D-1 Visa, Landed Privileges for Crew Members Departing on Same Vessel or Aircraft in Charleston, SC

This is a nonimmigrant visa to provide landing privileges for individual foreign crew members or for entire foreign crews (or trainees on training ships or crafts) serving on private yachts, commercial ships, and air carriers necessary to the daily operation of the ship or airplane. It is suitable for:

• Pilots
• Flight attendants
• Captains
• Entertainers
• Musicians
• Stewards
• Chefs
• Electricians
• Waiters
• Lifeguards, etc.

It is important to note that the D-1 visa is not available to longshoremen. This type of visa can also be for a new employee, provided no strike or lockout has recently occurred. The ship's or craft's home-based port need not be the U.S., and the visa is usually obtained in about 3 business days. It is valid for up to 29 days but expires when the ship or craft leaves the U.S. and enters a foreign port. International waters are not considered a foreign port, and the U.S. includes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands but not American Samoa.

There are no provisions in this visa for accompanying dependents who must obtain their own B-1 visas. A change of status to another type of visa is not possible. Under the D-1 visa, a ship cannot be engaged in commercial fishing nor be in dry dock. Crewmembers on fishing vessels will need a B-1 visa. Foreign national private yacht crewmembers sailing out of U.S. ports in U.S. waters for more than 29 days will also need B-1 visas.

Submission Process for the D-1 Visa

This visa is obtained through the home country's U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The applicant must demonstrate through employer records that

• No strike or lockout has occurred, or
• If one occurred, the employee has worked for the employer for at least 1 year before the strike or lockout, in one of the different months, and
• Expect to continue to work for the employer at the same level.

Further, at the interview, an employee will need to provide a passport valid for 6 months beyond the authorized visa stay, provide photographs, pay visa processing and issuance fees, and be subject to electronic fingerprinting.