Other Visas

C Visas are used by aliens in immediate and continuous transit through the United States, or an alien who qualifies as a person entitled to pass in transit to and from the United Nations Headquarters District and foreign countries, under certain provisions of the Headquarters Agreement with the United Nations. A foreign national with a C visa shall be admitted on the additional conditions that he proceed directly to the immediate vicinity of the United Nations Headquarters District, and remain there continuously, departing only if required in connection with his departure from the United States, and that he have a document establishing his ability to enter some country other than the United States following his sojourn in the United Nations Headquarters District. The immediate vicinity of the United Nations Headquarters District is defined as the area lying within a twenty-five mile radius of Columbus Circle, New York City, New York.

A D visa is obtained for an alien crewman serving in good faith as such in a capacity required for normal operation and service on board a vessel, as defined in section 258(a) (other than a fishing vessel having its home port or an operating base in the United States), or aircraft. The crewman must intend to land temporarily and solely in pursuit of his calling as a crewman and to depart from the United States with the vessel or aircraft on which he arrived or some other vessel or aircraft.

The S visa is for an alien who the Attorney General determines is in possession of critical reliable information concerning a criminal organization or enterprise; who is willing to supply or has supplied such information to Federal or State court; and whose presence in the United States the Attorney General determines is essential to the success of an authorized criminal investigation or the successful prosecution of an individual involved in the criminal organization or enterprise.

The T visa is used for an alien who the Attorney General determines is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, who is physically present in the U.S. or territories on account of such trafficking, and has complied with any reasonable request for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of acts of trafficking, or has not attained 18 years of age and the alien would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm upon removal.

The U visa is available to immigrants who are either victims of or who possess information concerning one of the following forms of criminal activity: rape, torture, trafficking, incest, domestic violence, sexual assault, abusive sexual contact, prostitution, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, hostage holding, peonage, involuntary servitude, slave trade, kidnapping, abduction, unlawful criminal restraint, false imprisonment, blackmail, extortion, manslaughter, murder, felonious assault, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, perjury, or attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit one of these offenses. A federal, state, or local official must certify that an investigation or prosecution would be harmed without the assistance of the immigrant or, in the case of a child, the immigrant's parent. Nearly all grounds of inadmissibility may be waived in these cases, and individuals granted U visas may adjust to LPR status three years after they are granted the U visa. There is a limit of 10,000 U visas that may be issued in one year, applicable only to principals and not to dependents.