If you have been the victim of a crime and currently have undocumented status in the United States, there may be options for you to obtain legal status if you have helped law enforcement investigate an offense. An experienced visa attorney could sit with you to review the visa options for victims of crimes in Doraville and inform you of the various requirements you must meet. If you are wary of speaking with law enforcement, a lawyer could act as an advocate on your behalf, especially when obtaining documents or signatures from the local police department. Call today for more insight.
There are two types of visas available to victims of crime in the United States. One is called the U visa. This type of visa is available to anyone who is the victim of a crime. This visa does not take into account the relationship between the victim and the suspect or aggressor. The other type of visa is known as the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA). This visa is for spouses, parents, and children of US citizens or permanent residents who have been abused, verbally or physically, by that lawful permanent resident or US citizen. Although the name of the visa is “Violence Against Women’s Act”, a VAWA visa is available to males and females.
When trying to determine whether a person should apply for a U visa or petition for VAWA, it is important to first analyze the relationship between the aggressor and the victim. If the victim suffered a crime by a lawful permanent resident and the victim is related to them by being their spouse, child, or parent, it is recommended the victim seek legal status through VAWA. This is because once the VAWA petition is approved, the victim can immediately apply for lawful permanent resident status. On the other hand, if a person is approved for a U visa, the victim must wait three years after being approved for a U Visa before they can file for lawful permanent resident status.
If you have suffered a crime and are seeking to obtain legal status after helping law enforcement investigate the offense that did you harm, you should speak with an attorney to learn more about visa options for victims of crimes in Doraville. A lawyer could help you with determining whether a U visa or a petition for VAWA would best fit your needs. Call today to begin discussing the options available to you.
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