A person requires a transit visa if they are a citizen of a foreign country and traveling through the United States in route to a foreign destination. The only exceptions are people who are eligible to travel the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Some countries have an agreement with the United States that allows their citizens to travel through the United States without visas.
You must qualify for the transit visa. Any transit applicant has to meet the requirements to qualify under immigration law. A consular officer is in charge of determining whether or not you qualify. To qualify you must be able to fill the following requirements: intent to pass in transit through the United States, have a common carrier ticket or other evidence of your destination, have the funds to carry out the transit journey. You will also need permission to enter another country after you leave the United States.
You must fill out the application. You are required to go through the application process. This includes an interview with the consular officer and is required for anyone between the ages of 14 through 79. Anyone who is applying and not between this age gap will only need an interview if the embassy requests it.
You must submit the required documentation. The first is the online nonimmigrant visa electronic application (Form DS-160). This is available on the DS-160 website. You must have a valid passport to travel to the United States. The passport has to have a validity date that is at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States. Also required for documentation is a 2-by-2 photograph of yourself. You will be asked to prove that you have sufficient funds to cover all of your expenses while you are in the United States. You may also be required to prove that you have a residence abroad that you will be returning to at the end of your visit in the United States. Evidence of family, property, employment or professional ties are all accepted ways of providing this proof.
You must pay the required fees. A transit visa fee is required in full on the day you apply. A receipt reflecting the fee has been paid will be needed when you interview with the consular officer. You also have to pay a visa issuance fee. This fee varies and is not based on where the visa is issued, but on your nationality. The issuance fee is only charged after you are approved for a transit visa following your interview.
