Full Notification

The “U Visa” was created by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to help curtail criminal activity, protect victims, and encourage victims to fully participate in the investigation and/or prosecution of a case. On January 1, 2016, California’s new Penal Code section 679.10 (SB 674) mandates that law enforcement certify U Visa applications when certain conditions are met. These conditions are set forth below.

U VISA RULES

A person must be the victim of one or more of the following (or any similar) crimes: Rape, Torture, Human Trafficking, Incest, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Abusive Sexual Contact, Prostitution, Sexual Exploitation, Female Genital Mutilation, Stalking, Being Held Hostage Involuntary Servitude, Slave Trade, Kidnapping, Abduction, Unlawful Criminal Restraint, False Imprisonment, Blackmail, Extortion, Manslaughter, Murder, Felonious Assault, Witness, Tampering Obstruction of Justice, Perjury, Peonage (holding persons in servitude or partial slavery to work off a debt or to serve a penal sentence), Fraud in Foreign Labor, and Contracting.

A qualifying crime also includes those criminal offenses for which the nature and elements of the offense are similar to the criminal activity described in the above list. If a person is a victim of an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of the above listed crimes, that person would also be considered a victim and qualify under the U Visa application criteria.

For additional information contact: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Department’s website, https://www.uscis.gov/i-918 or call 1-800-375-5283.