¿Qué sucede después de enviar una solicitud de visa U?

Equipo de Santos Lloyd Law • May 26, 2022
Click here to read this article in English

Para obtener información sobre qué es una visa U y quién es elegible para ella, lea aquí. Esta publicación de blog analiza lo que sucede después de enviar la petición de visa U.

¿Cuánto tiempo tengo que esperar para obtener una decisión sobre la Visa U?

A partir de junio de 2021, el tiempo de espera para una decisión sobre la visa U es de aproximadamente 5 años. Es probable que el tiempo de espera sea más extenso para quienes presenten la solicitud en el 2022 porque hay una gran acumulación de solicitudes de visa U en espera de adjudicación.

¿Por qué el tiempo de espera es tan largo?

USCIS limita la cantidad de visas U cada año a 10,000, a pesar de que decenas de miles de solicitantes solicitan cada año esta visa. Una vez que se alcanza el límite, los solicitantes restantes se colocan en una lista de espera. Esto crea un retraso que se remonta a aproximadamente cinco años.

¿Puedo trabajar mientras mi petición de visa U está pendiente?

Debido a la acumulación de solicitudes pendientes, USCIS puede otorgar permisos de trabajo para aquellos que esperan una decisión final sobre sus solicitudes de visa U. Una vez que se otorga el permiso de trabajo, puede trabajar mientras espera la decisión final. El permiso de trabajo tiene una duración de cuatro años, pero se puede extender hasta que se decida la petición de visa U.

¿Estoy sujeto a deportación mientras mi solicitud está pendiente?

De manera similar al permiso de trabajo, los solicitantes pueden solicitar una "acción diferida" que dura cuatro años, pero puede extenderse hasta que se decida la petición de visa U. La “acción diferida” no es un estatus migratorio, pero le permite a USCIS otorgarle un permiso de trabajo para que pueda trabajar legalmente mientras espera la decisión sobre su petición de visa U. Con la acción diferida, el gobierno lo considera de baja prioridad para la deportación, lo que hace que la deportación sea menos probable.

¿Cuánto tiempo tomará para que me otorguen mi permiso de trabajo y acción diferida?

Pueden pasar varios años antes de que se conceda su solicitud de permiso de trabajo/acción diferida. Esto se debe a que la acumulación de visas U es muy extensa. Como resultado, no tendrá un permiso de trabajo ni ningún estatus legal o protección contra la deportación mientras las solicitudes de permiso de trabajo/acción diferida estén pendientes.

Si mi solicitud de visa U es denegada, ¿seré deportado?

Si USCIS niega su solicitud de una visa U, entonces su estado sigue siendo el mismo que tenía antes de presentar la solicitud. La denegación no activará automáticamente los procedimientos de deportaciones.

Si se aprueba mi petición de visa U, ¿cuándo puedo solicitar la residencia permanente legal (Tarjeta verde o Green Card)?

Debe tener una visa U durante tres años antes de poder solicitar la residencia permanente legal. Para ser elegible para la residencia permanente legal, se deben cumplir los siguientes criterios:

  1. Ha estado físicamente en los EE. UU. durante un "período continuo" de al menos tres años desde la fecha en que se le otorgó la visa U. Un “período continuo” significa que no puede salir de los EE. UU. durante 90 días seguidos o 180 días en total durante los tres años.

  2. Usted cooperó con las fuerzas del orden público si le pidieron que cooperará con la investigación criminal o el enjuiciamiento después de que se le concediera la visa U.

  3. Su presencia continua en los Estados Unidos está “justificada por motivos humanitarios, para garantizar la unidad familiar, o es de interés público”. Esta es una prueba de equilibrio que se deja a la discreción del gobierno. Sin embargo, si no tiene antecedentes penales o violaciones de inmigración significativas en el pasado, es probable que se considere "de interés público" que continúe en los EE. UU.
¿Cuánto tardará USCIS en decidir mi solicitud de tarjeta verde? 

Tomará aproximadamente dos años, pero los plazos están sujetos a cambios. Mientras espera la decisión, USCIS extenderá su visa U y permiso de trabajo.

Si desea obtener más información sobre cómo solicitar una visa U, comuníquese con el bufete de abogados Santos Lloyd y nuestro talentoso equipo de experimentados abogados de inmigración podrá ayudarlo.

Este blog no pretende ser un consejo legal y nada aquí debe interpretarse como el establecimiento de una relación abogado-cliente. Programe una consulta con un abogado de inmigración antes de actuar sobre cualquier información que lea aquí.

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