US U Visa (Crime Victim) Attorney for Turkish Clients

Because only 10,000 principal applicants can be granted U status each fiscal year, approvable petitions are placed on a waiting list and the process can take years. The mechanism that softens the wait is that pending petitions found bona fide can receive deferred action and work authorization before the final decision. In 2026 deferred action is a case-by-case discretionary decision, but it has not been eliminated for the U visa. Derivative applications do not count against the 10,000 cap. We check the current timeline together using USCIS's processing-time tool at the time of filing.

Yes. The U visa is a route independent of your immigration status; being undocumented does not remove your right to apply. Eligibility depends not on your status but on being the victim of a qualifying crime, suffering substantial harm, possessing information about the crime, and being helpful to law enforcement. If you have a past ground of inadmissibility, a broad waiver specific to the U visa (Form I-192) can open the way to overcome it. Your petition is also under 8 U.S.C. 1367 confidentiality protection.

If you have been continuously physically present in the US in U status for at least three years, have not unreasonably refused to help law enforcement, and meet the conditions, you can apply for permanent residence with Form I-485. The three-year period must not be broken by a single absence over 90 days or aggregate absences over 180 days. The green card is discretionary and is assessed on humanitarian, family-unity, or public-interest grounds. Derivative status holders such as a spouse and child can also move to a green card.

The list is broad and includes domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, kidnapping, false imprisonment, being held hostage, trafficking, slavery, torture, manslaughter, felonious assault, blackmail, extortion, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, stalking, and female genital mutilation. Attempt, conspiracy, and solicitation to commit these crimes are also covered. The crime need not be prosecuted under that exact name; an act of a similar nature can also be considered. We review together whether your incident falls within the list.

If you have been continuously physically present in the US in U status for at least three years, have not unreasonably refused to help law enforcement, and meet the conditions, you can apply for permanent residence with Form I-485. The three-year period must not be broken by long absences. The green card is discretionary. Derivative status holders such as a spouse and child can also move to a green card. We plan your green-card eligibility and the timing together.

They can be. The principal can request derivative U status for a spouse and children under 21, and, if the principal is under 21, also for parents and unmarried siblings under 18. Derivative applications do not count against the annual 10,000 cap, and derivative status holders can also obtain work authorization. We determine which of your family members can be included based on your situation.

Yes, in most cases. The U visa does not require the crime to end in a conviction or the capture of a perpetrator. The measure is that you are the victim of a qualifying crime, suffered substantial harm, and are helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution. If the crime was reported and you were willing to cooperate, the fact that no case was filed is not by itself a bar. We review your situation together.

In most cases, yes. The U visa offers a broad waiver (Form I-192) that can overcome many past grounds of inadmissibility; this waiver is specific to the U visa and broader than in many other categories. An entry without inspection, overstaying, or some past issues can be overcome with this waiver. The waiver is discretionary and is prepared with the petition. We review the grounds of inadmissibility in your situation and build the waiver file accordingly.

The lawyer translates the incident and your cooperation into the evidentiary language the officer looks for. First they assess your eligibility, determine which agency has authority to sign the certification, and manage the certification process. They prepare the personal declaration and the file documenting substantial harm, build the I-192 waiver if needed, and handle the green-card application in time. They move the process with your confidentiality and safety in mind. The goal is to build the file around the officer's question in the strongest way.