for the U) or evidence of extreme hardship on deportation (for the T)
Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant, if grounds of inadmissibility to the United States apply to the applicant
Form I-918 Supplement A (for the U) or I-914 Supplement A (for the T) — an application for derivative status for each qualifying family member
Form I-929, Petition for Qualifying Family Member of U-1 Nonimmigrant — for a relative of a U status holder who did not obtain a derivative visa of their own before the green card

How the process runs

The procedure is broadly the same for both statuses; the differences lie in the application form and in who confirms cooperation with the investigation.

1
Gathering the evidence
Gather evidence of the crime or the trafficking, of the harm or of the severity of the consequences of deportation, and confirmation of contacts with law enforcement.
2
Confirming cooperation with the investigation
Obtain a certification from a law enforcement agency (Form I-918 Supplement B for the U visa) or prepare a trafficking victim declaration (Form I-914 Supplement B for the T visa), or gather alternative evidence of cooperation.
3
Filing the application
File petition I-918 (U status) or application I-914 (T status), together with Form I-192 where needed. U status petitions are sent to the USCIS Vermont Service Center.
4
Consideration by USCIS
Wait for the USCIS decision. If the annual cap on U visas (10,000 for principal applicants) has already been reached, the applicant is placed on a waiting list and may be granted deferred action or parole with the right to apply for work permission.
5
Receiving the status and the right to work
Once approved, the status is granted for four years. A principal U visa applicant receives work permission automatically together with approval of the petition; a T status holder receives the work permission document at the same time as the I-914 is approved.
6
Green card application
from 3 years
After at least three years of continuous physical presence in the status (for T status — or once the trafficking investigation or court proceedings have concluded, if that happens sooner) Form I-485 may be filed for permanent residence.

Who you can bring with you

The rules depend on the age of the principal applicant and on which status it is — U or T.

A spouse and unmarried children under 21 — whatever the principal applicant’s status

File Form I-918 Supplement A (U) or I-914 Supplement A (T) at the same time as the main application or later

Parents and unmarried siblings under 18 — if the principal applicant is not yet 21

An additional entitlement to derivative status on the same Supplement A form; it does not apply to applicants aged 21 and over

Parents and unmarried siblings under 18 on a T visa — whatever the principal applicant’s age

Available where they face retaliation for the applicant’s escape from trafficking or for cooperation with the investigation — a separate ground that applies only to T status

A relative of a U status holder who did not obtain a derivative visa of their own before the principal applicant received a green card

May seek a green card through a separate I-929 petition, filed at the same time as the principal applicant’s Form I-485 or later

Trips, renewal and the grace period

3 years of continuous physical presence for the green card

U status is granted for four years. It can be extended only in limited cases: at the request of a law enforcement agency, because of exceptional circumstances, because of consular processing delays, or automatically while a filed green card application (I-485) is pending. The rules for extending T status differ — see the questions and answers section.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	U visa and T visa	Asylum through USCIS	Asylum through the immigration court
Visa term	Up to 4 years; extended while a green card application is pending	The status is indefinite and is not renewed; the EAD and the travel document are renewed	The status is indefinite, there is no routine renewal
Grounds	Victims of crime / of human trafficking	Persecution	Persecution
Money	No fees for the I-918/I-914; waivers are possible	No government fee for Form I-589; no income or sponsor requirement	No government fee for the I-589
Work	The right to work is incident to the status; an EAD for 4 years	After the grant — work without restrictions; while the case is pending, an EAD after 180 days	After the grant — work; while the case is pending, an EAD after 180 days
Residence	3 years of continuous physical presence for the green card	No minimum period; physical presence is required, filing within 1 year	Physical presence in the United States is required

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Green card (I-485) after 3 years in U/T status

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation after 5 years as an LPR

Frequently asked questions about U visa and T visa

How much does it cost to file a U visa petition or a T visa application?

Nothing. USCIS charges no fee for petition I-918 (U status) or application I-914 (T status) and for all the forms connected with them up to and including the green card application.

Is there an annual cap on U visas?

Yes, USCIS issues no more than 10,000 U visas a year to principal applicants. There is no limit on family members receiving derivative status. Once the cap is reached, applicants are placed on a waiting list and may be given deferred action or parole with the right to apply for work permission.

Can T status be extended, and how?

In certain cases yes — through Form I-539, “Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status”.

After how many years can you apply for a green card on U status?

After at least three years of continuous physical presence in the United States in U status, provided the applicant has not unreasonably refused to help law enforcement since the visa was granted.

After how many years can you apply for a green card on T status?

After three years of continuous physical presence in the United States in T status — or earlier, if by then the trafficking investigation or court proceedings have concluded, whichever comes first.

Which family members can obtain status together with a victim of crime on a U visa?

A spouse and children — whatever the principal applicant’s age. If the applicant is not yet 21, an application may additionally be made for parents and unmarried siblings under 18.

Can a family member of a trafficking victim obtain T status even if the principal applicant is over 21?

Yes, in one particular case: whatever the principal applicant’s age, their parents and unmarried siblings under 18 may qualify for T status if they face retaliation for the applicant’s escape from trafficking or for their cooperation with the investigation.

Other ways to move to US

Every route in one list — migration programmes: US.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.