Visa Services
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services due to the Russian government prohibiting the Embassy from employing foreign nationals in any capacity. Russian nationals may continue applying for nonimmigrant visas at any U.S. embassy or consulate where they can obtain an appointment.Due to the suspension of immigrant visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, the U.S. Department of State has designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw to process immigrant visas for residents of Russia. On February 16, the Department of State added U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR-5 (parent of a U.S. citizen) immigrant visa applicants. Please find additional information here.
We are not processing boarding foils at this time.
We regret that the actions of the Russian government have made it impossible for our office to continue offering non-diplomatic visa services in Russia. All consular services at the U.S. Consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok remain in suspended status.
Asylum & Refugee Status
Please be advised that aliens seeking asylum status are defined as those already inside the United States, who would face immediate physical danger if they returned to their country of origin. The term refugee applies to nonresidents who need assistance departing the country to which they have fled because of safety concerns for themselves or their families in their country of origin. The U.S. Embassy cannot provide assistance in such cases.The U.S. Embassy in Russia does not process applications for refugee or asylum status in the United States. We refer you to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at for more information about seeking refugee or asylum status: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/refugees . The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the primary resource of appeal for refugees. For more information, please contact:
UNHCR
9, Leontievsky lane,
Moscow, Russian Federation, 125009
+7-495-660-0901 rusmo@unhcr.orgThe process may take several months. Please note that the UNHCR representative in Russia cannot assist citizens of Russia in obtaining refugee status. They can only help nonresidents residing in Russia. Russian nationals cannot be considered refugees in their own country.
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
See our Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to determine which visa category might be appropriate for your purpose of travel to the United States.
What is a Visa?
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.
Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States.
(Note: U.S. citizens don’t need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit.).
Contact Us
To contact a customer service representative, please visit the GSS Contact Us page for full information or use contact information below. Visa application services call center agents are available from 8:00 AM to 8:00PM from Monday through Friday, able to assist you via telephone or chat.
Email: support-russia@ustraveldocs.com
Telephone: Callers in Russia: +7 (495) 745 3388 or 8 (800) 100-2554 (toll free)
Callers in the United States: +1 (703) 745 5474
Chat: To chat with a customer service representative, please click here. Chat software works with Internet Explorer 8.0, Internet Explorer 7.0, Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 2, and Firefox 3.6.
Customer Service Statement
The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States. We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known. Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.
We promise to you, the visa applicant, that:
- We will treat you with dignity and respect, even if we are unable to grant you a visa.
- We will treat you as an individual and your case as unique.
- We will remember that, to you, a visa interview may be a new or intimidating experience and that you may be nervous.
- We will use the limited time available for the interview to get as full a picture as possible of your travel plans and intentions.
- We will use our available resources to fairly assist all applicants to get appointments to allow travel in time for business, study, and other important obligations.
- We will post detailed and accurate information on visa requirements and application procedures on every Embassy and Consulate website.
- We will provide information on non-immigrant appointment waiting times at every Embassy and Consulate posted on http://travel.state.gov.
- We will explain the reason for any visa denial to you.
Furthermore, if you are a:
- Student, we will make every effort to ensure that you get an appointment and, if qualified, a visa in time to start classes.
- Medical and humanitarian emergency traveler, we will expedite processing for those dealing with life threatening emergencies.
- Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
At the same time, we expect you, the visa applicant, to:
- Plan your travel and visa application as far in advance as possible.
- Complete your application fully and accurately.
- Be forthcoming about your purpose and plans.
- Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
