DHS Streamlines H-2A Visa Petition Process with New Electronic Filing Rule

Key Point  

• Starting October 2, 2025, DHS will allow earlier electronic filing of H-2A visa petitions using Form I-129H2A 

Online H-2A Electronic Filing  

Effective October 2, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is implementing a final rule to streamline the filing process for H-2A temporary agricultural worker petitions. This change allows U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to begin processing petitions earlier—specifically after the Department of Labor (DOL) issues a notice of acceptance for a Temporary Labor Certification (TLC), but before the TLC is formally approved. 

USCIS introduced Form I-129H2A, which petitioners must file electronically through a USCIS online account. Petitioners use this form to request unnamed beneficiaries without Form G-28, and USCIS rejects all paper submissions. When submitting the form, petitioners must include the ETA case number issued by the Department of Labor.

USCIS may begin processing petitions earlier, but it will not approve any until the Department of Labor finalizes the TLC. This procedural shift accelerates access to legal foreign labor for American farmers while preserving safeguards for U.S. workers.

Looking Ahead  

In the coming weeks, USCIS plans to expand the availability of Form I-129H2A to include petitions for named beneficiaries and those filed with Form G-28. Petitioners who prefer paper filing must continue using the standard Form I-129 

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