Instructions for Applying for a C1/D Visa

If order to work aboard a cruise ship that will sail into the United States at one point in time during your contract, you will
be required to apply for a C-1/D visa. Please note that for most cruise lines, even if your cruise ship is not scheduled to
enter the United States during your assigned contract, they still want you to obtain the visa.

How to Qualify for a "C1 / D" Visa:

Applicants for Crew member / Transit visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration and
Nationality Act. The presumption in the law is that every visa applicant is an intending immigrant. Therefore, applicants for
Crew member / Transit visas must overcome this presumption by demonstration that:

• The purpose of their trip is to enter the U.S. for crew-related business or transit;
• They plan to remain for a specific period;
• They have a residence outside of the U.S. as well as other binding obligations which will insure their return abroad at the
conclusion of their trip.

How to Apply for a Crewmember Visa:

There are 2 steps in this process:

1) complete the online visa application / Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160
2) Attend an interview at a US Consulate

STEP 1 / Complete the Online Visa Application / Online

Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160:
Please note that you will need to have the following to complete this process:

• A Passport Photo (5 centimeters by 5 centimeters, it must be a recent picture with a B&W background)
• Your Passport
• The dates of birth and cities of birth of your parents
• The “Joining letter” sent by the cruise line, sometimes called Employment letter or Letter for Crew
• The address of your last employer

Go to the following website:

https://ceac.state.gov/ceac/

1) Click on DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application

2) Select the city nearest you (this is where you will have to go to the Consulate to obtain your visa)
 3) Enter the code shown on the screen (DO NOT PRESS ENTER, just ENTER the LETTERS and NUMBERS that appear
on the screen).

4) Click on start an Application

Guidance Notes:

• Given Name = First Name (example Maria or Ricardo or Pablo)

• Surname = This is your Family name as it appears on your Passport
• Fill name in Native Alphabet = Click on “Does Not Apply”
• Telecode = Click on “Does Not Apply”
• National Identification Number = This is your PASSPORT number
• US Social Security = Click on “Does Not Apply”
• US Tax ID = Click on “Does Not Apply”
• Phone Number = Always begin with the country code 34 or 39 for example. Do not write “+”
• State / Province = Always click on “Does Not Apply”
• Passport Book = Click on “Does Not Apply”
• Purpose of Trip to U.S.: Alien in Transit (C)
• Specify: Crewmember in Transit (C1/D)
• Intended Date of Arrival: one day prior to the date mentioned in your “Joining Letter”
• Intended Length of Stay in U.S.: 1 Day
• Address where you will stay in the U.S.: Write “On board Ship”
• Person/Entity Paying for your Trip: Company/Organization
• Name of Company/Organization Paying for your trip is the cruise line that you have been selected to work for
• Telephone Number: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Relationship to You: Employer
• Address of Company/Organization Paying: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• State/Province: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Postal Zone/ZIP Code: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Country: United States of America
• Contact Person Name in the U.S.: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Organization Name in the U.S.: The cruise line that you have been selected to work for
• Relationship to You: Employer
• U.S. Contact Address: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Phone Number: Noted on your “Joining Letter”

• Email Address: Does Not Apply

• Primary Occupation: (Input which genre of employment your position onboard falls under for example Culinary or
Food Services.
• Present Employer or School Name: The cruise line that you have been selected to work for
• Present Employer or School Address: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• City: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• State/ Province: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Postal Zone/Zip Code: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Country: United States of America
• Work Phone Number: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Monthly Salary in Local Currency (If employed): (Convert the salary you will be receiving into US Dollars)
• Briefly Describe your Duties: (Write a brief description of your job role)
• Specific job title aboard aircraft or vessel: (Include your exact position title here as noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Name of company that owns the Vessel you will be working on: The cruise line that you have been selected to
work for
• Company Telephone Number: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
 Did you acquire your position using a Recruiting/ manning/crewing agency? No
• Are you serving aboard a seagoing ship or vessel: Yes
• Seagoing Ship/ Vessel name: Noted on your “Joining Letter”
• Seagoing Ship/Vessel Identification Number: Noted on your “Joining Letter” – If this number is not listed on the
Joining Letter, just go on Google, type “IMO number” followed by the “name of the ship”. For example for the
ship called INSIGNIA, the IMO number is 9156462

STEP 2 / Schedule an interview at the US Consulate:

Please note that you first must complete step 1 and must have received an email confirmation that you have completed
Step 1 before you can book you can schedule an Interview at the US Consulate:

You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where
you live. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be difficult to qualify
for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.
Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early.

Go to the following website:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/it-it/niv (if you are in Portugal, type “pt” instead of “it”. If you are in France, type “fr”)

How to Prepare for Your Interview

• Fees - Pay the non-refundable visa application fee, you are required to pay it before your interview. When your visa is
approved, you may also pay a visa issuance fee, if applicable to your nationality.

• Application Fee approximately $160 (equals around € 140)

• Review the instructions available on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply to learn more about
fee payment.

Gather Required Documentation:

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

• 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.

• Your Joining Letter, or contract from the employer on the employer’s letterhead (original) identifying the crew member
and describing in detail the nature and function of the crew member’s position.

• Euro 15 – 20 in cash/ debit card for the return of your passport, using Visa Delivery Services, a courier agency contracted
to the US Embassy.

• Envelope with stamp to return your passport

Attend Your Visa Interview:

During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa, and if so, which visa
category is appropriate based on your purpose of travel. You will need to 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 will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your
interview, but this varies based on location.

After your visa interview, your application may require further administrative processing. You will be informed by the
consular officer if further processing is necessary for your application.

When the visa is approved, you may pay a visa issuance fee if applicable to your nationality, and will be informed how your
passport with visa will be returned to you.

Review the visa processing time to learn how soon your passport with visa will generally be ready for pick-up or delivery by
the courier.

You should anticipate being at the Embassy for approximately 4 hours.

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.
• 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.
• Unless cancelled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is
still valid. 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.
• We recommend that you apply for your visa well in advance of your proposed travel date. No assurances regarding visa
issuance can be given in advance.

As soon as you receive your visa, please inform the cruise line.