Nanny visa: Can I bring my nanny to the United States?

You’re ready for your trip to the U.S. with your children, but you could also use help from your nanny. Could you bring them to the U.S. as well? Sure you could, but before booking their flight and accommodation, you need to take care of a nanny visa. The application process is not difficult, but you need to understand your position as an employer. If your nanny is a non-U.S. citizen and wants to accompany you to the U.S., take into account your legal status in the United States. Understanding your circumstances and visa conditions is the sure way towards a relaxed trip to the United States.

If you’re a U.S. citizen employer

Coming to the United States as a U.S. citizen means you’re coming home. However, the duration of your stay will influence the nanny visa type you will need. If you’re coming for a temporary stay that is not longer than 180 days and you’re traveling with your child and their nanny, your nanny may apply for the B1 business visa. This will allow your nanny to stay with you in the United States to take care of your child. If your nanny applies for the J1 or H1B visa, as a U.S. citizen employer you’ll need to inform the authorities about the fact that there is a non-U.S. citizen employee under your wing. In those cases, you're obliged to obtain a work permit for the nanny before the beginning of their work in the U.S. and provide them with a bed and board.

If you’re a non-U.S. citizen employer

This is a fairly simple case of a visa. By holding a B, E, F, H, I, J, L, M, O, P, or Q visa yourself, your nanny will need the B1 business visa and no work permit. If you hold an A1 or A2 visa as an ambassador, diplomat, or foreign government official, your nanny will be eligible for an A3 visa. If you are a G1, G2, G3, or G4 visa holder as a foreign government representation or employee of an international organization, your nanny may apply for the G5 visa. Just like a U.S. citizen employer, you’ll need to take care of your employee’s accommodation and weekly pay. The nanny must have their work conditions described within their work contract, including the duration of their stay in the United States that will be directly associated with your stay.

Important info about your nanny’s visa

Your nanny’s obligations are in their work contract. Taking care of your child within their forty-hour workweek should be the main reason why they’ll be accompanying you on the trip. When the nanny arrives for their visa interview at the Embassy, they need to state that they’re planning to come back to their country of residence. The main catch is to convince the Consular Officer that they will not immigrate to the U.S. but respect the duration and limitations of their issued visa.

The nanny needs to prove they have the minimum work experience of one year before coming to the United States. Secondly, they need to prove that they have binding factors that prove they will return to their country of origin or residence. Your nanny needs to prove they’re not related to you via family ties. Lastly, their work contract needs to specify that the nanny has been working for you for at least one year before their visa application, the list of their work obligations, and the duration of their employment.

If you’re still having any doubts regarding your nanny's visa, you can reach out to VisaExpress today and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.