The US Crewmember Visa is a nonimmigrant entry permit designed for anyone working on the United States commercial sea ship or the US international airlines. The applicants must be delivering services needed for regular operation.
Another requirement to meet is to depart to your home country within 29 days using either the same or another vessel. To board a ship, you’ll be working in the United States while coming via different means to the country; you must also obtain a transit C-1 visa in addition to the Crewmember one.
Read on to learn what are the examples of the Crewmember Visa usage, what documents should the applicant prepare, and how to submit a successful application.
How can workers use the Crewmember D Visa to the United States?
Foreign nationals can stay in the United States for up to 29 days if they fall into one of these categories:
- commercial airlines flight attendant or a pilot
- a captain, an engineer, or a deckhand working on a ship
- all workers of various services provided on a cruise ship
- a training’s vessel trainee
Crewmember Visa requirements
To be eligible for the US Crewmember Visa, you must prepare documents that will prove that the purpose of your trip is valid. Every applicant must have the following:
- a passport that will not expire for at least six months from the planned date of entering the United States
- applicant’s face photo
- a filled DS-160 application form
- proof of the paid application fee
Additional documents validating the purpose of your visit to the United States may be necessary to present at the visa interview.
How to apply for the US Crewmember Visa?
The first step, after preparing the necessary documents, is to fill the DS-160 application form online. Make sure that every piece of information provided is correct and print it out.
Cover the application fee and collect all of the required documents to take on your visa interview. Schedule an appointment in the closest US Embassy and attend the visa interview.
The consular officer will have to make sure that your visit to the United States is valid. Make sure to have the essential documents that will prove the purpose of your stay.
As soon as you get approval from the consular officer and the Crewmember Visa will be issued, you will be eligible to travel to the United States.
Cases in which you cannot apply for the Crewmember Visa
There are a few exceptions when you cannot apply for the Crewmember Visa to visit the United States. However, some other visas maybe then applicable to your situation.
Foreign nationals are not eligible for the Crewmember D Visa if:
- the majority of your work will be repairing the dry dock while the ship is boarded in the US
- if you are part of the crew for a temporary period on a fishing vessel that is based in the United States
- if you are replacing a coasting officer who is on leave on a foreign ship that is ported in the US for less than 29 days
- if the foreign private yacht you are a crewmember of is staying in the United States for more than 29 days
- if you are part of the crew that is going to the Outer Continental Shelf
ESTA as an alternative
If your country is taking part in the US Visa Waiver Program, you may consider visiting the United States with an ESTA. The abbreviation stands for the Electronic Travel Authorization System designed for all nonimmigrant short visits to the United States.
You cannot undertake paid employment while visiting the US; however, you may use it to transit, be a tourist, or handle any business affairs there.
The best thing about applying for ESTA is that you can omit the stressful interview appointment and get your entry permit delivered to your e-mail address in a PDF form!
Applying online takes just a few minutes to complete and can be done on any working device.
ESTA characteristics
See what are the main ESTA characteristics before applying online:
- costs only 49 Euro
- stays valid for two years
- allows numerous visits to the United States
- can be used for tourism, business, and transit purposes
- the average processing time is just 24 hours from submitting the form
- approved ESTA arrives at the applicant’s e-mail address
Grab your valid passport and enter the United States with an ESTA that can be obtained following a simple application process within minutes!