Things to Know About the US Transit Visa Application Process

A US transit visa is one of the temporary visa types granted for transit in the US if you are traveling to a third country via the United States by air or sea.

A US transit visa, designated as visa group C, is granted only if the purpose of travel is transit through a US airport or port. With a transit visa, you cannot travel to the US for touristic purposes or visit family and friends.

Does the US Require Transit Visa from any country?

Yes, All foreign citizens are required to obtain a transit visa for their travels via the USA. The US transit visa exemption is only granted to citizens of countries that are included in the US Visa Waiver Program, which includes 40 countries such as the European Union, the United Kingdom and Australia.

What are the US C Visa Types?

US C visa types are listed below.

US C1 visa: Issued to non-US citizens who transit through the US on their way to their final destination.
United States C2 visa: Issued to non-U.S. citizens traveling to the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City or to United Nations officials transiting through the United States on their way to a final destination.
United States C3 visa: Issued to foreign government officials traveling via the United States for official or business purposes on their way to their final destination.

What is the US C1/D Visa?

The US C1/D visa is a type of visa issued to international commercial airline or maritime personnel, which is a combination of the transit (C1) visa and crew (D) visa types.

If you need to travel to the USA to board the vehicle you work on as a ship or airline crew , an American crew visa is not sufficient; you must obtain a C1/D visa to ensure transit.

How to Get a US Transit Visa?

To apply for a US transit visa, please follow the steps below in order.

Complete the online visa application form and print the confirmation page.
Pay the US C visa application fee.
Make an interview appointment at the US foreign mission.
Prepare the necessary documents for the transit visa.
Provide fingerprint registration on the appointment date and attend the visa interview.

USA Online Visa Application Form (DS-160)

In the first step of the US transit visa application, fill out the online DS-160 visa form at ceac.state.gov. In the travel information section of the DS-160 form, select the “Alien in Transit (C)” and “Transit (C1)” options, respectively. On the same page, fully declare your travel plan details, such as your arrival and departure dates to the US, city and flight information.

In the final stage of the DS-160 form, upload the digital biometric photo to the application system and submit the form to create a confirmation page.

US C1 Visa Application Fee

The US C1 visa application fee is $185, but the fee increases with travel health insurance, delivery of the passport by courier and consultancy services.

After completing the DS-160 form, create an account with the application form code at usvisa-info.com to pay the US C1 visa application fee. Select the foreign representative office on the page that opens and pay the US visa fee in the next step . After paying the visa fee for the US C1 visa, you can make an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most frequently asked questions to our consultants regarding US transit visas are answered below.

How Can I Make an Appointment for a Transit Visa?

You can make an appointment for a transit visa from the visa unit of the US Embassy in Ankara or the Consulate General in Istanbul. After paying the US transit visa application fee at usvisa-info.com, select the appointment date and time. After making your appointment for a US transit visa, print out the approval document sent by e-mail.

What are the Required Documents for the US C1 Visa?

For the US C1 transit visa application, you must present the documents listed below at the visa interview.

Passport valid for at least 6 months
Your old passport and US visa if you have one
DS-160 application form confirmation page
Visa of the destination country (if no exemption exists)
Travel plan to destination country (flight ticket etc.)
Current biometric photo
Identity card
Appointment confirmation email printout
Documents proving economic and family ties with Home Country
Proof of financial ability to cover travel expenses

What Do Transit Visa Interview and Biometrics Procedures Include?

On the appointment date for your US transit visa, you must go to the consulate, submit your visa documents, provide fingerprints, and attend a visa interview. If additional documents are requested for your US transit visa, you will be informed during your appointment. After the visa interview, you will be informed whether your US visa has been approved or rejected. If your US visa application has been approved, you can track your passport via https://ceac.state.gov/ and pick up your passport from the PTT center where the foreign representative office operates.

How Long Does a US Transit Visa Take?

All US transit visas, including C1, C2 and C3, are valid for a maximum of 29 days or until the date of departure from the US on your ticket, whichever is earlier. This means that if you enter the US on November 1, you must leave on or before November 29. However, if you have a ticket to your final destination on November 20, you must leave the US on November 20.