Humanitarian visas are granted to individuals in dangerous or extreme circumstances seeking to enter the U.S. for relief and safety. These types of visas are also known as “humanitarian parole,” and allow an individual to reside in the U.S. on a temporary basis.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers these types of visas to aid non-U.S. citizens suffering from urgent threats like abuse, violence, natural disasters, or serious medical conditions that cannot be addressed in their home country. Anyone is eligible to apply, but only those applicants whose situations are considered to be emergency circumstances will be issued a humanitarian visa by USCIS.
There are a number of humanitarian based visas for individuals facing oppression, disasters, or other urgent circumstances. Individuals who may otherwise be unable to enter or remain in the United States may apply for a humanitarian-based visa.
Humanitarian Based Visas (HB) include visas and temporary lawful status for the following:
- U Visa: For victims of criminal activity
- T Visa: For victims of human trafficking
- S Visa: For witnesses and informants who provide information
- Asylum: For individuals seeking protection for fear of persecution
- Refugee: For individuals facing persecution while outside the U.S.
U VISA
The U visa is a nonimmigrant status visa for victims of crime who assist government officials and law enforcement in a criminal investigation in the related criminal prosecution or investigation. This includes victims who have suffered physical or mental abuse. The purpose of the U visa is to protect victims while helping law enforcement prosecute crimes involving domestic violence, trafficking, and sexual assault.
T VISA
Similar to a U visa, the T visa is a nonimmigrant status visa for victims of human trafficking who assist law enforcement in the criminal investigation in the related criminal prosecution or investigation. To be eligible for a T visa, an applicant must be a victim of trafficking, be present in the U.S. due to trafficking, demonstrate hardship, and comply with law enforcement requests in the human trafficking investigation.
S VISA
The S visa program is for witnesses and informants who provide critical and reliable information necessary to the investigation or prosecution of a criminal organization or qualify for a reward for providing critical and reliable information concerning a terrorist organization. The S visa may also provide admission for the spouse, parents, and children of the eligible individual.
ASYLUM
Asylum allows an eligible individual to remain in the United States if they have suffered past persecution or fear of future persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
Affirmative asylum applications are filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Defensive asylum applications are filed with the Immigration Court/EOIR
REFUGEE
A refugee is an individual located outside the United States, who demonstrates past persecution or fear of future persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about humanitarian visas and humanitarian parole, contact the Skylex Attorney today. We handle all aspects of humanitarian based immigration cases in New Jersey and New York and throughout the United States.
