The U visa is a nonimmigrant category designed for victims of such crimes as sexual assault, domestic violence and trafficking persons. According to volume nine of the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual, up to 10,000 people can be granted U visas each year, as of November 2009.
The U visa is also available to qualified aliens, regardless of gender, if they help government officials investigate and prosecute crime.
If the applicant is 21 or older, then his spouse and children may also qualify for U visa status If the applicant is under 21, then his spouse, children, parents and unmarried siblings under 18 may also qualify.
Holders of the U visa can stay in the United States for up to four years. Extensions are allowed if the alien is required for more investigation or prosecution proceedings, or if the Department of Homeland Security has extended the stay.
The U visa holder can be converted to a permanent resident under two conditions. He must have physically resided in the U.S. for at least three years. His continued presence must be of humanitarian or public interest.
