Several years ago a new category of visas was established that allows victims of crimes the ability to obtain legal residency if they fully cooperate in a criminal investigation. There are certain crimes that qualify for this type of benefit as follows:
| Abduction | Incest | Rape |
| Abusive Sexual Contact | Involuntary Servitude | Sexual Assault |
| Blackmail | Kidnapping | Sexual Exploitation |
| Domestic Violence | Manslaughter | Slave Trade |
| Extortion | Murder | Torture |
| False Imprisonment | Obstruction of Justice | Trafficking |
| Felonious Assault | Peonage | Unlawful Criminal Restraint |
| Female Genital Mutilation | Perjury | Witness Tampering |
| Hostage | Prostitution | Attempt, conspiracy or solicitation to commit any of the above crimes |
Those who entered the United States without inspection or have overstayed their visas, or even where they residing abroad can qualify for this type of Visa. The process can be difficult and there are only 10,000 of these visas granted each year, then a waiting list is compiled. Therefore it is important to properly document your application when submitting it. One of the most difficult parts of documentation is obtaining the government certification from law enforcement. Without a properly completed certification, the case will not be granted.
