Immigrants & Immigration

To apply for a U Visa, you must help the police or prosecutors with their investigation. A law enforcement official must sign a form saying that you were a victim and that you helped them. Some examples of law enforcement officials are police officers, prosecutors, judges, or other agency workers. This form is called Form I-918, Supplement B. You can't apply for the U Visa without this form. This form is only valid for 6 months after it is signed. If it expires, you will need a new one.

Different law enforcement offices have different ways to request this form. See examples for the Cook County Sheriff's department, and the Kankakee County State’s Attorney.

The Illinois VOICES Act says local officials must reply to certification requests. It also gives victims a way to appeal A request to change a court's decision if they are unfairly denied. If a certifying agency denies your request, you have the right to know why. You can appeal the decision, and the agency must respond to your appeal within 30 business days.

Note: Even if you have a signed certification, that does not guarantee you will get a U Visa. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will check that:

• You are a victim of a qualifying crime,
• You helped in the investigation or prosecution, and
• You are allowed to enter the US.

USCIS can still decide to deny To refuse or say no your U visa application.

Form I-918 is the U Visa Application Form. The application must be filed on paper. Download the form from the USCIS website and use a form filling application like Adobe Acrobat reader to fill out the application. You will then need to print the application. You can also print a blank copy of the form and hand-write your answers. Your handwriting must be clear and legible.

Be sure to sign and date the form.

There is no fee to file this form.

Some family members can apply with you as derivatives. For example, unmarried children of the applicant may qualify if they are under 21 years old. To include them, you must file a Form I-918 Supplement A for each person.

A family member may also need their own Form I-192 if they have any inadmissibility grounds. They must provide supporting documents to prove your relationship to them, like a birth certificate A legal document with a person's place of birth, time of birth, and parents or passport A document that lets a person travel outside the country .

Be careful not to submit forms for family members who do not qualify.

If you are inadmissible, you must also file a Form I-192. Download the form from the USCIS website and fill it out the same way as the Form I-918. Each derivative must also have their own Form I-192.

You and any derivatives do not need to pay a fee for the Form I-192.

You must include documents that show:

• Who you are: You need to provide a copy of a current passport A document that lets a person travel outside the country from your home country. It should not be expired. Additional information may include your birth certificate A legal document with a person's place of birth, time of birth, and parents , marriage certificate, and other documents.
• Personal Victim Impact Statement: You must write a statement that tells about the crime. You should describe how you felt, suffered, and how you helped law enforcement. When writing a letter, it should be your account of the story. It should be detailed.
• Proof that you were a victim and suffered substantial harm: This can be protection orders, police reports about the crime, medical record if you got hurt, court papers, letters from your therapist, news articles, photos of your injuries, and more.
• Proof that you were helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the crime: You can include more than just Supplement B. You can also show other evidence Anything used to show that something is true like trial When the issues of a case are heard in court and decided by a judge or jury transcripts, court papers, police reports, news articles, travel receipts for going to court, and statements from witnesses or officials. Protection orders can also be proof you were helpful to the investigation.
• Good moral character: You may also want to include documents that encourage USCIS to see you as a good person. This can include proof of family ties in the US. For example, if you have US citizen children. You can also include letters from the community or your employer, proof that you file taxes, volunteer, or are active in your religious community.

Make copies of everything you send. Keep the copies for your records. Mail the original signed applications and all evidence Anything used to show that something is true to USCIS. 

As of November 2025, Illinois residents must mail there U visas applications to this address:

USCIS Nebraska Service Center
Attn: I-918
PO Box Post office box, an individual box for mail at a post office 87918
Lincoln, NE 68501-7918

USCIS lists where filing addresses for all states under “where to file” on their website.