As with other forms of supporting evidence, attorneys should consider whether a letter of support addresses the T visa eligibility requirements. Generally, CAST does not recommend including affidavits or letters of support from friends or family members in support of the principal’s T visa application. First, third parties usually do not possess direct knowledge or have not witnessed the trafficking victimization. Second, including third party letters may open up the friends or family to have to testify in court proceedings outside of the immigration process. 

There may be instances where including a letter of support can potentially be helpful, such as where the applicant has significant inadmissibility or criminal issues and needs to demonstrate that they merit a favorable exercise of discretion. Absent those circumstances, letters of support are generally neither necessary nor useful.

For more information, see CAST's T Visa Checklist and FAQ, Evidentiary Requirements in T Visa Cases.