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Immigration Visas to the United States - C Type Visas

Updated: Aug 4, 2023



In General

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States.

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A visa is the name given to the permission that the United States issues a person, under certain conditions, to enter the United States. Visas can be characterized or differentiated according to the requirements that need to be met, the limitations the visa bears, the permissions the visa allows, non-immigrant visas vs immigrant visas, and the length of the visa.


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Visas and immigration to the United States can be divided into three main categories:

  1. Tourism related visas

  2. Work related visas

  3. A Permanent Resident Visa (also known as a "Green Card")

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C Visas

Is a non-immigrant type of visa used as a "transit visa". C visas are for people traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States on their way to another country, with few exceptions. The visa accommodates reasonably and quick leaving of the United States. Normal course of travel, weather conditions, and a pre-arranged itinerary (excluding unreasonable layovers) influence the approval chances for a C visa.

Any other reason for entering and/or lingering within the United States, requires either an additional visa or a different kind of visa. B visas may substitute in some cases for the C visa requirement. The Visa Waiver Program may also be a reason for receiving a C visa, if you are from a country that partakes in the program.

Reasons to obtain a C visa to the United States may include (yet not limited to) a foreign citizen traveling to another country who will have a brief layover in the United States; A passenger on a cruise that passes through the United States yet without landing in the United States; A crew member destined to join a ship or aircraft they work work on, providing services for operation (will also need a crew member D visa, most often issued as a combination C-1/D visa); United Nations (UN) related duty that requires travel through the United States (a diplomatic transit C-2 visa; Travel is limited to the immediate New York City area).

The following reasons do not apply to C visas as reason for travel (yet not limited to): if travel is not in-transit; A coasting officer replacing an officer of a foreign ship on home leave (while the vessel is in U.S. ports, provided the vessel does not remain in U.S. waters for more than 29 days); A crew member on a private yacht sailing out of a foreign port which will be cruising in U.S. waters for more than 29 days. Many of these cases may be eligible for a different visa such as a B visa or G visa.


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