Visas
Important News and Information
Information for Belorussian Applicants
Due to the temporary suspension of nonimmigrant visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk, residents of Belarus who wish to travel to the U.S. may now apply for a nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. If they are interested in scheduling a nonimmigrant visa interview, they should contact the Pony Express central office in Moscow at (7) (495) 981-1956 for instructions and details of the application process. Such applicants should have all the documents they would have brought with them to the Embassy in Minsk.
Applicants will receive their passports the next business day after the visa interview.
Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase on January 1, 2008.
The U.S. Department of State has announced that effective January 1, 2008, the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee will increase from $100 to $131.Applicants who pay the MRV fee before January 1, 2008, and whose appointment is scheduled before January 31, 2008, do not have to pay the difference.
Immigrant Visas Application Fees Change.
The U.S. Department of State has announced that the Schedule of Fees for Immigrant Visa Services will be changed beginning January 1, 2008 and will be the following:
- For immigrant visa applicants - $400 per visa
- For DV Lottery winners - $375 for the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery application and $400 for visa
- For returning residents - $400 for the returning resident status application (DS-117) and $400 for visa
All non-immigrant visa applicants must submit a completed Electronic
Visa Application Form. Visa applications prepared using the old visa
application form are no longer accepted. After filling out the
Electronic Visa Application Form online at http://evisaforms.state.gov, applicants will be able to print a copy of their visa application, which will include their data in a barcode format.
The Electronic Visa Application form provides greater uniformity, accuracy and security in processing visa applications. More >>>
As of October 26, 2005, travelers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries with passports issued on or after that date wishing to travel to the U.S. visa-free must have a machine-readable passport with a digital photo or integrated chip. For additional information please visit the U.S. Department of State website http://travel.state.gov.
Beginning June 26, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will begin enforcing the requirement that travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) present machine readable passports. Those travelers from VWP countries who do not possess a machine-readable passport must obtain a non-immigrant visa in order to enter the United States. Travelers without the appropriate passport or visa may be denied entry to the United States. For more information, please refer to the May 12 press release from the Department of Homeland Security.
As of January 1, 2005, Pony Express will charge revised rates for their services to collect, track and deliver visa applications and supporting documents for U.S. nonimmigrant visas. Delivery within Moscow and the Moscow region will be raised to 700 rubles. For information concerning service rates in other regions of Russian Federation, please visit the Pony Express internet site at http://www.ponyexpress.ru/.
Changes to the United States Visa Process:
The United States welcomes citizens from around the world who want to visit, study, and do business in our country. However, following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 we have had to make the following changes in processing visas for visitors. These changes in procedures reflect our concern for ensuring the safety of U.S. residents and visitors alike, not a desire to make it more difficult for legitimate travelers to enter the U.S. >>>
New Police Certificate Requirements and Procedures for Immigrant Visas:
Applicants are required to submit police certificate in all names as well as all dates of birth that they have used. The police certificate must contain references to each place (subject to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation) in which the applicant lives or has lived for more than six months since reaching the age of 16. This includes localities where applicants have lived during university studies. If the applicant was on his military service, he/she should bring the certificate from the local draft board. If an applicant has lived abroad for more than one year, a police certificate must also be submitted from the country in which he/she lived.
