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Legal Information: Federal

Immigration

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Updated: 
September 18, 2019

Do I need a lawyer to apply for a T visa or can I find the forms online?

You can download the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services application forms from the USCIS website. However, we strongly encourage you to contact an immigration attorney to assist you in completing and submitting an application for a T-visa to the USCIS.

It is very important that you work with an attorney (or initially with an advocate) familiar with T visas. The forms and laws are confusing and you may make a mistake or leave something out that results in USCIS denying your application.

It is important to know that starting in the summer of 2019, USCIS started putting some denied T visa applicants into immigration proceedings (known as “removal” or deportation proceedings). Immigration judges have no power to give people T visa status, so once you are in removal proceedings, you may be deported quickly, especially if you don’t have an attorney with experience in immigration law and human trafficking. Because of the risks of being deported if your T visa application is denied, it is more important than ever that you contact an immigration attorney before filing an application. To find an immigration attorney, see our Immigration listings under National Organizations and / or our Finding a Lawyer page for a lawyer near you.