In certain circumstances, the Attorney General may adjust the status of victims to that of a permanent resident of the United States. A new U visa was made available to aliens who have suffered physical or mental abuse through criminal activity and the alien is helpful or likely to be helpful in the prosecution of federal, state or local criminal activity. Adjustment of status to that of permanent resident is also possible in this classification. A new V visa was created as a benefit to the spouses and children of Green Card holders who are awaiting the availability of an immigrant visa. To qualify, their petition must have been pending for at least three years or, if approved, three or more years must have passed since filing and an immigrant visa is not immediately available.
Employment is authorized.
The previously proposed T Retiree Visa has not been passed and consequently, the provision for the extended entry of retirees was never implemented. Visitors for pleasure now enter under the B-2 which is automatically issued for six months although entry may be approved for up to one year. The proposed T classification would have filled the need for longer status. Based on a Fiscal Year 2000 estimate of 700,000 new applications received and 1.3 million processed, the INS planned to reduce its average processing time to six months by the end of Fiscal Year 2000. This has not happened.