Effective immediately, the U.S. has suspended its policy of allowing travelers to pass through U.S. airports in transit to foreign destinations without a visa if they would otherwise require a visa to enter the U.S. This change has no effect upon Canadian citizens nor upon those who qualify to enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program.

You may use the Visa Appointment Reservation System to schedule a visa interview by phone or online.

Homeland Security issued instructions to all airlines to no longer allow passengers to utilize these transit programs. Homeland Security agencies are also taking additional steps to increase security at airports and on airplanes that normally transport and process passengers under these programs. These new measures are in addition to significant increases in aviation security implemented since September 11 such as reinforced cockpit doors, deployment of federal air marshals, enhanced federalized baggage and passenger screening and armed Federal Flight Deck Officers piloting some jetliners.

If you hold a valid passport from a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program, you may be able to transit the U.S. without any further documentation and with no U.S. visa. Please refer to the page below to find out if you may qualify.

Transit visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the Consular Officer that they intend to pass in continuous transit through the United States and that they have a residence abroad that they do not intend to abandon. Transit aliens must have onward transportation arrangements to their final destination and permission to enter some country other than the United States following the transit through the United States, unless the alien submits satisfactory evidence that such advance permission is not required.