Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
Pilots or flight attendants on a commercial airline, captains, engineers, or deckhands on a sea vessel lifeguard, cooks, waiters, beauticians, or other service staff on a cruise liner and students on board a training vessel passing through the USA are examples of travel objectives that need Crewmember (D) Visas.
Who Needs a D-Visa?
A foreign national seeking to enter the United States must first get a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Crewmember (D) visas are nonimmigrant visas for people who work on board commercial sea vessels or international flights in the United States, providing services that are required for normal operation, and plan to leave the country on the same or another vessel within 29 days. In addition to a crewmember (D) visa, youll need a transit (C-1) visa or a combined C-1/D visa to travel to the United States to join the vessel youll be working on.
Those Not Eligible For a Crewmember Visa:
If any of the following apply to you then you must apply for the highlighted visa instead of a D-visa:
- B-1: While the boat is docked at a U.S. port, the main services youll provide are dry dock repairs under warranty.
- H-2: Fishing Vessel, you are a crewmember aboard a fishing vessel with a home port or operational base in the United States on a temporary basis.
- B-1: When an officer of a foreign vessel is granted home leave and the vessel does not remain in U.S. waters for more than 29 days, you are a replacement coasting officer.
- B-1: You are a crewmember on a private yacht that will be cruising in US waters for more than 29 days after leaving a foreign port.
- B-1: Outer Continental Shelf: You are a member of a crew that is travelling to the Outer Continental Shelf.
Required Documentation
The following is the standard set of requirements for submitting a D-Visa application to the U.S. Embassy:
Passport valid for travel to the US - Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your stay in the US.
Confirmation page for the Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160). We will provide this for you.
Passport style photograph
What visa do you need to work on a cruise ship?
You will require a C1D visa which is a combination of the C1 transit visa and the D crewmember visa.
Can I work in the US with a D-Visa?
This visa does not enable you to work for a company in the United States. The C-1/D visa only allows you to remain in the United States for a limited time as part of your work on board.
Members of the Crew Traveling to Meet Vessels
A transit (C-1) visa is required if you travel to the United States to meet and board the vessel on which you will be working. (This is in addition to the crewmember (D) visa that must be obtained in order to work on the ship.) The consular officer interviewing you may ask for proof that you are transiting to meet the vessel, such as a letter from your employer or employers agent.
If the reciprocity schedule for your country of citizenship allows for issuance of a C-1/D visa and the consular officer determines you are qualified, you may be awarded a combination C-1/D visa if you apply for the transit (C-1) visa at the same time as your crewmember (D) visa. For further information, click on the nation reciprocity schedules.
Other USA Visa Types
A Visa is required for any foreign national wishing to enter the United States. It could be a non-immigrant visa for a short period of time or an immigrant visa for a long period of time. To enter the United States, foreigners must get a non-immigrant visa.
How do I get a D-visa?
A D-Visa for crewmembers is a long-stay visa that allows crewmembers to stay in a country for more than 90 days. It is typically used for purposes such as working on a cruise ship or aircraft.
To get a D-Visa for crewmembers, You can submit your application here. The specific requirements for a crewmembers visa may vary, but once the required documentation is processed, an appointment can be made with the nearest embassy/consulate to you. Our team will assist you at all stages of this process.
People Also Asked...
With a C-1/D visa, you may remain in the United States for up to 180 days per entry, which you can do many times or all at once. Note that ship crew personnel are an exception to this rule.
A D-Visa is a long-stay visa that allows you to stay in a country for more than 90 days. A C-1/D Visa is a combination visa that allows you to transit through a country and also stay in that country for up to 29 days.
The processing time for a D-Visa for crewmembers in the United States can vary, but it is typically 1-3 months.
If you are denied a D-Visa for crewmembers in the United States, you will not be able to enter the country. You may be able to appeal the decision, but it is important to contact the embassy or consulate as soon as possible to discuss your options.