Embassy of the United States in Manila : Nonimmigrant Visa

Nonimmigrant Visa Unit (NIV) is open for business Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on U.S. and Philippine Holidays and every last business day of the month.

Please click here for complete NIV Contact Information

Visas for Crewmembers Working on Outer Continental Shelf (B-1/OCS) and Yachts (B-1)

B-1/OCS visas are issued to crewmembers of international vessels operating on the Outer Continental Shelf or Gulf of Mexico for more than 29 days. In determining who qualifies for the B-1/OCS visa, Consular Officers take into consideration the individual’s responsibilities and activities on the ship, shipyard, or platform.

Please note that all B-1/OCS applicants must present a recently issued U.S. Coast Guard letter at the time of interview. If the U.S. Coast Guard letter is older than 18 months, the seafarer must present an Equasis verification printout to verify the ownership of the ship, shipyard or platform. Please go to www.equasis.org for more information.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please comply with Steps 1 and 2 of the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures. The applicant must submit the additional documentary requirements listed below. To schedule an interview appointment, please visit the VisaPoint™ page.

	1.	Letter from the U.S. Coast Guard granting an exemption from the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments in accordance with 33 CFR 141

	2.	Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book (SIRB) issued by the Philippine Department of Transportation and Communication’s Maritime Authority (MARINA)

	3.	Seafarer’s Registration Card (SRC) issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), with attached signed photo

	4.	First page of the original valid Overseas Employment Commission Certification (OEC) issued by the POEA or a POEA in-house processed OEC issued by certified agencies

	5.	Seafarer recruitment agency guarantee letter with signature and all appropriate information; each seafarer must be issued an individual guarantee letter with each application.

	6.	Employment history – applicant’s job experience from age 21 up to present

	7.	All seaman’s books that have expired in the past ten years and any additional seaman’s book or passport which contains a U.S. visa

	8.	Signed and valid contract of employment in POEA format

	9.	Original Basic Safety Course (BSC) training certificate with Personal Safety and Social Responsibility (PSSR) (photocopies are not accepted)

	10.	College transcripts and diplomas (first-time seafarers)

	11.	Certifications of training (first-time seafarers)

	12.	Employment certification letters from previous employers (first-time seafarers)

	13.	For seafarers taking unusual or uncommon seafaring positions, seafarer recruitment agencies must provide a complete job description and indicate whether the position is a temporary or permanent component of the ship’s crew. In some circumstances, seafarer applicants may be requested to submit a complete itinerary for the vessel.

	14.	Copy of the VisaPoint ™ Interview Confirmation Page.

Notes:

		In certain cases, additional documents may be requested.

		All documents must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted, unless specified. *The applicant must submit these documents to the interviewing consular officer during the interview.* The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents before the interview. Any documents received will not be returned and will be destroyed. Please note, however, that presentation of the documents will not guarantee visa issuance. Applicants must still qualify for the type of visa being sought.

GUIDELINES FOR DOCUMENT SUBMISSION

Every seafarer recruitment agency should carefully check all seafarer applications prior to submission to ensure the form has been filled out correctly and completely. Incomplete applications will be denied. Follow these guidelines when submitting documents:

Remove plastic covers or jackets from SIRBs and passports.

Remove excess papers and staples.

The guarantee letter must be stapled to the back of the application form. All guarantee letters must follow the format described in the instructions found in the Embassy accreditation kit. Guarantee letters not in the correct format or without required information will not be accepted.

The SRC must be attached to the inside front cover of the SIRB.

The POEA approved or in-house processed contract of employment and OEC must be stapled together inside the back cover of the seaman’s book. Original documents including the contract, OEC and SRC will be returned to the seafarer after the application is processed.

Application form (Form DS-156/DS-157) instructions:

Seafarer recruitment agency staff cannot alter an application after the form has been signed by the seafarer. It is inappropriate for liaison officers to add information to applications without the knowledge of the applicant, and doing so may result in punitive action against the seafarer recruitment agency.

Sections 1-5 of the Form DS-156 must contain the correct name, passport number and issuance information, as shown in the passport. The C-1/D visa will be placed in the seafarer’s passport.

In Section 12 of the Form DS-156, seafarer applicants must list a complete personal history since the age of 21. This must include relevant dates for school, self-employment, and employment with an organization or business. Applicants must describe how they supported themselves during periods of unemployment. Use an additional sheet of paper if necessary.

Example:

	1995-1996	Helped family–owned farm in Cebu
	1997	Unemployed (supported by spouse)
	1998-to present	Worked as seafarer

Section 20 of the Form DS-156 asks for the address at which the applicant will be staying in the United States. Under this section, seafarer applicants should list the port (city and state) where they will join the vessel.

Section 24 and 25 of the Form DS-156 asks for the full address and telephone number where the applicant will stay in the United States. All seafarer applicants should list the port (city and state) where they will join the vessel. If you have a friend or relative there who will know your whereabouts during your visit in the United States, that person’s contact information will be helpful.

Section 27 of the visa application asks if the applicant has ever been to the United States. This question is frequently not answered correctly. All applicants must list any/all visits to the United States, including transit stops and port visits.

Applicants must list any and all visits to the United States, including transit stops and port visits in Section 29.

Sections 30 and 31 of the Form DS-156 must contain information about each visa issued and each visa refused, including other visas.

Seafarer recruitment agency personnel who help applicants complete a visa application must also sign the application and include their name, address and relationship to the applicant in Section 40 of the Form DS-156.

Note: The seafarer recruitment agency must contact the call center to make any corrections to inaccurate information before the applicant’s interview.

B-1 YACHT VISAS

B-1 visas are issued to qualified applicants going to work on privately owned yachts. A B-1 visa will permit applicants to stay in the United States or U.S. coastal waters for more than 29 days. If you will be working on a privately owned yacht, you must comply with the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures and comply with both the seafarer (C-1/D) and working visa (B-1) requirements.

Applicants going on privately owned yachts must present detailed information about the yacht (e.g. yacht specifications) and yacht owner (e.g. contact information) and must present the yacht’s itinerary at the time of interview.

NON-COMPLIANCE

Non-compliance with the above requirements will result in the non-processing of the visa application.

Helpful Links to Visit:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Memoranda to All Crewing Agencies

Last Update :: 05/05/2008

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