Applications for U- and T-Visas for Immigrants who are Victims of Crime
In order to encourage immigrant crime victims to come forward and work with law enforcement, federal law permits survivors of certain crimes to apply for U-visa or T-visa nonimmigrant status based on their willingness to assist in the investigation or prosecution of those crimes.
Survivors of certain qualifying crimes may be eligible for a U-visa, and survivors of human trafficking may be eligible for a T-visa. U- and T-visas, which are issued by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), provide temporary legal status and eligibility to work in the United States for up to 4 years. Qualifying U and T-visa holders may also be able to adjust their status and become lawful permanent residents.
An important part of the U-visa and T-visa application process is the certification form. With this form, a certifying agency that is responsible for detecting, investigating, or prosecuting the qualifying crime at issue confirms the survivor’s helpfulness or willingness to comply with reasonable requests for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is a certifying agency under the VOICES Act and will timely respond to U- and T-visa certification requests from victims of qualifying criminal activity that was detected, investigated, or prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
USCIS (not the certifying agency) is responsible for determining U- and T-visa eligibility and issuing U- and T-visas to qualified applicants. Obtaining a signed certification form from a certifying agency does not guarantee eligibility for a U- or T-visa.
Request a U- or T-Visa Certification from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office
To request completion of a U- or T-visa certification form for a qualifying criminal activity that was detected, investigated, or prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, please submit your request via email to: VoicesRequest@ilag.gov.
Please provide as much detail as possible with your request, including if possible:
- Requester’s name and contact information (include physical mailing address for original completed certification form or written denial)
- Victim’s name and date of birth
- Date of incident
- Case number
- Supporting documentation
- Request to expedite if applicable
**Please note: requests for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to complete U- or T-visa certification forms for criminal activity should only be submitted for activity that the Illinois Attorney General’s Office had a role in detecting, investigating, or prosecuting.**
Appeal a Certification Request Denial by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office
If you have submitted a certification request to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and it was denied, you may submit an appeal of that denial to VoicesRequest@ilag.gov. Make sure the subject line of the email clearly indicates you are submitting an appeal, and include a scanned copy of your original certification request to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office as well as the denial letter.
** Please note: This appeal process applies only to certification requests submitted to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and not to denials by other certifying agencies. An appeal of a denial by another certifying agency should be submitted directly to that agency.**
Requesters are also entitled to file a mandamus action or seek other equitable relief in circuit court without exhausting administrative appeals, and may have additional remedies under federal law.
For more information from USCIS about U and T visas and eligibility requirements, visit:
File a Complaint about a Potential VOICES Act Violation with the OAG’s Civil Rights Bureau
To report a potential violation of the VOICES Act by an Illinois law enforcement agency or other certifying agency, email CivilRights@ilag.gov or call 1-877-581-3692.
Additional Information for Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies
Illinois law enforcement agencies with questions about mandatory VOICES Act reporting should email LEA.Reports@ilag.gov with the subject line: “Question About Reporting.”