Non-Immigrant Visas
Seamen (C1/D)
Professional Seamen
If you are a professional seaman who intends to transit the United States or its territories to join your vessel, you must be in possession of a valid visa. A "C-1" visa is issued to seamen who will travel to the U.S. by airplane in order to join the crew of a vessel. A "D" visa is issued to seamen who will travel as a crewmember on board a vessel to the U.S. In most cases, qualified applicants will receive a combined "C-1/D" visa, which enables them to travel to the U.S. by boat or plane to join their ships.
According to U.S. regulations, all applicants must present their cases in person. For a list of required application forms and supporting documents, please click here.
Regardless of your status as a professional or retired seaman, inspector, cadet, or family member, please note that U.S. Embassy personnel will verify the existence of your shipping company, as well as its authority to engage seamen to work on the vessel named in the letter. If requested, you will need to present the following documentation at the Embassy:
- Memorandum of Agreement and Ship's registry
- Company's certification by the Ministry of Merchant Marine
- "FEK" (Greek government gazette listing shipping company)
- Additional documentation for the ship, as requested.
Note: It is illegal for non-U.S. Citizens without proper work permits to perform repairs or similar work on any vessel while it is dry-docked in a U.S. harbor, docked in a U.S. port, or traveling in U.S. waters. A C-1/D visa does not authorize you to perform such repairs, and you will not be granted a C-1/D visa if the consular officer deems that this is the purpose of your travel to the United States.
Retired Seaman
If you were previously employed as a professional seaman, but have submitted your seaman's book ("Fylladio") to the Ministry of Merchant Marine in order to receive your retirement benefits, you may still be eligible for a C-1/D visa, provided that a shipping company is willing to hire you to work on board a ship using your passport instead of your seaman's book. For a list of require application forms and supporting documents, please click here.
Ship Inspectors
The U.S. Embassy frequently receives applications from persons being sent by shipping companies to "inspect" a vessel in U.S. waters, either because the vessel has mechanical problems and an inspector must determine what repairs need to be undertaken, or because the company is in the process of buying the vessel and wishes to conduct a pre-purchase inspection. In either case, such inspectors are generally not intending to join the vessel as a member of the crew and are therefore not eligible for C-1/D visas. They are eligible only for B-1 (business) visas, which allow the bearer to conduct inspection in U.S. waters, provided that no repairs are undertaken. Applicants for B-1 visas to inspect a vessel in U.S. waters must comply with all of the requirements for visitor visas. (Please refer to the separate information sheet entitled "Information on Obtaining a Nonimmigrant Visa.") Ship inspectors must also present their diploma, and a letter from the shipping company explaining the purpose of the trip.
Cadet Seamean
If you are currently enrolled in the seaman-training academy of the Ministry of Merchant Marine, and your academic program requires that you serve as an apprentice on board a vessel, which will be making stops in the United States or its territories, you must have a visa. For a list of required application forms and supporting documents, please click here.
Family Members of Seamen
Spouses, fiances, and children of seaman are not eligible to receive C-1/D visas. Such persons who wish to transit the United States in order to join a seaman family member on board a vessel must qualify for a tourist visa. (See "Information on Obtaining a Nonimmigrant Visa.") In addition to the documentation required of all visitors, family members of seamen must also present a letter from the shipping company explaining the relationship between the visa applicant and the crewmember, the position of the crewmember on the vessel, and the intended date of arrival in the United States.