US D crewmember visa

D-Visa, For Crew Members

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 the D visa is for

The D crewmember visa is intended for foreign nationals who work aboard a commercial vessel or aircraft and provide services required for its normal operation while it is in the United States.

• Deck and engine crew, stewards, and other personnel on commercial ships
• Pilots, flight attendants, and other crew on international aircraft
• Trainees aboard a vessel who provide services essential to its operation
• Crew joining a vessel or aircraft that will depart the United States

Eligibility

Applicants must show that they will serve as genuine crew and intend to leave the United States when their service ends. A consular officer decides, at interview, whether the D category fits the purpose of travel.

A person may be granted a D visa even if not yet employed at the time of application, but the visa cannot be used to enter the United States until the holder is actually employed aboard the vessel or aircraft.

If any of the following apply to you then you must apply for the highlighted visa instead of a D-visa:

• A purpose of travel that is to serve aboard a sea vessel or aircraft
• Intent to depart the United States, generally within 29 days
• A valid passport and a completed DS-160 confirmation
• Evidence of the crew position or employment where required by the consulate

• 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.

How to apply

Most applicants apply at a US embassy or consulate abroad. Where a crewmember must transit the United States to reach the ship or aircraft, the transit (C-1) visa is normally applied for at the same time and may be issued as a combined C-1/D visa.

• Complete the DS-160 form online and print the confirmation page
• Pay the $185 visa application (MRV) fee
• Schedule and attend a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate
• Provide fingerprints (biometrics) where required
• Bring a valid passport and any employment or crew documents requested

Conditions and length of stay

The D visa is strictly for crew duties and short stays. A crewmember admitted on a D visa must generally depart within 29 days, and a Customs and Border Protection officer decides the exact period allowed on entry.

• No shore-side employment in the United States
• Cannot be used for tourism, business meetings, or study
• The crewmember must leave when their service aboard the vessel or aircraft ends
• Overstaying or breaching conditions can jeopardise future entry to the United States

The combined C-1/D visa

Crew frequently need both to transit the United States and to serve aboard a vessel or aircraft. When the transit (C-1) visa is applied for alongside the crewmember (D) visa, a combined C-1/D visa may be issued where the applicant's country reciprocity schedule permits and the consular officer agrees.

The transit portion covers travelling through the United States to join the ship or aircraft, and the crew portion covers the crewmember's duties aboard it.

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.

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.

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.