April 20, 2023
Are you looking for temporary work in the United States? Know the requirements and learn to identify job offers that might be fraudulent.
If you are looking for temporary employment in the United States under a H-2 visa, this information will help you get to know the process to obtain a visa and identify warning signs to identify job offers that might be fraudulent.
The requirements to request a H-2 temporary work visa are:
1) You need a job offer from an employer in the United States that has permission to hire foreign nationals with a temporary work visa such as H-2A or H-2B, otherwise, even if the company exists, without an offer it is impossible to go to work in the United States.
2) Have a valid passport to prove your identity. Attention! You do not need to send your original passport to your recruiter, in case of fraud, not only will you lose your money but also your passport. You have to be present to obtain a passport, no one can go to the appointment for you. To know more, click here.
3) Every person requesting a visa must fill the DS-160 format, available online on the United States consulate website, click here. Once you complete the format, you will obtain a payment format. Attention! The payment is made after you have completed the DS-160 format. Payment instructions will be sent to the email address provided when you start filling the format. You get an appointment after you have made the payment, never before making it.
4) Payment for visa application: These payments are only made to the official consulate bank accounts, which are: Citibanamex (bank reference 023-3047007), or Scotiabank (agreement 4244). In both cases, under the name of CSRA Mexico. For H-2 temporary work visas, the cost is USD$205 only, no other payments are required.
5) Go to your interview and/or fingerprinting appointments at the assigned consulate on your application. Consulates that process H-2 visas are located in Hermosillo and Nogales, Sonora; Tijuana, Baja California; Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua; Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas; Guadalajara, Jalisco and Mexico City. It is possible that you are required to pay for transportation costs, meals and lodging during your trip to the consulate. If so, remember to save the receipts of all expenses during this trip so your employer can reimburse them once you reach your employment destination. Attention! For this type of petition, these kinds of expenses are directly paid by workers. No advance payments are made for later reimbursement.
6) If your visa is approved, your trip to the United States starts! If so, generally employers are the ones covering expenses from the city where the consulate is located to the place of employment in the United States. Attention! You have employment and a contract only if your visa has been approved. You cannot sign a contract or any other agreement before the visa approval.
Learn to identify warning signs that might indicate a fraudulent offer. Most of the times you can find it in the information provided by the recruiter: Here are some of the most common ones:
They request a payment to a personal account or through a convenience store, such as OXXO, Coppel, Banco Azteca, or others, before providing complete information about the job offer.
They pressure you into meeting payment deadlines or “you will lose your contract”.
They suggest they apply for your passport, if you don’t have one.
They offer many benefits such as food, bonuses, among others.
They say they have multiple companies that want to hire you for different job openings and activities.
You receive an email allegedly sent by the consulate saying that you qualify to apply for a visa.
They request deposits to pay for transportation and lodging where the consulate is located.
They say you must buy some type of insurance so that you do not leave work when you arrive in the United States.
They ask you to pay for medical exams and biometrics.
They offer you an “open visa” or a visa with a validity of more than 11 months.
They say you must sign a contract to continue the process.
They say they will send the visa from the consulate in Los Angeles, CA.
They say a consular officer will reach out to you or visit you at home.
They request a payment for shipping and/or stationary expenses.
They offer vague responses to your questions or concerns.
They constantly change your departure date.
To avoid fraud, follow these steps:
STEP 1: Ask the following questions:
What is the name of the company that will be hiring me?
Where (state, city) is that company located?
What kind of work and visa are they offering me?
When does work start and end?
What would be my hourly salary? How many hours a week are they promising?
STEP 2: Call the United States consulate in Monterrey and verify the information they provided. Call free from Mexico at 800 108 4724, you can also send a WhatsApp message at 818 010 9508 or send an email at [email protected]
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM (Mexico City time).
Don’t be deceived! Before making any payments or sending any documents, verify.
Your experience has the capacity to avoid fraud! Visit Contratados.org and tell other people about your experience with a particular employer, recruiter or recruitment agency.
You can find some examples of reviews at Contratados.org
In this video, you can find some basic steps to apply for a visa, and in this one, other recommendations on verifications.
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