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EmailTransit Visa
Overview
Transit Under the Visa Waiver Program
About Transit Travel
Qualifying for a Transit Visa
How to Apply for a Transit Visa and Required Documentation
What are the Required Fees?
Additional Documentation and Next Steps
When are Other Types of Visas Required?
Additional Information
Misrepresentation of a Material Facts, or Fraud
Visa Ineligibility/Waiver
Visa Denials
Entering the U.S.-Port of Entry
Staying Beyond Your Authorized Stay in the U.S. and Being Out of Status
Further Visa Inquiries
In general, a citizen of a foreign country traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States enroute to a foreign destination requires a valid transit (C) visa. Exceptions to this requirement include those travelers eligible to transit the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) or travelers who are nationals of a country which has an agreement with the United States allowing their citizens to travel to the U.S. without visas.
Note: The former Transit Without a Visa (TWOV) program was discontinued. Learn more.
Transit under the Visa Waiver Program
A traveler who is a citizen of Visa Waiver Program country, qualifying for visa free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, is eligible to transit the United States without a transit visa. Learn more about transiting the U.S. when traveling on the Visa Waiver Program
- If the traveler is a passenger embarking at a foreign port on a cruise ship or other vessel which is proceeding to a foreign destination other than the United States, and during the course of the journey, the vessel makes port in the United States, with no intention of landing in the United States, a transit visa or other nonimmigrant visa is required.
- If the traveler seeks layover privileges for purposes other than for transit through the United States, such as to visit friends or for sightseeing, the applicant will have to qualify for the type of visa required for that purpose, such as a B-2 visa.
- A crewperson traveling to the United States as a passenger to join a ship or aircraft would require a transit visa.
- A foreign traveler proceeding in immediate and continuous transit through the United States to or from the United Nations Headquarters District, under provisions of the Headquarters agreement with the United Nations, would require a diplomatic transit (C-2) visa and have certain restrictions on travel within the United States.
To be eligible to obtain a transit visa, you must be able to demonstrate all of the following requirements:
- Intend to pass in immediate and continuous transit through the United States.
- Possess a common carrier ticket or other evidence of transportation arrangements to your destination.
- Have sufficient funds to carry out the purpose of the transit journey.
- Have permission to enter another country upon departure from the United States of America.
How to Apply for a Transit Visa and Required Documentation
Completion of the Nonimmigrant Visa Application is the first step in the process. Each applicant for a visa must submit these forms and documentation as explained below:
- Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-156, completed for each applicant and signed. The DS-156 must be the electronic e-form application. Select Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-156 to access the electronic version of the DS-156.
- Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-157 provides additional information about your travel plans. Submission of this completed form is required for all male applicants between 16-45 years of age. It is also required for all applicants from state sponsors of terrorism age 16 and over, irrespective of gender, without exception. Four countries are now designated as state sponsors of terrorism, including Cuba, Syria, Sudan, and Iran. Select Special Processing Procedures to learn more. You should know that a consular officer may require any nonimmigrant visa applicant to complete this form. Here is Form DS-157.
- Passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in the passport, each person desiring a visa must make an application;
- One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the required photo format explained in Nonimmigrant Photograph Requirements.
And present evidence of:
- Sufficient funds to cover all expenses while in the United States.
- Evidence to show that the applicant has a residence abroad to which he/she intends to return at the end of the stay in the United States. This is generally established by evidence of family, professional, property, employment or other ties and commitments to some country other than the United States sufficient to cause the applicant to return there at the conclusion of his/her stay.
Interview - As part of the visa application process, an interview at the embassy consular section is required for visa applicants from age 14 through 79. Persons age 13 and younger, and age 80 and older, generally do not require an interview, unless requested by embassy or consulate. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged. Visa wait times for interview appointments and visa processing time information for each U.S. Embassy or Consulate worldwide is available on our website at Visa Wait Times, and on most embassy websites. During the visa application process, usually at the interview, a ink-free,digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken. Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant's interview by a Consular Officer.
- Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee - For current fees for Department of State government services select Fees.
- Visa issuance fee – If the visa is issued, there will be an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee, if applicable. Please consult the Visa Reciprocity Tables to find out if you must pay a visa issuance reciprocity fee and the fee amount due. If there is a fee for issuance for the visa, it is equal as nearly as possible to the fee charged to United States citizens by the applicant's country of nationality.
Additional Documentation and Next Steps
It is important that you refer to the Embassy Consular Section website in the traveler’s country of residence to determine visa processing timeframes and instructions, learn about interview scheduling, and find out if there are any additional documentation items required. Learn more by contacting the Embassy Consular Section.
When are Other Types of Visas Required?
- A coasting officer seeking to enter the United States generally requires a visitor (B-1) visa. Coasting officers are employed when an officer of a foreign ship is granted home leave while the vessel is in U.S. ports. A replacement or coasting officer will temporarily substitute for an officer on leave during the period the vessel is in and out of various U.S. ports, provided the vessel does not remain in U.S. waters for more than 29 days, and the original officer returns in time to depart with the vessel. The coasting officer may then repeat the process with another vessel of the same foreign line.
- Crew members of a private yacht sailing out of a foreign port which will be cruising in U.S. waters for more than 29 days, generally would require a visitor ( B-1) visa. The applicant has to establish that they have a residence abroad which they do not intend to abandon and are otherwise qualified.
- Officers and employees of designated international organizations, assigned to the United States may to pass in immediate and continuous transit through the United States on a International Organization (G-4) visa, and don’t require a transit visa.
- We always recommend that individuals apply for visas well in advance of their proposed date of travel. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of nonrefundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.
- Unless previously canceled, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid U.S. visitor visa in an expired passport, do not remove the visa page from the expired passport. You may use it along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.
Misrepresentation of a Material Fact, or Fraud
Attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States. Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas, provides important information about ineligibilities.
The Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-156, indicates some classes of persons who are ineligible under U.S. law to receive visas. In some instances an applicant who is ineligible, but who is otherwise properly classifiable for a certain type of visa, may apply for a waiver of ineligibility and be issued a visa if the waiver is approved. Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas, provides important information about ineligibilities, by reviewing sections of the law taken from the immigration and Nationality Act.
If the consular officer should find it necessary to deny the issuance of a visa, the applicant may apply again if there is new evidence to overcome the basis for the refusal. For additional information, select Denials. In the absence of new evidence, consular officers are not obliged to re-examine such cases.
Entering the U.S. - Port of Entry
A visa allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad, to travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission to enter the U.S. Applicants should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the U.S., the CBP official will determine the length of your visit on the Arrival-Departure Record, (Form I-94). Since Form I-94 documents your authorized stay in the U.S., it’s very important to keep in your passport. In advance of travel, prospective travelers should review important information about Admissions/Entry requirements, as well as information related to restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products or other restricted/prohibited goods explained on the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection website. Upon arrival (at an international airport, seaport or land border crossing), you will be enrolled in the US-VISIT entry-exit program. In addition, some travelers will also need to register their entry into and their departure from the U.S. with the Special Registration program. The Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection internet site offers additional information on Admissions/Entry requirements.
Staying Beyond Your Authorized Stay in the U.S. and Being Out of Status
- Transit visa holders are not able to apply to USCIS to adjust status or extend their stay in the U.S., under immigration law.
- It is important that you depart the U.S. on or before the last day you are authorized to be in the U.S. on any given trip, based on the specified end date on your Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94. Failure to depart the U.S. will cause you to be out-of-status.
- Staying beyond the period of time authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and being out-of-status in the United States is a violation of U.S. immigration laws, and may cause you to be ineligible for a visa in the future for return travel to the U.S. Select Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas to learn more.
- Staying unlawfully in the United States beyond the date Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authorized, even by one day, results in your visa being automatically voided, in accordance with INA 222(g). Under this provision of immigration law, if you overstay on your nonimmigrant authorized stay in the U.S., your visa will be automatically voided. In this situation, you are required to reapply for a new nonimmigrant visa, generally in your country of nationality.
- Questions on visa application procedures and visa ineligibilities should be made to the American consular office abroad by the applicant. Before submitting your inquiry, we request that you carefully review this web site and also the Embassy Consular web site abroad. Very often you will find the information you need.
- If your inquiry concerns a visa case in progress overseas, you should first contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate handling your case for status information. Select U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and you can choose the Embassy or Consulate Internet site you need to contact.
