Overview: D visa is non-immigrant temporary worker visa for crewmember serving on board a sea vessel or aircraft in the United States. Crewman may obtain an individual visa, or may be included in a crew list visa.

Crew members may include Pilots, Captains, Stewards, Technicians, Musicians and on-board entertainers, Chefs and cooks, Seamen, Flight attendants, Scientists, Electricians, Waiters, and Lifeguards.

Family: No dependent visa available for D visa holders. Spouse or unmarried children under 21could apply for C-1 Visa or B-2 Visa.

Period of Stay: The period for admission is 29 days.

Green Card Intent: Not allowed to apply to USCIS to change status, adjust status, or extend their stay in United States.

Labor Certification: Required.

In fiscal year 2010, USCIS received 14,591 applications for D visa, approved 13,328, denied 1,263, waived or overcome 860. USCIS also received 240,188 applications for C1/D visa, approved 205,182, refused 35,006, waived or overcome 21,325.

To qualify for crewmember visa, the alien worker must provide services that are required for normal operation on board a sea vessel or aircraft. The alien worker can be a trainee on board a training vessel, and he or she does not have to be employed when applying for D visa.

The foreigner should apply for B-1 Visa, if he or she is

1. Crewmember on a private yacht sailing out of a foreign port which will be cruising in U.S. waters for more than 29 days
2. Crewmember going to the Outer Continental Shelf
3. Going to perform “dry dock” repairs while the boat is docked at a U.S. port.
4. Coasting Officer

H-2 temporary worker visa will be needed if the foreigner worker is a crewmember on a fishing vessel that has a home port or operating base in the U.S.