Transit visa to the United States

Examples of Recent U.S. Visas Obtained Through the Vizaus Visa Center

Video Guide on Obtaining a U.S. Visa

The United States of America operates under a visa regime, meaning that citizens of other countries, except residents of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), who are traveling abroad, making layovers in the U.S., or transiting through U.S. territory, are required to apply for a transit visa. By consulting experienced specialists, obtaining a transit visa will not be a significant challenge for you. Our company’s staff will assist you with the application process, and you will have your U.S. transit visa in hand within a few days!

More About the U.S. Transit Visa. What Is It? What Are the Restrictions?

The U.S. C-1 visa is mandatory for all Ukrainian citizens! Exceptions are citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) or those who already have an open U.S. visa (e.g., B1/B2).

Thus, a transit visa is required if you are:

• a foreign national traveling to a third country and need to cross the U.S. or make a layover on its territory.
• a passenger on a cruise during which the ship stops at a U.S. port.
• a crew member traveling to the United States as a passenger to join a ship or aircraft on which you will work, providing operational services. In such a case, a crew member visa D is also required (most often issued as a combined C-1/D visa).

For more details, visit: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/transit.html

The U.S. C-1 transit visa allows you to stay in a designated area at a U.S. airport while waiting for a flight to another country. If you plan to leave the airport to explore the city during your layover, you will need to apply for a B2 tourist visa.

Visa Nuances

Before obtaining a U.S. transit visa, we recommend familiarizing yourself with some nuances of its application process. Firstly, the procedure for obtaining such an entry permit is no different from applying for any other U.S. visa. However, it requires special attention, as the denial rate for this visa category is nearly the same as for others. Secondly, you will need to clearly plan your future itinerary: choose your final destination, book flight tickets, and approximately calculate how long you will be on U.S. territory. Failure to complete these actions may result in a visa denial.

Nevertheless, transiting through the U.S. can help you build trust for future visa applications to this country. Embassy staff often review your old passports, and seeing transit visas inside them assures them that you will return to your home country after your trip.

Recommendations for Obtaining a Transit Visa

1. Before booking a flight and hotel at your final destination, first plan your travel itinerary.
2. Before applying for a U.S. transit visa, first ensure you have obtained entry permission for the country where you will spend the most time.
3. Before applying for a U.S. visa, be sure to call the embassy’s call center or our company to ask any questions you may have about the application process. This will help ensure you fully understand the procedure and avoid denials.
4. Our company also recommends thoroughly preparing for the interview at the embassy. You must demonstrate and provide documentation proving that your trip’s sole purpose is transit through the country, that you have sufficient funds to cover expenses during your stay, and that you will leave the country within the specified timeframe. If you are unsure of your abilities, you can always seek assistance from us. We will advise you on all matters and prepare you for a successful interview.

Step-by-Step Guide to Obtaining a Transit Visa

1. Document Preparation. At this stage, it is crucial not to forget essential documents such as:

• booked tickets to the final destination;
• previously obtained visa to the destination country;
• planned travel itinerary.

You can learn more about other documents below or during a consultation with our company’s staff.

1. Payment of the Consular Fee. The cost is 160 USD. The fee can only be paid through “Raiffeisen Bank Aval” after downloading and completing the deposit slip.
2. Filling Out the Visa Application Form (DS-160). This step requires special attention, as even minor errors or inaccuracies in the application can lead to a visa denial. To complete the form, you must register on the official embassy website www.ukrainian.ukraine.usembassy.gov and navigate to the appropriate section for completion on the same site. For future document submission, you do not need to print all completed pages of the form, only the one with the unique barcode. For more information on completing the form, contact our company’s staff.
3. Scheduling the Interview. This can be done via the website or by phone through the call center.
4. Attending the Interview and Awaiting Results. You will receive your visa only after successfully completing the interview at the U.S. embassy. To increase your chances of approval, we recommend seeking assistance from our visa specialists, who, based on their extensive experience, will advise you on how to conduct yourself during the interview and how to answer the embassy officer’s questions!

Documents Required for Application

Basic List of Documents:

• Valid international passport. It must have blank pages for the new visa, and its validity must exceed the transit through the U.S. and stay in the final destination country by at least 6 months.
• Copies of old international passports, if available, with any Schengen or U.S. visas inside.
• Copies of your internal national passport, specifically: pages with your personal data and registration.
• Already issued visa to the country where you will stay for an extended period during your trip.
• Airline tickets and written confirmations of accommodation for the entire stay in the final destination country (if available).
• One color photograph, size 50×50 mm, taken no more than 6 months ago.
• Employment certificate.
• Bank statement showing sufficient funds to cover expenses during your stay in the U.S. and the third country, and their movement over the last 6 months.
• Bank receipt confirming payment of the consular fee.
• Printed page of the application form with the barcode, confirming its submission for review.

Important! To apply for a U.S. transit visa for a child (non-working citizen), you will need to go through the same application steps and prepare the same documents. Additionally, you must provide a copy of the sponsor’s international passport, a bank statement of their account status, and a written statement confirming their intention to pay for your trip.

Visa Validity Period

The U.S. transit visa is a non-immigrant type of visa, meaning you are not expected to stay in the U.S. for an extended period. It is usually issued for a few days, depending on the time required to wait for a flight to another country from the U.S. In other words, the duration is determined by U.S. embassy staff on a case-by-case basis.

Cost and Processing Time

The cost of visa processing depends on the services you choose. The U.S. transit visa is processed by our company’s staff within 3 business days.