Practice Area
Humanitarian Visas
Protections for victims of crime, trafficking, and other qualifying circumstances — including U and T visa petitions filed affirmatively with USCIS.
Who This Is For
- Victims of qualifying crimes who assisted law enforcement (U visa)
- Victims of human trafficking (T visa)
- Other qualifying humanitarian circumstances
What We Handle
- Petition preparation and supporting evidence
- Law enforcement certification coordination
- Filing and follow-through to a decision
How It Works
What working with us looks like
Free Intro Call
A short call with our intake team to understand your situation and confirm we’re the right fit — affirmative cases only.
Consultation with Attorney
You meet directly with the attorney to discuss your case, options, and likely path forward.
Strategy & Filing
We build your case plan and prepare and file your petition with USCIS, keeping you informed throughout.
Case Management
We monitor case progress throughout the scope you retained us for and flag what needs attention next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a U visa, and who qualifies?
U visas are for victims of qualifying crimes who assisted law enforcement. One required piece is a law enforcement certification, and we coordinate that step as part of the petition.
Do you handle T visas and VAWA self-petitions?
Yes. We handle U visas, T visas for trafficking survivors, VAWA self-petitions, and other qualifying humanitarian circumstances, filed affirmatively with USCIS.
How long do humanitarian petitions take?
These categories carry annual statutory caps and often longer waits than other petitions. We will explain the realistic timeline for your specific circumstances during your consultation.
What does the firm actually do on one of these cases?
We prepare the petition and its supporting evidence, coordinate the law enforcement certification where one is required, and follow the case through to a decision.
Will the person who harmed me find out that I applied?
Federal law strongly restricts what the government can tell an abuser or trafficker about a VAWA self-petition or T visa application, and prohibits basing a decision solely on information that person provides — protections that exist because we know this fear is real. Those protections are not absolute, though: the law has several exceptions (including for law enforcement and national security purposes), and they generally end once a case is finally denied and any appeal is over. These rules bind immigration officials — they are not a substitute for your own safety plan. If you are in danger now, please also reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) or the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888). Tell us if receiving mail at home would be a risk — that is a normal thing to raise, and there are ways to work around it.
Do I need a police report or a signed law enforcement form to qualify?
It depends on the category, and the differences matter. A U petition requires Form I-918 Supplement B, signed by a certifying official at a certifying agency — usually police or prosecutors, though judges and certain other agencies may also certify — within the six months immediately before filing, and agencies are not required to sign. A T application does not require a law enforcement declaration at all: Form I-914 Supplement B is optional evidence, and cooperation can also be shown through your own statement and other records. A VAWA self-petition requires no law enforcement involvement at all. For a U petition specifically, no one has to have been arrested, prosecuted, or convicted — the question is your helpfulness, not the outcome.