Do I qualify for a humanitarian visa?

As a citizen of another country, you may discover that circumstances have made it unsafe for you to remain there, or to return if you are not currently at home. Whether you are already living in California or you are seeking to move to the United States, you may benefit from immigration laws designed to help provide assistance in escaping harmful situations. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains that humanitarian parole programs provide nonimmigrant visas in a variety of situations.

Refugee or asylee status may be available to you if you have been or are likely to be persecuted in your home country because of your nationality, political opinion, religion or other characteristic. Or, you may qualify for Temporary Protected Status if you are from a country that is temporarily under unsafe conditions for your return.

If you have been a victim of violence, there may be a humanitarian visa that is an option for you. For example, there are laws protecting battered spouses and children, or abandoned or neglected children, who are citizens of another country. Human traffickers violate many federal and international laws, and law enforcement agencies go to great lengths to apprehend them. If you have been a victim of labor or sex trafficking, you may be able to stay in the country legally by agreeing to assist in the investigation or prosecution of these criminals.

Although this information should not be interpreted as legal advice, it may help you to understand some of the humanitarian visa options that U.S. immigration law has made available.