H-2A Visa
Process
for Workers
Elegibility
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Workers must have a valid job offer from a U.S. employer.
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They should possess the necessary skills, experience, or qualifications required for the job.
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Workers must meet health and character requirements.
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They must have the intention to return to their home country after their temporary work period.
H-2A Visa Application Process
1
Step 1. Find a company in the U.S. in need of temporary workers.
Jobs can be found through word of mouth, a nearby visa agent, job fairs, and job websites. U.S. Embassies and Consulates do not maintain a "job bank" or provide a roster of available positions.
2
Step 2. Review your job contract and confirm that the petition is valid.
Review that details of the job you have been offered and how much you will be paid. You must be provide with a contract written in the language you speak. The contract should encompass comprehensive details such as wages, duration of employment, working hours, and benefits, which may include provisions for transportation, housing, meals, or cooking facilities. Ensure that the contract outlines any potential deductions from your paycheck. It is your entitlement to receive fair compensation, even if the payment is based on a piece rate. Be cautious, as a job offer lacking these essential details could be indicative of fraudulent practices.
3
Step 3. Complete a DS-160 visa application form and pay the $205 USD visa application fee
Prior to your visa interview at the Consulate, it is crucial to fill out and submit the Form DS-160 online. Honest and accurate information is essential in your application. Disclose any past arrests, previous stays in the United States, and instances of attempting to cross the border. These activities do not automatically disqualify you from the H-2 visa program. While your agent can aid in completing the form, it remains the applicant's responsibility to verify the completeness and accuracy of all information provided in the application.
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Step 4. Ensure that you meet the requirements to make a visa appointment.
Before making an appointment for a visa interview, make sure you have the following:
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A valid, undamaged passport – please confirm that your passport is valid (not expired) and the data is correct, including your date of birth, gender, and spelling of your name.
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Valid petition number
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Proof of payment of the $205 USD visa application fee
5
Step 5. Attend your appointment at the Applicant Service Center
In the event that your appointment is scheduled at the U.S. Embassy or a Consulate, either you or a designated agent will initially visit the Applicant Service Center to submit your documentation.
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Step 6. If requested to interview, come to your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate two days later
Honesty during your interview is very important. You are required to reveal any past arrests, prior stays in the United States, and instances of attempting to cross the border. Engaging in these activities does not automatically disqualify you from the H-2 visa program. Nevertheless, failure to disclose prior unlawful presence, crossing attempts, or arrests can lead to visa denial and potential permanent visa ineligibility.
7
Step 7. If approved
Receive your visa and travel to a U.S. port of entry to begin employment
H-2 visas are petition-based visas, meaning that the U.S. employer must first apply for petition approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before scheduling workers for visa appointments. If in doubt about the legitimacy of the job petition, please contact the Fraud Prevention Unit at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you intend to apply to verify the legitimacy of the petition.
Although individuals have the option to schedule appointments, typically, petitioners or their representatives in Mexico arrange appointments for their workers. Should you wish to set up your own appointment, you can follow the instructions provided on the Official U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service website.
Signs that your job offer may not be legitimate:
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The recruiter constantly changes the date of the appointment at the Consulate or date of departure for the U.S.
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The recruiter cannot clearly explain the costs of the application.
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The recruiter does not provide details about the job (name of the company, city and state of the jobsite, list of job responsibilities, salary information, length of contract).
In order to maintain a visa process that is fair and equitable to all applicants, please note the following:
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DO NOT PAY ANY FEES TO RECRUITERS. No fee paid to anyone will guarantee the issuance of a visa.
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No fee will guarantee a specific appointment date or time.
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Be truthful during the interview; don’t accept advice to mislead the consular officer. Misleading or lying could result in a permanent visa denial.
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Only persons applying for visas are allowed into the Consulate.
Eligible
Countries
1. Andorra
2. Argentina
3. Australia
4. Austria
5. Barbados
6. Belgium
7. Bosnia and Herzegovina
8. Brazil
9. Brunei
10. Bulgaria
11. Canada
12. Chile
13. Colombia
14. Costa Rica
15. Croatia
16. Republic of Cyprus
17. Czech Republic
18. Denmark
19. Dominican Republic
20. Ecuador
21. El Salvador
22. Estonia
23. The Kingdom of Eswatini
24. Fiji
25. Finland
26. France
27. Germany
28. Greece
29. Grenada
30. Guatemala
31. Haiti
32. Honduras
33. Hungary
34. Iceland
35. Ireland
36. Israel
37. Italy
38. Jamaica
39. Japan
40. Kiribati
41. Latvia
42. Liechtenstein
43. Lithuania
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44. Luxembourg
45. Madagascar
46. Malta
47. Mauritius
48. Mexico
49. Monaco
50. Montenegro
51. Mozambique
52. Nauru
53. The Netherlands
54. New Zealand
55. Nicaragua
56. North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia)
57. Norway
58. Panama
59. Papua New Guinea
60. Paraguay
61. Peru
62. Poland
63. Portugal
64. Romania
65. Saint Lucia
66. San Marino
67. Serbia
68. Singapore
69. Slovakia
70. Slovenia
71. Solomon Islands
72. South Africa
73. South Korea
74. Spain
75. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
76. Sweden
77. Switzerland
78. Taiwan
79. Thailand
80. Timor-Leste
81. Turkey
82. Tuvalu
83. Ukraine
84. United Kingdom
85. Uruguay
86. Vanuatu
