New York · est. 2013Saturday, September 5, 2026
Inside Immigration

Plain-language guides to US immigration, asylum and USCIS procedure.

Visas · Transit

C-2 Transit Visa to United Nations Headquarters

For a foreign national proceeding in immediate and continuous transit through the United States solely to reach or leave the United Nations Headquarters District in New York City, under the US-UN Headquarters Agreement.

TemporaryCap: none
Duration
8 CFR 214.2(c)(2) and 9 FAM 402.3-6 do not specify a fixed number of days; admission is tied to the traveler's business at the UN Headquarters District. For the length of the stay, travel is restricted to within a 25-mile radius of Columbus Circle, New York, NY, and the visa is annotated with this restriction.
Extensions
Cannot extend or change status - C is on USCIS's list of classifications ineligible to file Form I-539.
Work
None.
Dual intent
No
Dependents
Immediate family members accompanying the principal may qualify for the same C-2 classification; no work authorization.
Path to a green card
None from this status; single-intent category. A C-2 traveler is not barred by INA 245(c)(1)/(c)(3) merely for having used a C-2 visa, but must independently qualify for another immigrant category to adjust status.
Processing time
unverified - no fixed timeline published; interview generally waivable per the September 2025 interview waiver update.

Who qualifies

  • Person traveling to or from the UN Headquarters District under the Headquarters Agreement with the United Nations
  • Representatives of press, radio, film, or other information agencies proceeding to the UN under Section 11 of the Headquarters Agreement, if accredited by the United Nations

Requirements

  • Must proceed directly to New York City and remain continuously within the Headquarters District and its immediate vicinity, departing only to leave the United States
  • Must hold a document establishing the ability to enter another country following the US sojourn
  • UN accreditation required for press/media applicants proceeding to the UN

How to apply

  1. 1

    Complete Form DS-160 online and print the confirmation page

  2. 2

    Gather passport, photo, and (for press/media) UN accreditation

  3. 3

    Gather a document proving the ability to enter a country other than the US after the sojourn

  4. 4

    Interview is generally waivable for C-2 (case-by-case at consular officer discretion)

  5. 5

    Attend any required interview/fingerprinting

  6. 6

    Await any administrative processing

Fees and forms

MRV nonimmigrant visa application feeNo fee - C-2 is exempt (9 FAM 402.3-4(F); travel.state.gov fees page lists C-2 among the no-fee official/diplomatic-type categories)
DS-160

What changed in 2025 and 2026

  • 2025-09-18: C-2 confirmed on the interview-waiver-eligible list effective October 1, 2025, alongside A-1, A-2, C-3 (except attendants/servants/personal employees), G-1-4, and NATO-1-6.

Where it goes wrong

  • Travel outside the 25-mile Columbus Circle radius violates status, even for a brief personal errand
  • C-2 does not cover general UN-related business outside the Headquarters District - an alternative B-1 or I visa may be issued instead if the applicant otherwise qualifies and pays any required fee
  • The broader INA 212(a) ineligibility waivers for C-2 do not cover INA 212(a)(3)(A), (3)(B), (3)(C), or (7)(B) - those grounds still apply

Also in transit

Sources: travel.state.gov · travel.state.gov · fam.state.gov · ecfr.gov · uscis.gov · travel.state.gov

Not sure this is the one? Describe your situation and the finder will name the options worth exploring. None of this is legal advice; eligibility turns on facts a page cannot see.