C-1 Transit Visa: Requirements, Application, and Port of Entry

A C-1 transit visa is a nonimmigrant U.S. visa for foreign travelers who need to pass through American territory on the way to another country. It covers airport layovers between connecting international flights and stops at U.S. ports during sea voyages. The visa caps each transit at 29 days, cannot be extended or changed to another status, and prohibits work, sightseeing, or any activity beyond moving through to the next leg of the trip.¹

Who Needs a C-1

Federal law defines a C-1 traveler as “an alien in immediate and continuous transit through the United States, for a period not to exceed 29 days.” The State Department reads “immediate and continuous” as a reasonably fast departure on a prearranged itinerary, with no unnecessary layover time.² Two situations typically fit: a foreign traveler with a connecting flight through a U.S. airport whose only reason to enter is catching the next plane, and a passenger on a cruise or cargo vessel stopping at a U.S. port before continuing abroad.

Not everyone passing through needs a C-1. Two alternatives cover many travelers:

Citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries — including most of Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand — can transit with an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) instead. An ESTA costs $40.27, is valid for two years or until the passport expires, and allows stays up to 90 days. Travelers who have visited Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, North Korea, or Cuba on or after specified dates are generally disqualified, as are dual nationals of Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria. Those travelers do need a C-1.³⁴
If you already hold a valid B-1/B-2 visitor visa, you can use it to transit without applying separately for a C-1.²

One boundary matters here: if your layover is really an excuse to visit friends or sightsee, the C-1 is the wrong visa. You need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. And sea or air crewmembers joining a vessel typically apply for a combined C-1/D visa, which pairs transit authorization with working aboard the ship or aircraft.⁵

What You Cannot Do on a C-1

The C-1 is unusually rigid compared to most nonimmigrant visas. Working in the United States is prohibited outright. So is sightseeing or spending time with friends and family beyond what your transit itinerary requires. And two regulatory rules close off the usual workarounds:

No extensions. Federal regulations explicitly list C-1 holders as ineligible to extend their stay.⁶
No change of status. C-1 holders cannot switch to any other nonimmigrant category while inside the United States.⁷

The 29-day statutory cap is a ceiling, not a stay length. If daily flights to your destination are available, spending two weeks in the country before departing is not “immediate and continuous” transit.

How to Apply

File the DS-160 and Pay the Fee

The application starts with the DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa form, submitted through the Consular Electronic Application Center. You’ll enter personal information, travel history, and a detailed itinerary for your transit trip.⁸ The nonrefundable application processing fee is $185.⁹ Depending on your nationality, a separate reciprocity-based issuance fee may apply if the visa is approved; the State Department’s reciprocity tables show the amount for each country.¹⁰

Every traveler needs their own C-1, including family members listed together in a single passport. That means a separate DS-160 and a separate $185 fee for each person. There is no family or group rate.²

Gather Supporting Documents

Bring a passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay, unless your country is covered by a bilateral exemption from that requirement.¹¹ You’ll also need a compliant visa photo taken within the past six months.¹²

Proof of onward travel is the most important supporting evidence for a C-1. Confirmed tickets for your connecting flight, a boarding pass, or an entry visa for the country you’re headed to all work. These documents show the consular officer that you have somewhere to go and the means to get there. Be ready to show you can cover your costs during the transit, and if someone else is paying, bring documentation from that person.² Crewmember applicants should add a letter from their employer or the employer’s agent confirming the assignment.⁵

Attend the Interview

Schedule an interview at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate after paying the fee. Wait times vary significantly by location, and the State Department publishes estimates that generally represent the maximum wait.¹³ Plan well ahead of your travel date.

C-1 applicants should expect an in-person interview. As of October 2025, interview waivers are limited to a narrow set of categories, primarily certain diplomatic classifications and specific B or H-2A renewals. The C-1 is not among them.¹⁴ The consular officer reviews your documents, asks about your travel plans and ties to your home country, and collects biometric data. Every nonimmigrant applicant is presumed to be an intending immigrant until they prove otherwise,¹⁵ so be prepared to show a finalized itinerary with a clear end point outside the United States. Most C-1 refusals happen because the officer concludes either that the transit story doesn’t hold up or that the applicant’s ties to home look thin.

Certain background issues can disqualify you regardless of how clean your itinerary looks. The most common ones for C-1 applicants involve criminal history — convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude, any controlled substance offense under U.S., state, or foreign law, two or more convictions carrying combined sentences of five years or more, or known involvement in money laundering or human trafficking. Communicable diseases of public health significance and a history of drug abuse can also trigger a denial. These grounds apply even for a few hours of transit.¹⁶

At the U.S. Port of Entry

A visa in your passport does not guarantee admission. When you arrive at a U.S. airport or seaport, a Customs and Border Protection officer makes the final call. The officer verifies your identity and nationality, asks about the purpose and duration of your transit, and confirms you have a departing flight or vessel. CBP officers can question arriving travelers under oath and search belongings if they suspect grounds for exclusion.¹⁷

Once admitted, you receive a Form I-94 arrival/departure record. For air and sea arrivals it is generated electronically and can be retrieved online.¹⁸ Check it right away. The date on the I-94 controls when you must leave, and any mismatch with what you expected needs to be raised immediately.

If You Overstay

Because a C-1 cannot be extended or changed, overstaying leaves no easy fix. An overstay can trigger removal proceedings, and the reentry consequences scale with how long you stayed past your authorized departure. Under federal law, more than 180 days but less than one year of unlawful presence, followed by voluntary departure, creates a three-year bar on reentry. One year or more creates a ten-year bar. Both apply automatically when you next seek admission, for transit or any other purpose.¹⁹

If a genuine emergency prevents your departure — a natural disaster, severe illness, or a cancelled flight with no alternatives — USCIS guidance allows nonimmigrants to request relief when extraordinary circumstances beyond their control caused the delay.²⁰ The guidance does not specifically address C-1 holders, and given the regulatory prohibition on extensions, the outcome in that situation is uncertain. Document everything, contact your airline or shipping company immediately, and consult an immigration attorney if your departure is delayed beyond your control.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1101 – Definitions
2
U.S. Department of State. Transit Visa
3
U.S. Department of State. Visa Waiver Program
4
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. When Do I Need to Reapply for Travel Authorization Through ESTA
5
U.S. Department of State. Crewmember Visa
6
eCFR. 8 CFR 214.1 – Requirements for Admission, Extension, and Maintenance of Status
7
eCFR. 8 CFR 248.2 – Ineligible Classes
8
U.S. Department of State. DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
9
U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
10
U.S. Department of State. Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country
11
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Six-Month Passport Validity Update
12
U.S. Department of State. Photo Requirements
13
U.S. Department of State. Visa Appointment Wait Times
14
U.S. Department of State. Interview Waiver Update September 18, 2025
15
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1184 – Admission of Nonimmigrants
16
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens
17
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Immigration Inspection Program
18
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94 Website
19
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens
20
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Relief in Emergencies or Unforeseen Circumstances