How to Apply for a Domestic Helper Visa in the USA

A domestic helper visa in the USA is available only to a narrow group of sponsors: foreign diplomats, employees of international organizations, NATO personnel, and certain U.S. citizens or foreign nationals who ordinarily live abroad and are visiting temporarily. If you are a U.S. citizen or green card holder living in the United States, no visa category lets you bring in a foreign household worker. For everyone who does qualify, the process runs through the State Department’s nonimmigrant visa system and locks the employer into a detailed written contract, federal wage rules, and household employment taxes from the day the worker starts.

Who Can Sponsor a Domestic Helper

Eligibility is limited to people who already hold specific immigration statuses or who live outside the country. The main sponsors are:

Foreign government officials in A-1 or A-2 status, who sponsor helpers under the A-3 category.
International organization employees in G-1 through G-4 status, who sponsor helpers under the G-5 category.
NATO officials and employees in NATO-1 through NATO-6 status, who sponsor helpers under the NATO-7 category.¹

The B-1 Route for Employers Living Abroad

A U.S. citizen who ordinarily resides in a foreign country and is temporarily in the United States can bring a domestic helper on a B-1 visitor visa. The worker must have been employed by that citizen for at least six months before the trip, or the citizen must show a pattern of regularly employing domestic help while living overseas.²

A foreign national in nonimmigrant status who wants to bring a domestic worker on a B-1 faces a stricter threshold: the employment relationship must have existed for at least one year before the employer’s admission, or the employer must show a pattern of regularly employing domestic help over several years abroad.² In either scenario, the employer must continue to reside abroad, and the worker must keep a foreign residence they don’t intend to abandon.

How Long the Worker Can Stay

A-3, G-5, and NATO-7 helpers are admitted for a period tied to the sponsoring employer’s assignment, which can run up to three years and may be extended so long as the employer maintains valid status. B-1 helpers get much less time. The initial admission is typically up to six months, with six-month extensions available through USCIS. Once the employer’s visit ends, the worker’s authorization generally ends too.

Requirements for the Domestic Helper

The worker applying for the visa must meet several baseline requirements:

At least 18 years old.
A valid passport, with the validity period most consulates expect (often at least six months beyond the planned stay).
At least one year of experience as a domestic employee, supported by statements from prior employers.³
An original signed employment contract meeting State Department specifications.
A residence abroad they intend to return to, since every category here is nonimmigrant.

The Employment Contract

The contract is the backbone of the application. Consular officers read it carefully, and a contract missing required terms will sink the visa. It must be written in English and, if the worker doesn’t understand English, also in a language the worker reads. Both parties sign two copies.⁴

Every contract must set out:

A specific description of the duties (housekeeping, cooking, childcare, gardening, and so on) and a statement that the worker will work only for the signing employer.
Normal working hours and a weekly total, generally 35 to 40 hours, with at least one full day off each week and specified paid holidays, sick days, and vacation.
Overtime terms. Hours beyond the normal weekly total are overtime, and “on call” time counts as work time.
The hourly wage, paid weekly or biweekly. The rate must be the highest of the federal minimum wage of $7.25, the applicable state minimum wage, or the prevailing wage for similar work in that geographic area.⁴
No deductions from wages for lodging, food, medical care, medical insurance, or travel. Free room and board cannot be used to reduce the stated hourly wage.
Employer-paid transportation to and from the United States, including any trips where the worker accompanies the family.
Payment by check or electronic transfer, after the first 30 days, to a U.S. bank account in the worker’s name only.
Sole possession by the worker of their passport, visa, and I-94 at all times. The employer may not withhold the contract, bank cards, computers, phones, or any other personal property.
Freedom of movement. The worker is not required to remain on the employer’s premises outside working hours.

Finding the Prevailing Wage

The Department of Labor’s OFLC Wage Search tool is the official way to look up the prevailing wage. Select the relevant time period, enter the occupation code for domestic workers, and specify state and county to get the prevailing hourly rate.⁵

Applying for the Visa

A-3, G-5, and NATO-7

These visas are handled through diplomatic channels. The employer’s mission or international organization submits official documentation, such as a diplomatic note, to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the worker’s behalf. There is no application fee for A, G, or NATO categories.⁶

The worker completes Form DS-160 online and schedules an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence.⁷ At the interview, they present the signed contract, valid passport, visa-compliant photos, and any documents the consulate requests. The visa may issue the same day or go to administrative processing.

B-1 Domestic Employees

The B-1 route follows the standard nonimmigrant process. The worker files Form DS-160, pays the $185 application fee, and attends a consular interview.⁶ Bring the signed contract, passport, photos, and evidence of the qualifying employer-employee relationship, such as prior pay records or employer statements. The worker should also be ready to show proof of foreign residence and intent to return.

After the Worker Arrives

Form I-9

Once the helper starts work, the employer must complete Form I-9. Section 2, where the employer inspects identity and work authorization documents, has to be finished within three business days of the first day of work. If the job lasts fewer than three days, complete the form on day one.⁸ Keep the form for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later.⁹

Household Employment Taxes

Paying a household employee triggers federal tax obligations at specific wage thresholds. If you pay a household employee $3,000 or more in cash wages during 2026, you owe Social Security and Medicare taxes on those wages. The combined FICA rate is 15.3%, split evenly at 7.65% each (6.2% Social Security, 1.45% Medicare). You can withhold the employee’s share or pay it yourself, but either way it has to reach the IRS.¹⁰

If you pay total cash wages of $1,000 or more to all household employees in any calendar quarter of 2025 or 2026, you also owe federal unemployment tax. The rate is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages, though a credit of up to 5.4% for state unemployment taxes typically brings the effective rate to 0.6%.¹⁰

Report Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, and any withheld federal income tax on Schedule H, filed with your personal Form 1040.¹¹ You may need to raise your own estimated tax payments or W-4 withholding during the year to avoid an underpayment penalty. State obligations vary; most states require payments into the state unemployment insurance fund once wages exceed a quarterly threshold, and some require state income tax withholding.

Wages, Hours, and the Live-In Exception

Domestic helpers are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. At a minimum they earn the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for every hour worked, plus overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours beyond 40 in a workweek.¹² Because the contract must pay the higher of the federal rate, the state rate, or the prevailing wage, the actual hourly rate will almost always exceed $7.25.

If the helper lives in your home permanently or for an extended period, they are exempt from federal overtime, though you still owe at least minimum wage (or prevailing wage, if higher) for every hour worked. Employers of live-in workers can agree to exclude sleep time, meal periods, and other stretches of complete freedom from duties, but any interruption to answer a duty call counts as paid work time.¹³ Some states require overtime for live-in domestic workers regardless of the federal exemption.

When the Job Ends

The helper’s visa status is tied to the sponsoring employer. When the employment ends, the worker loses the basis for staying in the United States. The contract must require the employer to pay the worker’s transportation back to their home country when the job concludes.⁴ Workers may have a short window to arrange departure or, in limited circumstances, seek a change of status, but these categories offer little flexibility. If employment ends unexpectedly, contacting an immigration attorney quickly is worth the cost.

Workers who face wage theft, unpaid overtime, or other labor violations can file a confidential complaint with the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243. The division will not disclose the worker’s name, and federal law prohibits retaliation for filing a complaint or cooperating with an investigation.¹⁴

1
U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 9 FAM 402.3 – Officials and Employees of Foreign Governments and International Organizations
2
U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 9 FAM 402.2 – Tourists and Business Visitors
3
U.S. Embassy in Argentina. Domestic Employees (B-1)
4
U.S. Department of State. Employment of Domestic Workers – Requirements and Procedures
5
Foreign Labor Certification Data Center. OFLC Wage Search
6
U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
7
U.S. Department of State. Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160)
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
10
Internal Revenue Service. Publication 926 – Household Employer’s Tax Guide
11
Internal Revenue Service. About Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes
12
U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 79D – Hours Worked Applicable to Domestic Service Employment Under the FLSA
13
U.S. Department of Labor. Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Service
14
U.S. Department of Labor. How to File a Complaint