For the second year in a row, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved 10,000 petitions for U visas.
In 2011, nearly 14,000 people applied for the 10,000 places available.
The program was created by Congress to help law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes, and to protect the victims of these crimes.
More than 45,000 victims and their immediate family members have received U visas since the program was implemented.
USCIS will continue to accept new U visa petitions and will reissue U visas beginning October 1, 2011, the first day of fiscal year 2012. U visa applicants will be able to remain in the country while their applications are processed and will not accrue undocumented time while awaiting a decision from USCIS.
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