Recall that in 2017 in the Russian Federation, due to the reduction in the staff of US Embassies and Consulates, the recording for interviews in diplomatic missions was suspended. There was a large queue of those who had already been signed up and whose interview was canceled, as well as those who were just about to schedule an interview. The situation worsened even more after the closure of the Consulate in St. Petersburg. The number of applicants in the Russian Federation has only increased since 2017, and it has become impossible to get an interview or apply for an extension in the Russian Federation. At the moment, Russians go abroad to get their visa – to a variety of countries.
Russian citizens can continue to apply for nonimmigrant visas at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate where they can make an appointment for an interview. Applicants for a visa to the United States must personally appear for an interview abroad.
When deciding to obtain a visa to the United States in third countries, Russian citizens should take into account possible difficulties with crossing borders, air traffic restrictions and other nuances of obtaining visas, which we warn about directly when processing applications.
We are constantly monitoring the latest changes in the requirements for applicants and in the field of America's nonimmigrant visa policy. For our part, we provide maximum support at all stages of registration and assistance in monitoring dates and recording interviews.
At the moment, we recommend paying attention to the main popular countries in which Russian sailors apply to the US Embassies for nonimmigrant type C1/D visas.
SERBIA
• Russian citizens can enter Serbia and stay in the country without a visa for up to 30 days
• There is a direct air service
• The system pre-issues available slots for October 2022.
• There are successful cases (August-September 2022)
Kazakhstan
• Citizens of the Russian Federation can enter Kazakhstan and stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days
• Citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to stay in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and travel outside it using an internal passport (i.e., in case of a delay in consideration, they can fly using a Russian passport)
• In advance for a type C1/D visa, the system issues available slots for September 2022 (not guaranteed for non-residents)
Kyrgyzstan:
• Russian citizens can enter Kyrgyzstan and stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days
• Citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to stay on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic and travel outside it using an internal passport (i.e., in case of a delay in consideration, they can fly using a Russian passport)
• Recording via email
• There is a direct air service
• Payment for c/c on the spot immediately before the interview
Uzbekistan:
• Citizens of the Russian Federation can enter the Republic of Uzbekistan and stay in the country without a visa for up to 60 days
• Recording via email
• There is a direct air service
• Payment for c/c on the spot immediately before the interview
Armenia
• Russian citizens can enter Armenia and stay in the country without a visa for up to 180 days
• For Russian citizens to enter the country, provided they travel by air and by direct flight, they can use an internal valid passport (i.e., in case of a delay in consideration, they can fly using a Russian passport)
• There is a direct air service
• Currently slots for February 2024.***
• There are successful cases (June 2022)
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If you have a valid Schengen visa, Russians can consider obtaining visas through Embassies and the US Civil Code in Europe. The most popular countries are Poland, Germany, and Hungary.
When deciding on obtaining a visa to the United States through a third country, the following nuances should also be taken into account:
• The current available interview date is available after payment and activation of the c/s in the system
• after the interview, the passport remains in the consular department, in most cases the applicant must stay in the country before receiving the passport at the courier service office
• although the visa processing time is usually three working days, the processing time for specific cases may vary depending on individual circumstances, administrative verification is not excluded
We recommend applying for an American visa in advance and taking into account the likely risks and difficulties of obtaining it in the current unstable situation in the world.
If you have any questions about obtaining visas to the United States through third countries, please contact our specialists.
Sincerely, your Poseidon team!
Посейдон!