Moving to the USA from Honduras: Visas, Work Programs and Green Cards

Honduras is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998 (effective January 1, 2026), and it was not on the list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused in January 2026.

Changes that do affect Hondurans:

• Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.
• TPS ended. The US terminated Temporary Protected Status for Honduras. Hondurans who held TPS should see TPS terminations, check the USCIS TPS page for dates and court orders, and speak to a licensed immigration lawyer or accredited representative about other options.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Honduras is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist or B-1 business visa. Complete the DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Tegucigalpa. Show your job, family ties, and funds. Visitors cannot work in the US. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

H-2A and H-2B. Honduras is on the list of countries eligible for H-2A farm and H-2B non-farm seasonal jobs. A US employer must get a temporary labor certification and file a petition, and you then interview in Tegucigalpa. H-2 rules bar employers and recruiters from charging workers recruitment fees; anyone asking you to pay for a job is a red flag. See scam protection.

E-1 and E-2. Honduras has had E-1 and E-2 treaty status since 1928. Honduran nationals who invest a substantial amount in a US business they develop and direct can apply for an E-2, which can be issued for up to 5 years at a time. The State Department charges Hondurans a reciprocity (issuance) fee for E-2 visas; see the Honduras reciprocity page for the amount.

H-1B. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee.

Family. Family sponsorship is the main green card route. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens have no annual cap. Siblings and married children wait many years. Hondurans use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin.

Past time in the US without status. Leaving the US for a visa interview after unlawful presence can trigger a 3-year or 10-year bar. Some relatives of US citizens and green card holders can apply for a provisional waiver (Form I-601A) first. Talk to a licensed immigration lawyer before you travel. See visa denials and waivers.

Diversity Visa. Honduran natives were not eligible for DV-2026 because more than 50,000 Hondurans immigrated to the US in the previous five years. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

The US Embassy in Tegucigalpa handles all visa categories for Honduras. Book appointments through the embassy's website and read our visa interview guide.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Honduras page lists:

• Police certificate: a Constancia de Antecedentes Policiales from the Secretariat of Security's police records department. You can get it online or in person with your Honduran ID. A lawyer or family member can apply for someone living abroad. It is valid for two years and is not issued to people under 18. Records from before 1995 may not be available.
• Birth certificate: a certified copy of the birth record (Certificacion de Acta de Nacimiento) from the Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP).
• Marriage and divorce: marriage and divorce records, also from the RNP.

Spanish documents need certified English translations.

Large Honduran communities live in Houston in Texas, South Florida (Miami), the New Orleans area of Louisiana, New York City (especially the Bronx), Los Angeles, Charlotte in North Carolina, and the Washington, DC area. Honduran consulates in the US help nationals with passports and documents, and many cities have legal aid groups for TPS holders.