Generally, a TVisa nonimmigrant status is granted for 4 years. Form I-539, Application to Extend or Change Nonimmigrant Status, may allow you to extend your T nonimmigrant status under certain circumstances.
Additionally, T nonimmigrants may be eligible for lawful permanent residence (a Green Card) after 3 years of continuous physical presence in the United States since they were first lawfully admitted as T nonimmigrants, or after continuous physical presence in the United States during the investigation or prosecution of the trafficking, whichever occurs first. Details about eligibility can be found at Green Card for a Victim of Trafficking (T Nonimmigrant)
Work Eligibility
It depends on whether you are a principal applicant or a qualifying family member whether you need to file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.
- Principal Applicants: When your Form I-914 application is approved, USCIS will provide you with an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Form I-914 information is used to generate the EAD, also known as a work permit. Form I-765 is not required with the application for T nonimmigrant status.
- Qualifying family members: If you are a qualifying family member on Form I-914, Supplement A, and you are living in the United States, you must submit Form I-765. Form I-765 can be filed together with Form I-914, Supplement A, or at a later date. You cannot receive an EAD until you are lawfully admitted to the United States if you live outside the United States. If you are living outside the United States, do not file Form I-765.
Other Services You may Qualify for
A number of federally funded benefits and services are available to nonimmigrants with T status. As a victim of trafficking, even if you do not have T nonimmigrant status, you may still be eligible for these benefits and services if:
- The DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) has granted you Continued Presence; or
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has provided you with a letter of certification or eligibility.
