The Travis County District Attorney’s Office strives to ensure that any individual impacted by crime feels safe participating in our criminal justice system, regardless of their immigration status. In order to make our communities safer for everyone, victims and witnesses of crime must feel comfortable reporting crimes and helping police and prosecutors enforce the law.
We encourage undocumented immigrants who are victims or witnesses of crimes in Travis County to report the incident to law enforcement and help us to investigate and prosecute these cases. When possible, our office completes certification forms for crime victims who seek a U Visa or other legal status from federal immigration authorities.
What is the U Visa?
The U Visa grants temporary legal status and work authorization to noncitizen crime victims who have assisted, are assisting, or are willing to assist law enforcement authorities in the investigation and prosecution of a crime. Congress established the U Visa to promote public safety and support noncitizen crime victims who otherwise may be hesitant to cooperate with law enforcement because of fear of deportation.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines whether an individual qualifies for a U Visa. However, as part of their application for U Visa status, U Visa petitioners must submit a certification form, known as the Form I-918B, from a federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agency, prosecutor, or judge. More information about the U Visa can be found at the USCIS website here.
How to seek visa certifications from the Travis County District Attorney’s Office:
Please send an email with the U Visa petitioner’s name in the subject line to [email protected]. When possible, please include in your email:
- The full legal name and date of birth of the petitioner; and
- Information about the criminal incident, such as the offense number, the defendant’s full name, and the case number.
Including a copy of the U Visa petitioner’s identification and Form I-918B with a certification request is helpful, but not required. If including a Form I-918B, please submit it as an editable pdf or leave any unknown fields blank.
Please be aware that if we receive a certification request, we are required to disclose that information to the defense. We cannot guarantee that information or materials submitted as part of a visa certification request will be kept confidential.
It is our goal to respond to certification requests within 45 days. If exigent circumstances require an expedited review of a certification request, please let us know and we will attempt to accelerate our review process.
