Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
Required Documentation
Dear Parents:
If your child is under the age of 14 and applying for a United States visa through the drop-box procedure, please include the following documentation to ensure that your child’s case is processed quickly and that the interview is waived:
- A photocopy of your current visa (if you have one)
- Itinerary and purpose of travel
- Parents' permission if your child is traveling with someone other than his/her legal designated guardian. For example grandparents, friends of the family, etc.
Please note that if you are unable to provide the above listed
information to the Consular Section with your child’s application we
may require that the parents appear in person to be interviewed.
However, your child under the age of 14 is NOT required to come to a
requested interview unless you are specifically instructed through Pony
Express.
If you have any specific questions concerning your child’s
visa case and/or status please contact the Consular Section’s Public
Liaison Unit at consulmo@state.gov.
Application Forms and Photo Standards
All non-immigrant visa applicants must submit a completed Electronic
Visa Application Form DS-156. 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 is not available in the Russian
language. Answers to the questions on the application must be in
English and must use English characters. The applicants are welcome to
use the pertinent Online Electronic Visa Application instruction.
In addition to the DS-156, men aged from 16 to 45 must also complete DS-157.
All applicants seeking F, J and M visas must also complete DS-158.
| Form | English | Russian |
|---|---|---|
| DS-156 | Electronic Form | |
| DS-157 | ||
| DS-158 |
The DS-156 requires a full-face photograph. The photograph should measure 2 inches by 2 inches (approximately 50 mm by 50 mm) with the head centered in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25mm to 35mm), with the eye level between 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches (28mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo. Photo must be in color and taken against a white or off-white background. (All applicants, even infants included in their parents' passports, are required to have photographs.)
Anyone applying for a visa to attend a scientific conference, conduct research, participate in meetings, undertake post-graduate studies, or engage in employment in a scientific field should complete the application forms in English.
Applicants submitting their documents via Pony Express should not staple or glue photo to the application form.
Valid Passport
A valid passport must be submitted along with the visa application and must contain at least one blank page on which to affix a visa.
Nonimmigrant Visa Fees
The application fee for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa is $131, payable in cash in Russian rubles. This application fee is non-refundable. This fee should be submitted to Pony Express at the time the application is turned in for delivery to the Embassy.
For an additional $100, you may obtain a second year of visa validity. This fee may be paid in dollars or rubles immediately following the interview.
Supporting Documents
Anyone applying for a visa to attend a scientific conference, conduct research, participate in meetings, undertake post-graduate studies, or engage in employment in a scientific field should provide a copy of a resume and a list of any publications in English, and a DS-157 application form (in English, regardless of age and gender).
Documents that provide evidence of the applicant’s social, economic, and/or family ties to Russia, as well as correspondence from relatives or business associates you plan to visit, may facilitate the consular officer’s decision. Some examples of documents that may be helpful include:
- Evidence of employment. A letter from your employer can be useful.
- Evidence of income (and in some cases evidence of your spouse's income), such as earnings statements.
- Evidence of immediate family (spouse, children) in Russia.
- Evidence of ownership of property.
- Evidence of ongoing studies if applicant is still a student.
- Evidence of ongoing projects for those in entertainment fields.
- Your old passport bearing earlier visas and entry stamps.
Applicants who wish to study in the United States, must include the form I-20 or the form DS-2019 which they will receive from the educational institution in the United States.
Persons applying for student visas must pay the SEVIS fee before their interview date. Please review the SEVIS website for more information.
Those who are applying for H or L visas must provide the following additional documentation:
- Copy of petition (Form I-129) submitted to INS and all other supporting documents filed with the I-129.
- Original Form I-797, Notice of Action indicating INS approval of the petition;
- Photocopy of Diploma or other professional credentials;
- Photocopy of workbook ("trudovaya knizhka");
- Proof of experience in proposed field of work. Examples of such proof may include a: resume, current employment letter, letters from previous employers, publications, work-related correspondence, etc.
L visa applicants should also bring financial information on the Russian company. This documentation should include data on income, revenues and number of employees.
Family members of H1 or L1 visa recipients who do not apply for their visa at the same time should provide the Original Notice of Action (Form I-797), proof of relationship to primary applicant (marriage certificate, civil passport, birth certificate, etc.), and a photocopy of primary applicant's visa.
