The C-2 transit visa is used for foreign nationals traveling to the United Nations (UN) Headquarters on official work and also for United Nations officials transiting through the U.S. to another foreign country with a layover in the U.S. If you are traveling with your family, each person, regardless of age (even children and babies listed in parents’ passports), needs to apply for a separate C-2 Visa.
An immigration officer at a port of entry can admit a person holding a C-2 transit visa for the duration determined by him/her, but for a maximum duration of 29 days. You must leave the U.S. on the proposed flight or ship of departure, or within 29 days, whichever is earlier.
Documents
The following documents are required for a C-2 transit visa:
- Passport
- One photograph
- Confirmation page of online submitted Form DS-160 with CEAC bar code.
- Visa Fees
Fees to be paid in advance before making an appointment. - Proof of permission to enter the country of your final destination, such as a passport with a valid visa or evidence that a visa is not required.
There are no visa fees for a C-2 visa upon a basis of reciprocity, or as provided under provisions of the UN Headquarters Agreement.
Application
You must apply for a C-2 transit visa at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
The appropriate foreign office, mission, or international organization needs to send a formal request for a C-2 visa. After it petitions the C-2 visa at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you can apply for a C-2 visa. If a C-2 visa is issued upon the verbal request of a competent foreign authority in unusual circumstances, a consular officer would insert a notation on the application form and should request written confirmation.
All applicants between the ages of 14 years and 79 years must apply in person and must schedule an appointment before visiting the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. A consular officer may waive the requirement of personal appearance. Applicants under the age of 14 and those 80 years and above may apply for a transit visa by mail.
Application procedures vary depending upon the consulates in different countries. If you are applying for a transit visa in India, you can find a detailed application procedure here. Processing times can vary a lot in different countries, and there are delays of several months in some countries before you can get the visa appointment. It is wise to plan very early because of the constant heavy demand for U.S. visas.
If you have a medical ineligibility, have been denied entry into or deported from the United States, require additional administrative processing, or if you are a temporary resident of the the country where you are applying from for a transit visa, your application may be delayed further.
Additional Restrictions
- During your visit, you must engage strictly to the UN and limit your travel to the immediate vicinity of the UN Headquarters District, Columbus Circle, New York, NY. Any exception to this rule requires an appropriate visa.
If you wish to move outside the immediate vicinity of the UN Headquarters District, you should send an application to the USCIS District Office, New York City, which will consult with the Visa Office in the Dept. of State before processing your request. - Your departure from the headquarters must be for your departure from the U.S.
Rejection and Revocation
If the person seeking a C-2 appears to be ineligible to receive a visa under the Immigration and Nationality ACT (INA) 212(a)(3)(A),(B), or(C)[8 USC 1182(a)(3)(A),(B), or(C), which deals with excludability on security grounds, the consular officer may reject the visa and must request the advisory opinion of the Department of State.
A C-2 visa can be revoked if the consular officer finds that:
- The C-2 visa holder was not, or has ceased to be, entitled to the C-2 classification.
- The foreign national was, at the time the visa was issued or has since become, ineligible under the INA 212(a) [8 USC 1182(a)] to receive a visa
In such cases, the consular officer should submit a revocation notice, including the full details of the case, to the Department of State for transmission to the USCIS. This procedure is not required if the visa is physically canceled prior to the foreign national’s departure to the U.S.
