Overview
The U.S. Consulate General, Hamilton, Bermuda can only accept visa appointment requests from Bermudians, Bermuda residents or individuals physically present in our consular district. The provisions of 22 CFR 41.101(a) preclude acceptance or processing of a regular non immigrant visa application when the applicant is neither resident of nor physically present in this consular district at the time of application, including completion and submission of the DS-160.
Important: if applicable please see Visa Exemptions for Bermudians.
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Transit (C) visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States en route to another country, with few exceptions. Immediate and continuous transit is defined as a reasonably expeditious departure of the traveler in the normal course of travel as the elements permit and assumes a prearranged itinerary without any unreasonable layover privileges. If the traveler seeks layover privileges for purposes other than for transit through the United States, such as to visit friends or engage in sightseeing, the traveler will have to qualify for the type of visa required for that purpose.
If you already have a valid visitor (B) visa, you may be able to use it to transit the United States. If you are a citizen of a participating country, you may be able to transit the United States on the Visa Waiver Program.
Please see the Department of State’s Transit Visa website for additional information.
Travel Purposes Which Require a Transit (C-1) Visa – Examples
- A foreign citizen traveling to another country who will have a brief layover in the United States when the only reason for entering the United States is to transit.
- A passenger embarking from a foreign port on a cruise ship or other vessel which is proceeding to another country, other than the United States, but during the course of the journey, the vessel makes port in the United States with no intention of landing in the United States.
- A crewmember traveling to the United States as a passenger to join a ship or aircraft you will work on, providing services for operation. You will also need a crewmember D visa, most often issued as a combination C-1/D visa. Learn more about Crewmember visas.
- A foreign citizen proceeding in immediate and continuous transit through the United States to or from the United Nations Headquarters District, under provisions of the Headquarters agreement with the United Nations, requires a diplomatic transit (C-2) visa. Travel within the United States will be limited to the immediate New York City vicinity.
Travel Purposes Not Permitted on a Transit (C-1) Visa – Examples
- A foreign citizen whose layover in the United States is for a primary purpose other than to transit, for example to visit friends or sightsee, requires a visitor (B) visa.
- A coasting officer seeking to enter the United States generally requires a visitor (B) visa. Coasting officers are employed temporarily when an officer of a foreign ship is granted home leave while the vessel is in U.S. ports, provided the vessel does not remain in U.S. waters for more than 29 days. The coasting officer may then repeat the process with another vessel of the same foreign line.
- A crewmember on a private yacht sailing out of a foreign port which will be cruising in U.S. waters for more than 29 days is generally required to have a visitor (B) visa.
- An officer or employee of a designated international organization assigned to the United States may pass in immediate and continuous transit through the United States on an International Organization (G-4) visa.
How to Apply
The U.S. Consulate General, Hamilton, Bermuda can only accept visa appointment requests from Bermudians, Bermuda residents or individuals physically present in our consular district. The provisions of 22 CFR 41.101(a) preclude acceptance or processing of a regular non immigrant visa application when the applicant is neither resident of nor physically present in this consular district at the time of application, including completion and submission of the DS-160.
Please note, we are precluded from accepting out-of-district visa applications from individuals not physically present in our consular district.
1. Check the Validity of Your Passport – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States, unless exempt by country-specific agreements. If more than one person is included in your passport, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
2. Complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Please note that you must answer EVERY question on the application forms. If the answer to a question is “none,” please write “none”(Do not leave it blank). Incomplete/incorrect forms will be returned and will require you to schedule a new interview appointment. Important! Many of our visa applicants are completing the DS-160 incorrectly, causing us to postpone their planned visa interview dates.
3. Collect any Supporting Documentation – A valid passport with one (1) clear page to put the visa onto, a DS-160 confirmation page with the uploaded 2 x 2 inch color photo not older than 6 months – with a light or white background, and the completed DS-160 form listed in Step 2 are required for the visa interview. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of:
- Proof of permission to reside in Bermuda (status, work/spousal permit)
- Proof of employment, salary, pension, and or financial solvency (job letter, pay stub, bank statement);
- Birth certificates for minors (children under the age of 18);
- The purpose of your trip;
- Your intent to depart the United States after your trip; and/or
- Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.
Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a nonimmigrant tourist visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a nonimmigrant tourist visa.
4. Schedule an Interview Appointment – Click here to book your appointment. Please make note of your appointment day and time; we are unable to confirm your appointment details. If you miss your appointment, you will be responsible for rescheduling a new appointment.
If you have urgent travel and there are no available appointments that coincide with your desired travel date, please book the next available appointment. After booking the next available appointment, email us at HamiltonConsulate@state.gov outlining the need for an expedited appointment. Please attach a copy of your DS-160 confirmation page to the email and include the date you would like to travel. If the circumstances warrant, we will do our best to accommodate your request. If we are not able to accommodate your request, please monitor our website for any appointment availabilities.
If you do not see any appointment availabilities, please continue to monitor the appointment schedule as appointments will become available if other applicants cancel as well as when we add additional appointments.
The following is a list of circumstances that may be considered for expedited appointments:
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- an immediate relative’s death, grave illness, or life threatening accident requiring travel to or via the United States. Please include the name, relationship place and description of the situation, and contact information for the attending physician or funeral home;
- urgent medical treatment for the applicant, family member, or their minor child;
- urgent travel to resume employment or studies in the United States.
5. Bring Your Passport and Visa Application Forms – Bring the completed DS-160 confirmation sheet with the uploaded 2 x 2 inch color photo not older than 6 months, from Step 2, a valid passport, and all other supporting documentation to the Consulate for your scheduled interview date.
6. Pay the MRV Fee – Payment for visa applications is CASH ONLY, with U.S. or Bermudian currency, or a combination of both, acceptable. Please consult the Department of State’s Fees for Visa Services website and be prepared to pay the appropriate fee, in cash, for the visa you are applying for on the day of your visa interview. Nonimmigrant visa applicants from certain countries may be required to also pay a reciprocity fee at the time of their visa interview which can be paid by cash or credit card.
7. Interview for your visa with the Consular Officer – Each applicant must appear in person for an interview, including minor children. If you are applying for your minor child, you will need that child’s birth certificate. During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate based on your purpose of travel. You will need to establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process.
8. Return to Collect Your Passport and Visa – If you are issued the visa, you will be given a date and time to collect your passport and visa, typically in about one week.
Case Status
You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.
Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants will be advised of this when they apply. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.
If your visa has been denied, you may find useful information on Visa Denials on Travel.State.gov.
After the Interview
Entering the United States
A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Learn more about admissions and entry requirements, restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited goods, and more by reviewing the CBP website.
Extending Your Stay
See Extend Your Stay on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to learn about requesting to extend your stay beyond the date indicated on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94.
You must depart the United States on or before the date indicated on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94, unless your request to extend your stay is approved by USCIS. Failure to depart the United States on time may also result in you being ineligible for visas you may apply for in the future. Review Visa Denials and Ineligibilities and Waivers: Laws to learn more.
Change of Status
While in the United States, you may be able to request that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) change your nonimmigrant status to another nonimmigrant category. See Change My Nonimmigrant Status on the USCIS website to learn more.
Requesting a change of status from USCIS while you are in the United States and before your authorized stay expires does not require that you apply for a new visa. However, if you cannot remain in the United States while USCIS processes your change of status request, you must apply for a visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Additional Information
Visitors are not permitted to accept employment or work in the United States.
We cannot guarantee that you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.