The confrontation between the Russian Federation and the United States in the sphere of consular relations has already caused many difficulties for the Russians. They learned to find options so as not to wait months for an American visa, but the rise in the cost of multiple permits since the beginning of 2021 upset many. But the fact that the Russian Federation and the United States have agreed on a mutual reduction in the cost of visas is perhaps the first good news.
New rules for visa fees
A short excursion into the history of this visa issue. In November 2021, the Russian Federation and the United States signed an agreement on the conditions for issuing entry permits based on the principle of reciprocity.
Clause 3 of the Agreement provided that for travel for tourist, business and other humanitarian purposes, the Russian Federation could issue Americans visas for a period of 36 months (from the date of issue) for a stay of no more than 6 months from the date of each entry.
The analogue for Russians is a three-year American visa of the B-1 or B-2 category.
The cost for all types of visa permits was set at $ 160.
In 2021, the Russian Federation introduced a differentiation of fees depending on the multiplicity of the visa. Consequently, multiple permits for foreigners (not just American citizens) have become more expensive.
Based on the principle of reciprocity, since January 2021, US diplomatic representatives have introduced an additional payment for a B-1 / B-2 visa for Russians for a period of three years - $ 143. Thus, the cost of an entry permit has almost doubled.
In the last days of February, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the press secretary of the US Embassy in Moscow announced the agreement reached by the countries to return to the Agreement of 2021, including fixing the consular fee for all types of entry permits in the amount of $ 160.
The innovations came into effect on March 4, 2021. This is confirmed by information on the websites of the US Embassy in Moscow and the Russian Embassy in Washington.
Both parties also report that they intend to issue applicants as much as possible three-year permits for travel with tourist and / or business purposes.
The situation is somewhat darkened by the clarification on the website of the American embassy: those Russians who, according to the conditions in force since January, contributed an additional 143 dollars, they will not be able to return them.
Where can you get an American visa in Russia now?
The rules for issuing a visa to America for the first time and subsequent ones are different: when re-issuing a visa, it is not necessary to pass an interview. Therefore, the first time you apply, you will have to make an appointment with the US Embassy or Consulate General. Only three representative offices are currently operating in Russia: in Moscow, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg.
You won't need an interview if:
- The application is submitted from the territory of the Russian Federation.
- The applicant has already undergone fingerprinting.
- The previous visa is valid or 11 months have not passed since its expiration.
- Permission of the same category is requested.
- The previous visa does not have a Clearance Received mark.
If these conditions are met, you can apply at the Pony Express office - they carry out an intermediate collection of documents. The company has about 100 such offices in the Russian Federation.
If the information sent with the application is satisfied with the US consular service, the passport with the visa will also be delivered via Pony Express.
Which countries do Russians go to for an American visa
Reducing the number of consulates in Russia, the American Embassy drew attention to the fact that Russians can obtain a visa to the United States from a country's diplomatic mission, which is not necessarily located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Citizens of the Russian Federation actively use this advice.
Visa tourists travel to neighboring countries: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Ukraine and Moldova, the Baltic countries and Finland. Visa-free Israel for Russians is popular: there are consulates in this country where interviews can be conducted in Russian.
It is important to take into account that visa rules in countries are changeable (for example, they may stop issuing visas to non-residents) and clarify in advance the procedure for paying the visa fee.
As a result
Since March 2021, the cost of B-1 and B-2 visas to the United States for Russian citizens has returned to the previous level - $ 160. You can get a visa on the territory of the Russian Federation at the US Embassy or its Consulates General, and a second one - remotely through the Pony Express visa service. Many Russians travel to neighboring countries to obtain American visas.
