H-2B Work Visa Requirements, Fees, and Application Process Full Guide

Both skilled and unskilled seasonal non-agricultural workers are eligible to apply for an H-2B visa for entry into the United States. You must first have a job offer for a position for which there aren’t enough Americans available or ready to accept it. You must be able to prove that you want to go home after your stay is over.

A wide range of job categories, including business trainers, performers, sports, camp counselors, ski instructors, and home caregivers for terminally ill patients, use these visas.

The H-2B visa holder can go to the US with their spouse and any unmarried kids under the age of 21. While in the country, the dependents are permitted to go to school but are not allowed to work.

How long is the H-2B visa valid for?

The first H-2B visa is valid for a maximum of one year. The visa may be extended upon request in one-year increments if the company can demonstrate that it needs you for a longer period of time and you can demonstrate that you still want to return to your native country when necessary. However, obtaining such extensions might be challenging. They are not at all automated.

With an H-2B visa, you are only permitted to stay in the country for a total of three years.

What is the annual cap on the number of H-2B visas that can be approved?

The 66,000 H2B cap every fiscal year set by Congress includes 33,000 for work starting in the first half of the fiscal year (October 1 – March 31) and 33,000 for employment starting in the second half of the fiscal year (April 1 – September 30).

Since there are frequently many applications in this category, you might not be granted a visa in the year that you apply.

For whom is an H-2B visa available?

To qualify for an H-2B visa, your employer must meet the following requirements:

• The employer must have a need that is seasonal, one-time, intermittent, or peak load.
• The job time frame must be for less than one year.
• There must be no qualified and willing U.S. workers available for the job.

The employee must meet the following H-2B visa requirements:

• You must have a valid job offer from a U.S. employer to do seasonal or temporary work.
• You must have the correct background and abilities for the job.
• You must intend to return home before the expiration date on the visa.

How much should I budget for H-2B visa fees and expenses?

The company must pay a filing fee for the I-129 Petition of Nonimmigrant Worker as part of the charges associated with an H-2B visa. You will have to pay a visa application fee at the U.S. consulate. Visit the State Department website’s Fees for Visa Services page to find out the most recent sum.

What Is the Application Process for an H-2B Visa?

Instead of employing you, your American business must start the process by recruiting and advertising for the position. If suitable employees cannot be located, the business may get a temporary labor certification from the state workforce agency (SWA) in their area. The U.S. Department will receive the case from the SWA.

Documents to Bring to Your Visa Appointment at the U.S. Consulate

The U.S. consulate will likely ask you to bring:

• A printout of the Form DS-160 that you filled out online.
• Notice from USCIS showing I-129 approval.
• Valid passport for you and each accompanying family member.
• One photo of each applicant, passport style.
• If your spouse and children will be accompanying you, documents showing the family relationship, such as birth and marriage certificates.
• Documents establishing your intent to leave the U.S. when your H-2B status expires, such as copies of a deed to a house or a lease for an apartment, letters from an employer saying your job will be waiting for you, and so on.