Transit Visas

Travelers in transit through the United States require visas unless they are eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.  If travelers are not eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program, US immigration policy allows for the issuance of a B1/B2 (business/tourism) visa for transit.

To qualify for a B1/B2 visa, you need to overcome the presumption in Section 214 (b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that all visa applicants are intending immigrants. You can overcome this presumption by providing evidence that you have strong, binding ties to your home country and that you have no intention of abandoning your residence abroad.  Please see our page Supporting Documents for a list of commonly used documents.

Confirmation of a plane ticket to an onward destination does NOT guarantee issuance of a visa.  All visa applicants are strongly encouraged to wait until a visa is issued before making travel arrangements. 

Please visit our site How to Apply for information on paying the application fee, scheduling an appointment, completing the DS-160 online application and photo requirements.