What is it? How do I get it? How much is it? How do I renew it? One of the main steps towards your career at sea.
Martina from Argentina
What is a C1/D Visa?
This is a combination of two visas (C1 + D) given out to seafarers to allow for multiple short entries to the U.S. to join the ship's they will be working on and any future visits while in port up until sign-off date.
"Crewmember (D) visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons working on board commercial sea vessels or international airlines in the United States, providing services required for normal operation and intending to depart the United States on the same vessel or any other vessel within 29 days. If you travel to the United States to join the vessel you will work on, in addition to a crewmember (D) visa, you also need a transit (C-1) visa or a combination C-1/D visa."
When do I need to get it?
To avoid wasting money, (and precious validity time of your Visa) only start with your visa application once you have been presented with an Offer Letter from a cruise line (A formal document stating that they offer a position to you within the company, including all the details of said job). They will then present you with a Letter of Employment (LOE, indicating what vessel you have been assigned to and on which date you are scheduled to join) for you to present to request this document.
Where do I get it?
Click here to find your local Consulate or Embassy.
"You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live."
Click here to find out what are the wait times of your local Consulate.
What is the Process Like?
The process may differ in each country, but usually, you basically need to:
Fill out an Online Visa Application, Form DS-160 in english, on this site - have a look at this sample Form and find FAQs here.
Print the confirmation page that includes a bar code.
Upload a Photo of you following these requirements.
Sign up on your local Embassy website, present all pertinent information.
Schedule a face-to-face interview with an immigration agent.
Pay the non-refundable, non-transferable fee (+ visa approval fee if needed in your country) [Keep your receipt if your cruise line refunds your visa!]
How Much does it Cost?
Airline/Ship Crewmember Visa (D) has a current solicitation fee of U$D 160 (+ local fees if applicable). In many cases, applicants will be granted both the combination of a C1/D visa and a general-purpose entry visa like the B1 for tourism and business purposes.
"If you travel to the United States to meet and board the vessel you will work on, you need a transit (C-1) visa. (This is in addition to the crewmember (D) visa required to work on the vessel.) If you apply for the transit (C-1) visa at the same time as your crewmember (D) visa, you may be issued a combination C-1/D visa, if the reciprocity schedule for your country of citizenship allows for issuance of a C-1/D visa, and if the consular officer determines you are qualified. Select the country reciprocity schedules for more information."
What Documents Do I Need for my Interview?
Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:
Passport valid for travel to the United States - Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family memebrs listed in your passport.
Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page.
Application fee payment receipt, if you are required to pay before your interview
Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
LOE and Offer Letter
"Additional requested documents may include evidence of:
The purpose of your trip;
Your intent to depart the United States after your trip; and/or
Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.
Evidence of your employment and/or your family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip."
How Will my Interview be Like?
"A consular officer will interview you to determine whether you are qualified to receive a crewmember visa. You must establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive the visa in the category for which you are applying.
Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans are taken as part of the application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.
After your visa interview, the consular officer may determine that your application requires further administrative processing. The consular officer will inform you if this is required.
After the visa is approved, you may need to pay a visa issuance fee (if applicable to your nationality), and make arrangements for the return of the passport and visa to you. Review the visa processing times to learn more."
Additional Information You may apply for a crewmember visa without being employed at the time of your visa application. However, the crewmember visa may only be used for entry to a U.S. port if you are employed on the sea vessel or aircraft on which you arrive.
There is no guarantee that you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
Crewmember (D) visa holders must depart the United States on a vessel within 29 days. The United States is defined as including the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You are not considered to have departed the United States until the vessel you are on travels to international waters destined to a foreign port.
The operating base is where the vessel takes on supplies regularly, where the cargo of the vessel is sold, or where the owner or master of the vessel engages in business transactions.
Spouse or Children -
Your spouse and unmarried, minor children may apply for visitor (B) visas to accompany you, if they will not perform services required for normal operation of the vessel.
If your spouse and/or children plan to enter the United States for another purpose, then they must apply for the visa category required for that purpose of travel. Review all visa categories.
Can my Visa be Denied?
"An application may be denied because the consular officer does not have all of the information required to determine if the applicant is eligible to receive a visa, because the applicant does not qualify for the visa category for which he or she applied, or because the information reviewed indicates the applicant falls within the scope of one of the inadmissibility or ineligibility grounds of the law. An applicant’s current and/or past actions, such as drug or criminal activities, as examples, may make the applicant ineligible for a visa."
The visa applicant could be found ineligible if he or she :
Did not fully complete the visa application and/or provide all required supporting documentation.
Was convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.
Was convicted of a drug violation.
Has two or more criminal convictions for which the total sentence of confinement was 5 years or more.
Misrepresented a material fact or committed fraud to attempt to receive a visa.
Previously remained longer than authorized in the United States.
Visa Renewal
Valid Visa on Old Passport?
A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.
How do I Renew my Expired Visa?
The steps will be the same as in the application process:
Fill out an Online Visa Application, Form DS-160.
Print the confirmation page that includes a bar code.
Upload a Photo of you following these requirements. (From last 6 months)
Sign up on your local Embassy website, present all pertinent information.
Schedule a face-to-face interview with an immigration agent.
Pay the non-refundable, non-transferable fee (+ visa approval fee if needed in your country) [Keep your receipt if your cruise line refunds your visa!]
Some countries will allow visa renewals to be done by submitting the required documentation on the mail, but they usually require the applicant to be present at the issuing country in case a face-to-face interview is considered necessary. And that they had no previous issues with the law or immigration processes.
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