The United States has tightened the rules for obtaining visas for citizens of Russia and Belarus. Russians can no longer apply for a nonimmigrant visa at any U.S. diplomatic mission. The U.S. State Department has ruled that applications must now be submitted only at consulates in Astana or Warsaw. This applies to tourist, student, and other nonimmigrant visa categories, according to U.S. State Department.
Under the new requirements, interviews must take place exclusively in the applicant’s country of citizenship or permanent residence. Since visa processing has been unavailable in Russia since spring 2021, Russians had been using consulates in other countries. Now, the option is limited, and citizens of Russia, along with residents of 16 other countries, are required to apply only at designated missions.
Already scheduled interviews will not be canceled. Russians and Belarusians who have residence permits in other countries may apply for a visa there. Others may only apply at other consulates in exceptional cases, such as humanitarian, medical, or political reasons.
However, it is unclear whether Russians will actually be able to submit applications in Poland. Since 2023, Poland has closed entry for Russian citizens for almost all purposes, including Schengen visas issued by other countries. In addition, Polish authorities have banned entry for vehicles with Russian license plates, regardless of the purpose of travel or the owner’s citizenship.
Nonimmigrant visa issuance at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow has been suspended since May 2021. This followed the Kremlin’s ban on diplomatic missions hiring foreign staff, including Russians. As a result, the embassy’s staff was reduced by 75 percent, and around 200 Russian employees lost their jobs.
