US crew visas for M.E. Carriers and their crews.
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US crew visas for M.E. Carriers and their crews.
I wanted to know if EK/EY/QR flight deck crew are required to have U.S. Visas for US bound flights?
In the airline I fly for, crews do need the visa for US bound flights, and it seems as though the US immigration use profiling for these purposes; as such, many middle eastern or other ethnic crew were unable to attain the crew visa.
Seeing as the middle eastern big 3 airlines have many crew from these countries, how has it worked out for them?
Cheers for the responses!
In the airline I fly for, crews do need the visa for US bound flights, and it seems as though the US immigration use profiling for these purposes; as such, many middle eastern or other ethnic crew were unable to attain the crew visa.
Seeing as the middle eastern big 3 airlines have many crew from these countries, how has it worked out for them?
Cheers for the responses!
Yes, we require a Visa.
Generally simple process that takes a couple of hours at the US consulate, valid for 5 years.
I've not heard os anyone having any problems getting or renewing one.
Generally simple process that takes a couple of hours at the US consulate, valid for 5 years.
I've not heard os anyone having any problems getting or renewing one.
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Originally Posted by wiz
valid for 5 years
They give the CC a day off to get it done, but have a special arrangement for Pilots such that we turn up at opening time and are processed first. I seem to remember getting there at 8 and being done by 9.30
ETA thanks for the info, WK.
ETA thanks for the info, WK.
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How come you guys seem to have it easy
We have to fill a very long online form,followed by an application for an interview (sometimes 1 month away) then submit the passport for stamping if said agent is happy (not always it seems)
And this is for a crew visa,,,what are we doing wrong then
We have to fill a very long online form,followed by an application for an interview (sometimes 1 month away) then submit the passport for stamping if said agent is happy (not always it seems)
And this is for a crew visa,,,what are we doing wrong then
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I'm guessing these guys did it before the online form (DS-160) came into existence/usage at the Dubai consulate. You know, the one which asks you whether you have ever violated anyone's religious freedom while serving as a government official (or something along those lines).
Application for interview really depends. At Dubai the dates for month x seem to open up on the last week of month x-1, so you could potentially get an appointment in less than a week.
Edit: Unless crew have a different process for getting appointment dates. Only SLF here.
Application for interview really depends. At Dubai the dates for month x seem to open up on the last week of month x-1, so you could potentially get an appointment in less than a week.
Edit: Unless crew have a different process for getting appointment dates. Only SLF here.
special arrangement for Pilots such that we turn up at opening time and are processed first.
FYI as an Aussie & a UAE resident I also had the do all the forms, photos, stamps etc- the only difference is the appointment is made by the company. The rest is up to the crewmember (including going in on the days off to get it done, and then again to collect the passport- which I believe is now delivered to HQ to be picked up by the employee.) As far as I know the process is the same for all nationalities; just the validity which differs. Seems it might go easier if you're applying AFTER you become a resident, rather than from o/s if that is what Nitro is asking about?
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Just to clarify re cabin crew getting a rostered day off to attend a US visa interview; only when it suits the company. At the moment, they are short of 380 crew with visas, so they are getting RDO's to attend. They are not short of main fleet cabin crew with US visas, so they have to go in their own time!
Fair?....Not really, but since when was that taken into account?
Fair?....Not really, but since when was that taken into account?
Kamel, as far as I'm aware those going in their own time are those who don't want to wait to be told to go, and want to be able to be rostered for US flights right away.
Those waiting on main fleet are getting rostered days off to attend (as per one case I know of in the last 2 weeks)
If they're not short of crew with visas on one fleet or the other, then of course they're not going to spend the time to organise it all...
Those waiting on main fleet are getting rostered days off to attend (as per one case I know of in the last 2 weeks)
If they're not short of crew with visas on one fleet or the other, then of course they're not going to spend the time to organise it all...
