Taking your helper to the US with you for a month or two | ExpatWoman.com
 

Taking your helper to the US with you for a month or two

330
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 05 October 2012 - 15:34

I am sure I have seen threads on this in the past but now that I am trying to find them, I am not having any luck! Has anyone taken their helper/maid with them to the US on a visit visa? What is the process in terms of applying for the visa and how difficult is the process? Any past experiences/tips would be much appreciated!

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 October 2012 - 06:50
Hi GreenQueen, just wanted to make sure you received my email. Please let me know if it didn't come through.
330
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 13:30
Thank you MegDXB - much appreciated!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 October 2012 - 07:16
I've got your email address and will forward you the contract later today. We are both US citizens and my husband was able to go into the Consulate with our helper. He told the guard at the door that he was her sponsor and showed his US passport and he was let thru. We didn't have any 'domestic contract' from them, not sure what that is. Need to get my kids off to school but will be back online later and send you some information then!
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 14 October 2012 - 12:28
Bumping this up for MegDXB
330
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 13 October 2012 - 01:46
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply MegDXB. We have filled in the online application and have an interview booked for November. I am a US citizen so will accompany her to the interview if they let me. I was told that there is some sort of 'domestic contract' on the website that I can sign - is that not the case? Either way, would love to see a copy of what you drew up. Please let me know once you have the address and I will remove it. <em>edited by GreenQueen on 15/10/2012</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 October 2012 - 07:45
Hi GreenQueen ... we were successful in getting our helper a Visa and brought her to the US for seven weeks over the summer. To start, you need to go to the US Consulate website for Dubai and fill in the application. It's all online and you will have a confirmation page to print once its complete. At the same time, you search online for an interview appointment. It took me a week or two of refreshing the calendar to find an open slot for interview - I think they must release a few slots at a time and they go really quick. When it comes time for the interview, you can accompany your helper to the US Consulate. I think the interview process may differ if you are not US Citizens (we both are) and depending on the age/nationality of your helper. We drafted a contract for the period of time we were going to be in the US which showed that we would pay our helper according to minimum wages in the US. They also asked to see the Dubai contract and wanted evidence of how long she was working for us (which was just over a year so we showed her UAE Visa's showing my husbands name as Sponsor). I was over-prepared for the interview and brought along all sorts of documentation showing her ties to her home country (marriage license, son's birth certificate, bank account balances, property details in home country, etc). The questions they asked were mostly related to salary, working conditions and travel plans. They provided our helper with a document that outlines the US labor laws (which I had already given her a copy of as it is online). If you post your email address I can forward you a copy of the contract we drafted to bring to the Consulate. Let me know if you have any other questions!
330
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 10 October 2012 - 01:30
Thanks Di@DXB - am still hoping to get some more info like what documents to take along, what kind of questions the helper is asked during the interview etc.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 05 October 2012 - 16:10
This maybe the thread you are looking for http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=176890 hth
 
 

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