VISA to ferry a flight from the USA?

[X-BleedOpen]

Hello guys!

Does anybody know if I need a particular VISA to ferry an airplane from the US to a european country, as far as the airplane has a JAA reg and my Licence is JAA?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Gulfstreamaviator]

I would say NO

Just go on a normal ticket, visa waver or whatever, as a scheduled passenger.

Collect the aircraft, and depart. Remember to give in the slip from your entry docket.

Never had a problem, but I suppose there is always tomorrow.

[X-BleedOpen]

Hi thanks for your info!

I have a passport which allows me to enter under Visa Waver... but I've heard about a C1/D Visa for this kind of work...

any idea?

[ClimbSequence]

glapira,

The Visa you mentioned above is the so called "flight/cabin crew visa", it is used for airline personnel flying in and out the states for a foreign company. I also met a guy who worked for a private company flying biz jet, who had to apply for that prior to entering the US if he was flying for compensation or hire which was the case. The same guy, went to the US to take sim sessions and told me that he entered with a B1/B2 (visitor visa) that he also had. In case of Europeans citizen you do not need to have a visa to enter in the US but need a permission from your local embassy after a brief security check. I recommend you to call your local U.S. embassy and ask for the requirements based on your nationality and the type of activity you intend to do while in the US.

Hope this helps

[411A]

Does anybody know if I need a particular VISA to ferry an airplane from the US to a european country, as far as the airplane has a JAA reg and my Licence is JAA?

Maybe.
The rules have changed recently, you now must file an eAPIS notification with United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for this flight and...as has been happening in the recent past, US Customs might inspect the airplane prior to departure.
Then, they might ask you if you are being paid to ferry the airplane, and IF you have no visa (entered on a visa waiver status), you could be delayed.

Beware.

[Gulfstreamaviator]

I hope this is not establishing precident

I agree with 411, just be careful.

The eAPIS was I believed for the notification of incoming to USA aircraft.

As to payment for the ferry, you have a JAA Licence, it is a JAA aircraft, and I assume you are TR, current etc, and thus legal to operate that aircfaft overseas. Thus the payment issue is clouded.

I see no reason to go the the embassy to chat, even if no tea or biscuits provided.

Safe trip.

I have done the same trip in Glf several times in last 12 months, and never had a problem.

[X-BleedOpen]

Hello guys!

thank you for your nice help! I suppose you are all right... :-) I mean, so far, with my Visa Waiver Program and the ESTA Approval I can enter the US without any issue... and I'm arriving as a Normal Passenger. Now, apart from this, I'm not flying passengers, I'm ferrying an aircraft, and this is where I personally think that the C1/D Visa for CREW MEMBERS does not apply. I'm trying to contact the embassy regarding this anyways.

I don't think that I will have issues if I go wiht the VWP and then leave the green paper at the airport I'm leaving the US from. I should fly an EI- Registered A320 to EU as far as I know... but not many extra information given so far.

Will cross check anyways. Thanks for your nice help!

Kind Regards

[spittingimage]

Hmm .. ferrying A320 ? Private flight ? I suspect not. So, you are flying for 'reward' and therefore you are travelling 'on business' and need a visa.

I hold B1/B2, C1/D USA visas in my passport (EU/British) for my occasional ferry work. So the Visa Waiver Program is irrelevant for me.

Strongly recommend that you check very carefully indeed before travelling on just VWP for what you appear to be planning to do.

[herman the crab]

I believe that the Visa Waiver ONLY applies to approved commercial carriers so you would not be able to use it as you would not have a return commercial flight.

[StratosFear]

I have a similar question, and seeing how old this thread is, I wonder whether anyone has any more current clarification on this one.

I'm ferrying a N reg from US to UK.
I have a full C1/D current visa as P1

However my safety pilot who we want to fly out commercially would just have an ESTA.
I cant seem to work out from website etc if this is permissable or not?

Any advice welcome.

[Espada III]

Surely tourists fly into US on an ESTA, but drive into Canada and leave the Americas from there. So, presumably a pilot on GA or similar can do the same?