U-visa certification guide
A U-visa case has more than one decision-maker. A police department, prosecutor, judge, or another authorized agency may decide whether to sign a certification. USCIS—not that agency—decides the U-visa petition. This guide separates those two jobs and helps you organize possible records without sharing private information online.
Private by design: this checklist has no text boxes, uploads, names, case numbers, or contact fields. Checking a box only changes what you see in this browser tab. AG Law Firm does not receive or save the selections. Reloading or leaving the page clears them.
Form I-918, Supplement B is a document an authorized certifying official may sign. It describes the qualifying criminal activity known to the agency and whether the person was helpful, is helpful, or is likely to be helpful in its detection, investigation, prosecution, conviction, or sentencing.
It is not a U visa, work permit, green card, promise of approval, or complete finding that every U-visa requirement is met. It also does not replace the person’s Form I-918 petition, personal statement, waiver review, or other supporting evidence.
The certifying agency chooses whether to sign. Federal U-visa rules do not force an agency to sign simply because someone reported a crime or has a police report. If a certification is signed, USCIS still reviews the entire petition and alone decides whether to grant U nonimmigrant status.
First, identify the correct authorized agency. It may be the office that detected, investigated, prosecuted, convicted, or sentenced qualifying criminal activity. Each agency can have its own procedure, required documents, review levels, and contact.
A signed Supplement B is an important required part of a principal U-visa petition, but it does not decide the petition. USCIS separately reviews the criminal activity, harm, helpfulness, identity, immigration history, admissibility, any waiver request, and the rest of the evidence.
Use these boxes only as a memory aid. Do not enter, paste, or upload anything. A checked box means “I may have this or know where to look,” not “this proves my case.” Keep actual records in a safe place and share them only through a method approved for your legal review.
The title used in a police report may not match the name of a qualifying criminal activity under immigration law. A case does not necessarily require an arrest, charge, conviction, or ongoing prosecution for an agency to consider certification, but the agency must still have legal authority and enough information to make its own decision. An attorney can compare the underlying conduct, agency record, helpfulness history, and current rules without asking you to force your experience into a label.
A U visa generally centers on qualifying criminal activity, substantial physical or mental harm, helpfulness, and an agency certification. A VAWA self-petition generally centers on a qualifying family relationship with a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and battery or extreme cruelty, along with other requirements. VAWA does not use Form I-918, Supplement B. Some facts may suggest that more than one path deserves review, but one filing does not automatically replace or prove the other.
Read about U-visa and VAWA representationThis information is general and is not legal advice. Every case and every certifying agency is different. Forms, agency procedures, and immigration policies can change. A checklist cannot determine whether an agency will sign or whether USCIS will approve a petition. Speak with an attorney about your specific situation before relying on this page.
