Non-Immigrant Visas

Transit Travelers Visas

The Transit visa is a nonimmigrant visa for people entering the United States for the purpose of transiting directly and immediately from one foreign country to another by way of an intermediate destination in the U.S. On a Transit Visa, you may remain in the United States for a brief period of time, including staying overnight, assuming you are traveling on a prearranged itinerary without any unreasonable layover scheduled. If you seek layover privileges for purposes other than for transit through the United States, such as to visit friends or engage in sightseeing, you should apply for a B-2 Tourist visa.

Do I Need A Visa?

If you already have a valid B-1, B-2 or B1/B2 visa, you do not need to also obtain a C-1 visa to transit the United States.

In addition, citizens of Singapore and 26 other countries may transit the U.S. without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Permanent residents of Singapore who are not from one of the VWP countries are not eligible for this program. Click here for a list of all the countries in the VWP.

Required Documents

The only required documents are the Standard Non-Immigrant Visa Documents  listed in How Do I Apply For A Visa?

Recommended Supplemental Documents

As with B1/B2 Business/Visitor visas, to qualify for a C-1 visa, you have to demonstrate that:

• your situation here in Singapore or in another foreign country is stable and attractive enough to ensure that you will not remain in the United States;
• your visit will be for a definite, temporary period;
• you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses.

No one person’s situation is exactly like anyone else’s, so there is no specific list of documents which must be submitted to address each of these points. Some documents which have been used by successful C-1 applicants to demonstrate their ties to another country include:

• Employment: (i) A letter from the applicant’s employer stating job title, salary, and date of hire; and, (ii) The applicant’s three most recent pay slips.
• Purpose of travel: For people who must transit the U.S. to engage in business in another country, a letter from the applicant’s employer stating the specific nature of the business or training the applicant will engage in, details of financial support, and the names and locations of business contacts or training locations.
• Bank statements: Monthly statements or passbook showing account activity for the past three months (bank reference letters are not sufficient). Only personal documents are accepted; do not submit statements for company accounts.
• Income: The most current income tax notice (IRA Form 4020).
• Spouses and Minors may submit the documents of their spouse or parent, however they must provide proof of the relationship by supplying a marriage or birth certificate.

Applicants should also be able to show a detailed itinerary demonstrating that their transit through the United States will be brief and will not entail any unreasonable layovers.