U Visa Lawyer in Alexandria, VA

Committed to Providing Quality Immigration Representation

The U Visa is an immigration benefit that can be sought by victims of certain crimes who are currently assisting or have previously assisted law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of a crime, or who are likely to be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. The U visa provides eligible victims with nonimmigrant status in order to temporarily remain in the United States (U.S.) while assisting law enforcement. If certain conditions are met, an individual with U nonimmigrant status may adjust to lawful permanent resident status. Congress capped the number of available U visas to 10,000 per fiscal year. At Law Group International, our Alexandria U Visa lawyer can work with clients to help protect their best interests no matter the situation.

Immigrants, especially women and children, can be particularly vulnerable to crimes like human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other abuse due to a variety of factors. These include, but are not limited to, language barriers, separation from family and friends, lack of understanding of U.S. laws, fear of deportation, and cultural differences. Congress recognized that victims who do not have legal status may be reluctant to help in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity for fear of removal from the United States. The VTVPA was enacted to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, and other crimes while offering protection to victims of such crimes without the immediate risk of being removed from the country.

The Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) is the system used for obtaining Labor Certification. A successful PERM labor certification demonstrates to the DOL that (1) the employer intends to pay the appropriate prevailing wage for the position in the geographical area, and (2) hiring a foreign national worker to fill the position will not adversely impact the U.S. labor market by displacing U.S. workers. After the Labor Certification is approved by the DOL, an Immigrant Petition should be filed with the USCIS within 180-days.