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Legal Information: Federal

Immigration

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Updated: 
August 15, 2022

Which government officials and agencies may be able to provide the law enforcement certification that is required?

The following officials and agencies may be able to provide the law enforcement certification (Form I-918, Supplement B) that is necessary for your U visa application:

  • federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies;
  • prosecutors;
  • judges; or
  • other authorities that are responsible for the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity, such as Child Protective Services and federal and state agencies that do workplace investigations, such as Equal Employment Opportunity and Departments of Labor.1

If you have already reported the crime to law enforcement, your attorney can request the certification from the law enforcement agency. Many law enforcement agencies know about U visas and have employees who are in charge of reviewing certification requests. Other agencies may not be familiar with U visas and may need your attorney or domestic violence advocate to explain the program to them and why they should sign the certification in your case.

The law enforcement agency can sign the certification no matter what the status of the criminal case may be. For example, even if the police never arrested a suspect in your case, they can still sign the certification based on your report. Also, even if the suspect was found not guilty at trial, law enforcement can still sign the certification for you.

1 8 CFR § 214.14(a)(2)