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Visas

Welcome Visa Applicants!

This web site contains information about types of visas, application forms and other necessary documents, and the steps necessary to apply for a United States visa.

Using the menu on this page, you can find answers to the most commonly asked questions, as well as instructions to guide you through the visa application process.

Interest in travel to the United States continues to grow, and we expect a high volume of applications in the current period. As you plan for your trips to the United States, we encourage you to plan ahead to allow us enough time to process your visa before your trip. We recommend that travelers begin the visa application process at least four weeks before they plan to travel.

Please also note that some visa applications require additional administrative processing, which often requires 30 days from the interview date to resolve. Thank you for your cooperation, and for your interest in visiting the United States.

Visa Appointment Wait Times

To make a nonimmigrant visa appointment, please visit the offices of the Pony Express courier service (see “How to Apply” above). The required visa application processing fee of 131 USD will be paid at the Pony Express office along with the courier’s handling fee. If any additional fee is required, it will be paid at the Consulate on the day of the interview. For more information on visa fees, see the Department of State web site: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/fees/fees_1341.html.

To see the procedure for requesting an expedited appointment for a visa interview, click here - FAQ.

Visa Processing Time

Average Visa Processing Time - Click here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php. This means the average number of working days for printing and delivery of a visa, once the visa has been approved by a consular officer. All applicants should be aware that the times given above are AVERAGES, and that the processing time of a specific case can vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements. Many additional factors, such as the need for administrative processing, additional information or incomplete applications, may influence the processing of individual visa cases.  Administrative processing often requires 30 days from the interview date to resolve.

For Residents of Belarus: The Government of Belarus requested on March 31 that the United States again reduce the size of our Embassy in Minsk. We consider these demands by the Belarusian Government to be unwarranted and unjustified. Due to these actions of the Government of Belarus, nonimmigrant visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk have been suspended until further notice. Residents of Belarus who wish to travel to the U.S. may apply for a nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg. If you are interested in scheduling a nonimmigrant visa interview, please e-mail the St. Petersburg Pony Express office at visa@pony-spb.ru and provide Pony Express with your name as it appears in your passport, passport number and contact information. To confirm your appointment, please call the St. Petersburg Pony Express office at +7 (812) 449-7756 within 2 working days.

Please note that applicants applying from Belarus must submit their applications in person at the main Pony Express office in St. Petersburg 2 days prior to their scheduled interview date. Applicants should expect to stay in St. Petersburg for a minimum of 4 days during the application process. For example, an applicant with an interview scheduled on a Thursday would submit an application to Pony Express in person on Tuesday, appear for an interview on Thursday, and possibly receive the visa and passport back on Friday at Pony Express.

Contact Us

U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg

15 Ulitsa Furshtatskaya
St. Petersburg, 191028
Russian Federation
Tel: +7 (812) 331-2600
Fax: +7 (812) 331-2646

Located near metro station "Chernyshevskaya"

Hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 9:00 to 5:30 p.m. Appointments are required.

The Consulate is closed on official American and Russian holidays.  

Article translated in:
Русский