Temp Workers

H, L, O, P, Q Visas

Temporary Workers

Overview

Temporary worker visas are for persons who want to enter the United States for employment lasting a fixed period of time and are not considered permanent or indefinite. Each of these visas requires the prospective employer to first file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). An approved petition is required to apply for a work visa.

Visa category		General Description – About an individual in this category:

H-1B: Person in Specialty Occupation		To work in a specialty occupation. Requires a higher education degree or its equivalent. Includes fashion models of distinguished merit and ability and government-to-government research and development, or co-production projects administered by the Department of Defense.

H-1B1: Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Professional – Chile, Singapore		To work in a specialty occupation. Requires a post-secondary degree involving at least four years of study in the field of specialization. (Note: This is not a petition-based visa. For application procedures, please refer to the website for the U.S. Embassy in Chile or the U.S. Embassy in Singapore.)

H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Worker		For temporary or seasonal agricultural work. Limited to citizens or nationals of designated countries, with limited exceptions, if determined to be in the United States interest.

H-2B: Temporary Non-agricultural Worker		For temporary or seasonal non- agricultural work. Limited to citizens or nationals of designated countries, with limited exceptions, if determined to be in the United States interest.

H-3: Trainee or Special Education visitor		To receive training, other than graduate medical or academic, that is not available in the trainee’s home country or practical training programs in the education of children with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities.

L: Intracompany Transferee		To work at a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of the current employer in a managerial or executive capacity, or in a position requiring specialized knowledge. Individual must have been employed by the same employer abroad continuously for 1 year within the three preceding years.

O: Individual with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement		For persons with extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, or extraordinary recognized achievements in the motion picture and television fields, demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim, to work in their field of expertise. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.

P-1: Individual or Team Athlete, or Member of an Entertainment Group		To perform at a specific athletic competition as an athlete or as a member of an entertainment group. Requires an internationally recognized level of sustained performance. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.

P-2: Artist or Entertainer (Individual or Group)		For performance under a reciprocal exchange program between an organization in the United States and an organization in another country. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.

P-3: Artist or Entertainer (Individual or Group)		To perform, teach or coach under a program that is culturally unique or a traditional ethnic, folk, cultural, musical, theatrical, or artistic performance or presentation. Includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.

Q-1: Participant in an International Cultural Exchange Program		For practical training and employment and for sharing of the history, culture, and traditions of your home country through participation in an international cultural exchange program.

For more details on these Visas, visit Travel.State.gov.

Be sure to view local information below to determine fees and payment process and additional requirements.

Apply

After USCIS approves the Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129), you may apply for a visa.

Complete the Online Visa Application

Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:

- - - Passport
    - Travel itinerary if you have already made travel arrangements.
    - Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
    - Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
    - Other Information – Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.

Some applicants will need to have additional information and documents handy while completing the DS-160:

Review the instructions on how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy, consulate, or office providing consular services where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified.

All visa applicants, except H-1B and L, will generally need to show proof of compelling ties to your home country to demonstrate your intent to return after your temporary stay in the United States. Examples of compelling ties include:

- - - A residence abroad which you do not intend to abandon
    - Your family relationships
    - Your economic situation
    - Your long term plans

After you complete the DS-160, gather the required documentation

- - - Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
    - Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page.
    - Application fee payment receipt, if you are required to pay before your interview.
    - Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
    - Receipt Number for your approved petition as it appears on your Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, or Notice of Action, Form I-797, from USCIS.
    - L Visa Applicants – If you are included in an L blanket petition, you must bring Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition, to your interview.

For more information on the DS-160 please visit the Travel.State.gov FAQ page.

Additional Information

- - - The approval of a petition does not guarantee that you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
    - Spouse and Children –
      - With the exception of Cultural Exchange Visitor Q-1 visa applicants, your spouse and unmarried, minor children may also apply for the same visa category as you to accompany or join you. You must be able to show that you will be able to financially support your family in the United States.
      - For information about employment and study, review Temporary Workers information and Employment Authorization on the USCIS website.
    - Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.

Pay Fees (Prices in U.S. Dollars)

Each Applicant must pay a non-refundable processing (MRV) fee of US$205.00.

For some nationalities and visa types, an additional issuance fee may be required. Detailed information is available on your country of nationality’s Reciprocity Table on travel.state.gov. These additional fees will be paid at the time of your interview.

Schedule an Interview

Schedule an interview online (using the barcode of your Form DS-160) and print the appointment confirmation. Because of space limitations in our public waiting area, only the person with an appointment for an interview will be admitted. Exceptions: Parents or guardians of a minor child who has an appointment, a caregiver for a disabled person, and young children accompanying the person with an appointment will be allowed to enter the waiting area.

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required (some exceptions for renewals) to book one interview slot each and appear in person for an interview with a consular officer. While an interview is generally not required for children aged 13 and younger or for adults aged 80 and older, please keep in mind that a consular officer can require any applicant to appear for an interview. When submitting an application for a non-present child, the person present at the interview should bring the child’s birth certificate or family book as a supporting document.

Local Information

Please read the information in this section carefully. It contains location-specific information that you will need to know when applying for your Visa.

Select the country or area where you will apply for your visa:

Application Status

You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.

Some visa applications may require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.

Wizard Results