If you were forced to work or forced into sex
Human trafficking under federal law has two forms. Sex trafficking is when someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to make a person perform a commercial sex act, or when the person is under 18, in which case force does not have to be shown. Labor trafficking is when someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to make a person work or provide services, including through debt, confiscated documents, or threats against family.
Trafficking does not require chains or a locked door. Many survivors were recruited with a job offer that turned out to be a lie, were told they owed a debt they could never pay off, or were threatened with deportation or harm to their children if they left. If any of this sounds like your story, you may qualify for a T visa.
You may be living or working somewhere else now. What matters is that you are in the United States because of the trafficking and that you can describe what happened.
How the T visa process works
The application is Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status, filed with USCIS. To approve it, USCIS generally needs to see that you were a victim of a severe form of trafficking, that you are physically present in the United States because of the trafficking, that you complied with reasonable requests from law enforcement (unless you were under 18 or trauma prevents it), and that you would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm if removed.
Unlike the U visa, the T visa does not require a signed certification from a law enforcement agency. A declaration from an agency on Form I-914 Supplement B is helpful if you can get one, but your own detailed statement and other evidence can carry the case. This matters for people who were too afraid to report, or who reported and never heard back.
If approved, you receive T status, work authorization, and access to certain benefits. After holding T status for the required period, you may apply for permanent residence (a green card). Certain family members can be included on Form I-914 Supplement A, and if your family faces danger because you escaped or cooperated, additional relatives may qualify.
- Step 1: A private, free consultation to hear what happened and see whether a T visa, a U visa, asylum, or another option fits.
- Step 2: We prepare the I-914, your personal declaration, evidence of the trafficking and the hardship, and any waiver of inadmissibility on Form I-192.
- Step 3: Where it is safe and useful, we help you report to or communicate with law enforcement and request a Supplement B declaration.
- Step 4: We file, respond to any USCIS requests, and add eligible family members.
What USG Law Group does for you
Attorney Marianela Uribe reviews every T visa filing, and Gigi Mejia, our USCIS Practice Manager, is usually your first contact. Both speak Spanish. Clients tell us that Gigi is kind and patient, and that we explain everything in detail.
We build your declaration with you slowly, in your own words, and we only ask for the detail the law requires. We collect whatever evidence exists: messages, pay records, photos, travel documents, medical or counseling records, and letters from people who know what happened. When there is no paper trail, we explain to USCIS why.
We also help with safety planning around the case: where mail goes, how we contact you, and what to do if the trafficker tries to reach you. If you are in removal proceedings, we coordinate with your immigration court (EOIR) case.
T visa or U visa, and what can go wrong
People often ask which visa fits. The U visa covers many crimes and requires a signed law enforcement certification. The T visa covers trafficking specifically, does not require a certification, and asks you to show that you are here because of the trafficking. Some survivors qualify for both, and we choose based on evidence, timing, and safety.
Cases often run into trouble when the statement does not clearly show force, fraud, or coercion, when a person left the trafficking situation long ago and the connection to their presence here is unclear, or when there is criminal history tied to the trafficking itself. Many of these problems can be explained or waived, but they need to be addressed up front.
We will be honest with you about whether your facts fit. If they do not, we will tell you what else may help.
Why survivors choose a T visa lawyer at USG Law Group
USG Law Group is a woman-led, bilingual immigration firm, and our lead attorney is an immigrant herself. You will not have to explain your story through an interpreter you do not know, and you will not be rushed.
We offer a free initial consultation, payment plans and financing, and evening, weekend, and virtual appointments by phone or Zoom. Our office is in Woodbridge, Virginia, near Potomac Mills, and we serve Northern Virginia, Richmond, Maryland, and Washington DC. If you cannot come in safely, we start by phone.
Related help from USG Law Group
If the harm you suffered was a crime other than trafficking, see our U Visa page. If you fear returning to your country for reasons beyond the trafficking, see our Asylum page. If the person who controlled you was your citizen or resident spouse or parent, VAWA may also apply. And when the time comes for a green card, our Adjustment of Status page explains that step.
