Citizenship & Immigration

T-VISA

 

Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. Human traffickers recruit or kidnap their victims and force them to give sex (“sex work”) or work (“forced labor”) even if the victims do not want to.

 

Traffickers control their victims so much that they cannot leave, sometimes through: threats or violence against the family of the victims in their country of origin; threats or violence against victims; take away the passport, identification and money from the victims; or physically locking the victims in the building where they are being held.

 

Traffickers often use the social or economic status of victims to attract and control them. The T Visa allows victims of trafficking to legally live and work in the United States for four years.

 

After holding a T visa status for three years or sooner if the traffic investigation or prosecution is over, you can apply for lawful permanent residence, commonly known as a green card or "Green Card." When the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) gives a person a T visa status, it also automatically sends them an Employment Authorization Document.

 

Once a person has a work permit, they can legally work in the United States.