T visa explained

T nonimmigrant status, commonly referred to as a T visa, is a nonimmigrant status allowing certain victims of human trafficking (which includes both labor trafficking and sex trafficking) and immediate family members to remain and work temporarily in the United States, typically if they report the crime to law enforcement, and agree to help them in the investigation and/or prosecution of the crime(s) committed against them. It also allows close family members of the victims to come to the United States legally. Despite being colloquially referred to as a visa, T status is not technically a visa, because it is issued to individuals who are already inside the United States.[1]

Background

The United States government estimated in 2002 that each year up to 50,000 people are trafficked illegally into the United States, mostly women and children, and are trapped in slavery-like situations.[2] As a response, it enacted the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), which, among other things, allows such people to apply for three-year temporary visas that lead to permanent resident status. In 2006, Congress modified 8 CFR 214.11(p) to now have the T-visa to be for four years. Although 5,000 are available per year, only 2,000 had been issued as of January, 2009.[3] In 2017, there were 8524 cases of human trafficking being reported to National Human Trafficking Hotline.[4] And up to 2018, the allowed stay period for people who are granted a T visa is still four years.[5]

Eligibility

Related visas include:

Statistics

Number of visas issued by year

The first T visas were issued in Fiscal Year 2003. In the table below, the years are Fiscal Years, so for instance the year 2009 refers to the period from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.[8] Note that this only counts T visas issued at embassies and consulates outside the United States, and does not include people who changed nonimmigrant status to T status within the United States. The T-1 status is the one most likely to be achieved through change of status within the United States, and therefore T-1 visas are not usually issued.

Fiscal Year Number of T-1 visas issued Number of T-2 visas issued Number of T-3 visas issued Number of T-4 visas issued Number of T-5 visas issued Total
2003 0 20 38 0 0 58
2004 0 74 145 0 0 219
2005 0 35 65 7 5 112
2006 0 11 43 5 1 60
2007 0 20 70 5 3 98
2008 0 34 132 5 8 179
2009 0 8 81 3 3 95
2010 0 64 167 7 8 246
2011 0 127 258 10 14 409
2012 0 151 342 7 17 517
2013 0 171 357 22 31 581
2014 0 115 370 18 13 516
2015 0 111 376 10 10 507

References

  1. Web site: December 2022 . REPRESENTING IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING: T NONIMMIGRANT STATUS ("T VISA") TRAINING MANUAL . 30 May 2024 . National Immigrant Justice Center.
  2. Web site: Department of Justice issues T visa to protect women, children and all victims of human trafficking . January 24, 2002 . 2007-08-08 . United States Department of Justice .
  3. News: Fora.TV . Mark P. Lagon: Law and Morality of Human Trafficking . Mark P. Lagon .
  4. Web site: New U.S. Policy Raises Risk of Deportation for Immigrant Victims of Trafficking. Bourmont. Martin de. Foreign Policy. 9 July 2018 . en. 2019-04-03.
  5. Web site: Victims of Human Trafficking: T Nonimmigrant Status . 2018-05-10 . USCIS . en. 2019-04-03.
  6. Web site: Victims of Human Trafficking: T Nonimmigrant Status . USCIS . November 26, 2023.
  7. Web site: York. Harlan. T Visa: 5 Things You Have To Know . November 29, 2013 . 2015-06-08.
  8. Web site: Non-immigrant visa statistics . . March 18, 2017.

External links