Sheriff's Office

Victims of Criminal Activity:

U Nonimmigrant Status (U Visa)

The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical

abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

You may be eligible for a U nonimmigrant visa if:

• You were a victim of a qualifying criminal activity, that occurred in the U.S or violated U.S law; You have specific, credible, and reliable information about the qualifying crime;
• You were helpful, ae are helpful, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the detection, investigation, prosecution, conviction or sentencing of the qualifying crime;
• You suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of the qualifying crime; and
• You are admissible to the United States

 For full details on the U nonimmigrant status application process, please visit the below website:

Victims of Criminal Activity: U Nonimmigrant Status | USCIS

If you are petitioning for a U visa,  you must complete the USCIS Form I-918 Supplement B to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office for our review and approval.  The Sheriff’s Office will process your request (do we want to add a time frame here, like the 90 days referenced in statute?), review your submitted form and return the I-918 Supp B form to you.  Upon receipt of the completed form from, you will be required to submit the original of the signed certification to the USCIS when filing your completed U visa petition.

 You can find the USCIS Form I-918 Supp B Here:

Form I-918 Supplement B, U Nonimmigrant Status Certification (uscis.gov)

 Forms can be mailed to:

Washoe County Sheriff’s Office

Patrol Division/ U-Visa Program

What are the General crime categories that qualify the victim for a U visa?

• Abduction
• Abusive Sexual Contact
• Blackmail
• Domestic Violence
• Extortion
• False Imprisonment
• Felonious Assaults
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Fraud in Foreign Labor Contracting
• Hostage
• Incest
• Involuntary Servitude
• Kidnapping
• Manslaughter
• Murder
• Obstruction of Justice
• Peonage
• Perjury
• Prostitution
• Rape
• Sexual Assault
• Slave Trade Stalking
• Torture
• Trafficking
• Witness Tampering
• Unlawful Criminal Restraint

Any similar activity in which the nature and elements of the criminal offenses are substantially similar to the list above.  Includes: Attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit these crimes.