New U.S. Consulate Screening for H-2 Visa Truck Driver Applicants: What Employers and Agents Need to Do Now

If you hire H-2 workers to operate commercial motor vehicles in the United States—this is a big update, and it’s effective immediately. 

The U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico has implemented additional screening requirements for visa applicants who will be driving commercial vehicles in the U.S. That includes many job titles used across agriculture, logistics, production, construction, and transportation. 

Bottom line: If your H-2 worker is anchored to an application requiring a CDL driver (or any commercial driver role), they must bring new documents to their consular interview, or the visa processing can be delayed or rejected. 

Farmer Enterprises is sharing the key details so you can act fast, stay compliant, and keep your start dates on track. 

What Changed (Effective Immediately) 

Per the Monterrey H-2 Visa Team, H-2 visa applicants seeking to operate commercial motor vehicles in the United States are now subject to additional screening. 

That means registered H-2 agents processing these cases must ensure applicants bring the required documents to their consular interview—and the documents must also be sent to the consulate for review. We include a list of the required documents below. 

If those steps are missed, the consulate warns that it can result in: 

• Delayed visa processing 
• A required return trip to the consulate for a follow-up interview; and 
• Potentially reduced access to group appointment scheduling for the agent. 

In other words: this update doesn’t just affect one worker—it can impact the speed of processing for future appointments too and the visa approvals for the group of workers anchored to the approved Form I-129 Petition 

Who This Affects 

This applies to H-2 visa applicants filling job titles that include, but are not limited to: 

• CDL Driver 
• Driver / Road Driver 
• Line Haul Driver 
• Log Truck Driver 
• Over the Road Driver 
• Production Truck Driver 
• Semi-Truck Driver 
• Tractor Trailer Driver 
• Truck Driver 
• Drivers-Farm Laborers 
• CDL Driver and Laborer 

The notice references Department of Labor SOC Code: 53-3032.00 (Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers). Please note that the implications of this could relate to other SOC Codes if the application requires a Commercial Driving License. It is unclear at this time whether the Consulate is instructed to broaden its scope for SOC Codes. Therefore, if your job order involves commercial driving, assume this applies and prepare accordingly. 

Required Documents for the Consular Interview 

Applicants must bring all of the following: 

1. Police report(s): A police report from each state in Mexico where the applicant has worked or lived for more than three months in the previous 10 years. 
2. This is the biggest burden item, and it’s where delays will most commonly happen. 
3. Copies of all commercial driver’s licenses: Applicants must provide copies of every commercial driver’s license they have held. 
4. Mexican driving record: Applicants must provide a copy of their Mexican driving record. 

Where the Documents Must Be Sent 

The consulate requests that the required documents be emailed to: MonterreyH2Visas@state.gov 

After the documents are sent and reviewed, applicants will need to return to the consulate in Monterrey for a follow-up interview. 

So yes—this can add an extra trip and extra time, which is why getting the documents in early matters. 

Why This Matters for Employers 

If you’re hiring H-2 commercial drivers, this update changes your timeline planning. 

Even strong applications can get delayed if: 

• the worker arrives without the police report(s), 
• the driving record isn’t ready, or 
• the agent hasn’t submitted everything to the consulate. 

And delays don’t happen in a vacuum—they can cascade into: 

• missed arrival windows, 
• equipment downtime, 
• harvest/logistics disruption, 
• Insufficient labor support for services; and 
• higher costs to cover the gap, etc. 

If your season depends on drivers arriving on time, this is something you want to build into your process today—not after the interview date. 

What Farmer Enterprises Recommends (Do This Now) 

If you currently have H-2 driver candidates in process—or you plan to hire H-2 drivers this season—here’s what we recommend: 

1. Identify all commercial-driver positions in your pipeline. If a role involves operating commercial motor vehicles in the U.S., treat it as impacted. 
2. Start police reports early. Because the requirement covers each Mexican state where the worker lived or worked for 3+ months over the last 10 years, collecting these can take time. Don’t wait until the interview is scheduled. 
3. Collect license copies and the Mexican driving record upfront. Make these part of your standard pre-interview document checklist for driver roles. 
4. Confirm submission before interview day. Applicants and agents should confirm the documents have been sent to the consulate at MonterreyH2Visas@state.gov. 
5. Expect and plan for a follow-up interview. The consulate states that once documents are submitted, applicants will need to return to Monterrey for a follow-up interview. Plan for the timing and travel impact. 

Need Help Keeping Your Driver Cases Moving? 

Farmer Enterprises works with employers and their teams to reduce delays, tighten compliance, and keep H-2 staffing timelines realistic—especially for high-risk, high-impact positions like commercial drivers. 

If you need help building this new document requirement into your workflow (or reviewing driver cases already in motion), reach out to us today. In today’s environment, the employers who win are the ones who treat document readiness like operations—not paperwork.