CONTENTS:
- Where to apply
- Application form
- Required documents
- Consular fees
- Activation of payment order
- Interview appointment
- Visa application
- Period for visa processing / obtaining visa
- Visa processing for the companies-members of American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (US visa Premium Processing)
- Call center of the U.S. Consular section
1. Where to apply
Russian citizens, regardless of the place of registration may apply for visa at any of the Consulates of U.S. Embassy on the territory of the Russian Federation. Addresses of Consulates are available here.
2. Application form
Application form for nonimmigrant visa (DS-160) shall be completed on Consular Electronic Application Center of U.S. Department of State: https://ceac.state.gov/GENNIV/default.aspx.
While completing application form you’ll be asked to upload applicants’ digital photo with the following requirements:
- 51 х 51 mm in size;
- equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size;
- JPEG format;
- not less than 600 х 600 pixels in dimension.
Original photo should be attached by a clip to the package of documents when applying for visa.
After completing application form you will need to print applicants’ Confirmation page with ten digit bar-code and attach it to the package of documents.
3. Required documents
The list of required documents is available on the website of Confidence Group: http://confidencegroup.ru/visa-request-registration.aspx?sid=123&language=en-US. Choose the country and the type of visa from the list.
4. Consular fees
You can pay Consular fee at any of VTB24 banks’ branches (the list of branches is available here), or by postal order at any branch of the Russian Post (the list of offices is available here). If you pay through the Post additional fee of 10 RUR is applied.
For Consular fee for visa valid up to 1 year you need to complete and print a receipt of corresponding type of payment at the amount of $160 (5120 RUR) at website: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ru_ru/ru-niv-visapay.asp. Be ready to indicate applicants’ passport number and date of birth.
Additional payment for visa valid up to 2 years at the amount of $100 (3200 RUR) is made directly to Consular Center of U.S. Department of State after the interview. In case of absence of an interview (see interview appointment paragraph) additional payment is made together with the principal Consular fee of $160 (5120 RUR). For this you should choose and complete appropriate receipt on the above website.
5. Activation of payment order
Regardless of presence or absence of an interview, you should activate the ID number indicated in the payment order by entering it after registration on the website of U.S. Department of State.
For activation of the payment order you should register on the following website: https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/SiteRegister.
For registration the following information is required:
- E-mail address of the applicant;
- name / surname as it is written in the foreign passport of the applicant;
- foreign passport series / number;
- ten digit bar-code from the Confirmation page of DS-160 application;
- land line or cellular / mobile number;
- delivery address for passport with visa (home, working or one of Pony Express offices in case of passport obtaining directly in courier service. Address may be changed, but not later than two days before an interview).
6. Interview appointment
Within 48 hours after Consular fee payment you may sign up for an interview. To confirm this possibility you should indicate your application ID and date of receipt payment in personal account, available after registration on the above mentioned website. If the payment order is active, you may sign up for an interview.
The nearest date of an interview is also available on the website of Confidence Group:http://confidencegroup.ru/default.aspx?did=56&sid=126
After getting an interview date, you should print confirmation of appointment and attach it to the package of documents for visa. Applicants who do not require an interview should print Drop-Box page and attach it to the package of documents for visa.
The decision whether to appoint an interview or not shall be made by applicant himself. If an applicant meets all of the below requirements, he is not obliged to go through an interview procedure (to appoint an interview):
- fingerprints from all ten fingers were taken during the previous interview;
- previous visa validity is not expired or was expired not more than 11 months ago;
- application is submitted for the visa of the same type as of the previous one;
- previous visa does not consist “Clearance Received” mark (Permission obtained);
- you are on the territory of the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus.
If at least one of these conditions is not met, you must sign up for an interview.
7. Visa application
An applicant must come to an interview in appointed day, 30 minutes before the scheduled time. Consular Office address in Moscow: Novinsky Bul. 21.
Necessary documents:
- standard package of documents for visa (see “required documents”);
- foreign passport;
- Russian passport;
- printout of interview appointment confirmation;
- confirmation page of DS-160 application;
- copy of Consular fee receipt.
Applicants who do not require an interview must provide the same package of documents (as well as Drop-Box page) to one of the following Pony Express (courier service company) offices in Moscow and other regions:
- Ul. Pyatnitskaya 74, Business Center Pyatnitskaya, 74 (m. Dobryninskaya);
- Myasnitsky Proezd 2/1 (m. Krasnye Vorota);
- Prospekt Marshala Jukova 4 (m. Polezhaevskaya);
- Ul. Fadeeva 10 (m. Novoslobodskaya).
Other regions at: http://visa.ponyexpress.ru/regions.php
8. Period for visa processing / obtaining visa
Usually the period for visa application processing is from 4 to 5 working days from the date of the interview or from the date of applying to the courier service Pony Express (in case the interview is not needed).
In some cases visa applications can be processed within 3 and more months from application.
When visa is issued, an applicant will receive SMS on mobile number, indicated on the website of U.S. Department of State within registration. After receiving confirmation the documents are delivered to the address stated in registration or transferred to the appropriate office of Pony Express in case of passport obtaining directly from courier service.
9. Visa processing for the companies-members of American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (US visa Premium Processing)
In cooperation with the U.S. Embassy Consular Section, American Chamber of Commerce has implemented a system to expedite the U.S. visa application process for AmCham members. The system allows AmCham member company employees to obtain a visa within five business days or less. Detailed information is available on the website of American Chamber of Commerce: http://amcham.ru/premiumprocessing.
10. Call center of the U.S. Consular section
Starting from August 4, 2011 a new Call center of the U.S. Consular section began to operate. For any information on visa application issues please contact Call center by the following telephone numbers:
- Calls from Russia +7 (495) 668 1087 (Local phone number) or 8 800 100 2554 (is free for calls in Russia).
- Calls from U.S. – 718.425.8337.
E-mail: support-russia@ustraveldocs.com
Working hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
