Embassy of the United States Moscow, Russia

Embassy Moscow's Immigrant Visa Unit issues visas to Russian nationals seeking permanent residence in the United States, based on certain categories of family relationship with U. S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, or offers of employment. A significant part of that workload involves orphans adopted by American citizens. U.S. citizens interested in adopting a child are encouraged to contact their State Department of Health and Human Services to locate an agency that specializes in international adoptions and/or the U.S. Department of State's Office of Children's Issues for further information.

ATTENTION:

Since no advance assurances can be given that a visa will be issued, applicants are strongly advised not to buy tickets or make any final travel arrangements, not to dispose of their property, and not to give up their jobs until their visas have been issued.

The Russian police certificate should be taken from Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or from the Information Center of the subject to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.

Contact information

For Moscow residents: (499)978-4362; 57/65 Novoslobodskaya St.; 

For residents of Moscow district: (495)667-4563; 3 Nikitskiy pereulok;

For other Russian residents and foreigners: (495)332-3058; 67 Novocheremushinskaya St.

Changes to Filing I-130 Petitions Overseas

Effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas will no longer be able to routinely file Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relative, with U.S. Embassies and Consulates except in locations where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a public counter presence within the Embassy or Consulate. Petitioners residing overseas in countries where USCIS does not have a public counter presence will be required, starting August 15, 2011, to file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox. U.S. Embassies and Consulates that do not have a USCIS presence will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances, as outlined below.

In Russia, U.S. Embassy Moscow has a USCIS public counter presence, so Forms I-130 may be filed there. U.S. Consulate Generals St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Yekaterinburg do not have a counter presence; therefore, these posts will only accept Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances. See below for more details.

Forms I-130 that were properly filed at an Embassy or Consulate overseas where USCIS does not have a presence before August 15, 2011, will not be affected by this change.

Filing Instructions beginning August 15, 2011:

Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas who wish to file a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, may do so as follows:

• If the petitioner resides in a country in which USCIS has a public counter presence, the Form I-130 may be filed directly with the USCIS field office (see instructions below) or through the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the below addresses.
• If the petitioner resides in a country where USCIS does not have a public counter presence, the Form I-130 must be filed with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the addresses below, unless the petitioner requests and is granted an exception based on one of the criteria described below.

USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries:

USCIS

P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL 60680-4107

USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by phone at 1- 800-375-5283.

Filing at USCIS Overseas field offices:

From August 15, 2011, petitioners residing in a country where USCIS has a field office, with a public counter, may choose to file the Form I-130 either through the Chicago lockbox or at the USCIS field office. Petitioners should contact the USCIS field office with any questions regarding the filing of petitions. For more information on where USCIS has overseas field offices and contact information, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/international

Exceptional Filing at U.S. Embassies or Consulates without a USCIS Field Office:

Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners, who do not reside in a country with a USCIS field office, but who believe that their situation merits an exception, may request an exception to allow the Consular Section at the Embassy or Consulate to accept the filing. Each request for an exception will be evaluated individually.

A petitioner seeking to file a Form I-130 at an Embassy or Consulate where USCIS does not have a presence should contact the Consular Section to request consideration of the request for exception and explain the circumstances in detail. The Consular Section will then relay the request for an exception to the USCIS field office with jurisdiction over the Embassy or Consulate. The determination of whether the case presents exceptional circumstances that warrant an exception to the general filing process will be made by USCIS. USCIS will be publishing guidance on the circumstances that may qualify as exceptional on their website at:

http://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/AFM/HTML/AFM/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-3481/0-0-0-6254.html

Please contact U.S. Mission Russia's new visa information service for further information.

The American Citizen petitioners may not attend interview with adult applicants.

In accordance with the immigrant visa process you need to go to one of the DHL offices (see the list below) before the interview, to pay for the visa delivery. Please tell the cashier the applicant's name and case number starting with MOS. Information about the DHL offices can be obtained at the following address:
Moscow, 8 Marta street, 14
Phone (495) 956-1000 (Customer Service Department)
DHL International

You must bring the DHL airwaybill to the interview.

Consular Section of the US Embassy will send your visa to a DHL courier in 2-3 days after your visa has been approved. After that your visa will be delivered to the address you provided, but only within the CIS. Please make sure you provide the correct address for visa delivery.

DHL is responsible for your visa during the delivery process.

The Moscow Field Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accepts immigrant visa petitions filed only by American citizens resident in Russia on behalf of their relatives any working day between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Immigrant Visa Unit also approves issuance of fiance(e) visas. Fiance(e) visa petitions must be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the United States by the American citizen fiance(e). When the DHS notifies us of the petition approval, we will contact the fiance(e) with instructions on how to prepare for the visa interview.

The applicants should not expect that any information on the documentation submitted by the petitioner to the National Visa Center and received by the Embassy be provided by the Embassy at the applicant's, petitioner's or third party's request prior to the interview.

Please note, that any additional relevant information may be requested at a consular officer's discretion during interview to ensure that a visa is properly issuable.

For additional information concerning immigrant visas, please visit U.S. Department of State website.