T nonimmigrant status, commonly referred to as a T visa, is a nonimmigrant status allowing certain victims of human trafficking (which includes both labor trafficking and sex trafficking) and immediate family members to remain and work temporarily in the United States, typically if they report the crime to law enforcement, and agree to help them in the investigation and/or prosecution of the crime(s) committed against them.
It also allows close family members of the victims to come to the United States legally.
[2] As a response, it enacted the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), which, among other things, allows such people to apply for three-year temporary visas that lead to permanent resident status.
[4] And up to 2018, the allowed stay period for people who are granted a T visa is still four years.
[8] Note that this only counts T visas issued at embassies and consulates outside the United States, and does not include people who changed nonimmigrant status to T status within the United States.