How Russian citizens can independently obtain a visa to the USA: documents, registration

America

The United States of America has a visa regime with most states. Russia is no exception. A US visa in 2019 is required for Russians, regardless of the purpose of the trip. You can submit an application and prepare documents yourself. Moreover, applicants undergo a personal interview procedure.

Citizens of foreign countries must apply for an immigrant or non-immigrant visa. The latter is designed for permanent residence. Those who come for a certain period of time and for certain purposes require a non-immigrant visa.

Visa for tourist travel. Type B1/B2. It is designed for tourists and those who come for medical care or for business events. The standard validity period is 1 year. However, the consulate has the right to allow a visit to America for 3 years. For Russians, a tourist visa in 2019 costs $160.

student visa. Type F and M. The first is designed for students who enrolled in American colleges, schools or English courses. The second is for those who are sent for long-term vocational training. The cost of a student visa in 2019 is $160.
For registration, the applicant attaches the I-20 form from the educational institution to the general list of documents. In addition, you will need to pay a special SEVIS fee.
Work Visa. Type H, R, P, O, Q, L. The letter designation depends on the type of work that the foreigner will perform. A citizen of Russia can come to America in order to work in a company that has opened a branch in the United States. This also includes participation in cultural events, sports games, trips for religious purposes.
The fee is $190. The maximum term is 2 years.
Before applying for a work visa, a foreigner requests a petition form I-129 from the Citizenship and Immigration Services. The approved petition is presented to the consul. Attached to it is the number of the receipt, which is affixed to the petition. Other documents confirming the purpose of the trip are of great importance: documents on education, letters from the employer, resumes, etc.

Example of a border stamp

Visas for participation in exchange programs. Type J. The permit is issued to specialists who come to exchange experience in the field of culture, science, education. Fee - 160 US dollars. The validity of the visa is up to 3 years.
The applicant submits the approved DS-2019 form to the consulate and pays the SEVIS fee. It would be useful to confirm participation in exchange programs: attach correspondence, own works, topics of reports, etc.
Transit visa. Type C. It is required by citizens who travel to other states through the United States (unless they have a B1 / B2 tourist visa). In confirmation, they provide tickets to the destination and visas to other states. Consular fee - 160 US dollars.
Visa for service personnel. Type B1, A3, G5. Get foreigners who come to America to work as cooks, maids, butlers, etc. The visa category depends on the employer to which the foreigner is traveling. If the employer is a diplomat, an A3 visa will be required. If an employee of an international organization - G5.
In the case when the employer is an American citizen or the holder of a non-immigrant visa, a B1 visa is issued. In the first 2 cases, a visa is granted free of charge. Consular fee for B1 is 160 USD. The maximum validity period is 3 years.
The applicant attaches a copy of the employer's documents, a work contract to the general documents. When applying for this type of visa, it is extremely important to confirm that there are no immigration intentions, that after the end of the contract, the applicant will return home.

general information

A visa to the United States stands out among the entry permits established by other states. The motives behind visa officers are difficult to determine. Even an experienced tourist with a hefty stack of documents can easily get rejected.

Under the US Citizenship and Immigration Act, every foreigner planning to travel to the States is considered a potential immigrant. The visa interview is of key importance. There are three conditions on which the applicant must emphasize when applying to the consulate on his own:

Prove that the purpose of the trip is exclusively entertaining or educational.
Confirm that the length of stay is limited.
To confirm that outside the American state he has economic justifications and social ties that guarantee a return trip to his homeland.

The visa in the passport does not mean unhindered entry. She confirms that the consulate has no objection to the trip. The final decision is made by the US Border Security Service.

Employees have the right to ask clarifying questions and require supporting documents. They determine how many days a foreigner can stay inside the country.

Required Documents

Step-by-step instructions for self-preparation for an interview are available on the website of the American Embassy. Applying for a US visa requires the preparation of mandatory documents:

One color photo sized 5×5 cm. The height of the head should occupy 50-70% of the photo area. The “age” of the picture is no more than six months.

The application, completed electronically on the website - "Form DS-160". Sections are filled in Russian or English. Translation is not required.
A foreign passport valid for six months more than the intended period of travel.
A printout of an email inviting you to an interview.

Additional documents

Additional documents are not a requirement, but a recommendation. Each case is considered individually by the consular staff, asking the applicant various questions. In order to confirm the truth of the answers, additional certificates, letters, invitations are required. Which documents to take, the applicant has the right to decide independently. The main thing, as mentioned above, is to prove the absence of immigration intentions.

It is important to remember that if for most countries the presence of a host (relative, friend, etc.) is a plus, then for the American consulate it is rather a minus. Therefore, it is better to refuse private invitations. Documents must be submitted in original.

Sample list:

Bank statement example

Description of the route: where the tourist intends to go, by what transport, for how many days, etc.
Employer help. The content is standard: the position of the employee, length of service, earnings for six months, the duration of paid leave.
Proof of solvency. The list is unlimited: bank statements, credit cards, documents for real estate, for a share in business assets, tax returns, etc. If this is not possible, it is worth making a sponsorship appeal. This is a letter in which an individual or legal entity guarantees to pay the expenses of a foreigner for a tourist trip. An important condition: the sponsor must prove that he has the means for this.
For students: available certificates, diplomas and supplements to them, as well as a certificate of current education.
For those who have already visited the States: proof of current visa or immigration status.
For Russians with relatives in the USA: copies of certificates confirming the status of a relative (for example, green cards) and a letter indicating the degree of kinship and the intentions of the tourist regarding their stay in the USA.

Consular employees have the right to request other documents in order to clarify the points that raise questions. It is difficult to determine an exact list. It is not uncommon for only a passport to be required of all documents. In any case, when applying for a visa on their own, the tourist must prove what he is talking about.

Application procedure

The algorithm for applying for a visa involves several stages.

Address of the Embassy in Moscow

Payment of the consular fee. The amount is paid in rubles from the card or in cash at post offices. The payment procedure and details are indicated on the website of the Embassy.
Filling out an application. The form is posted on the US Consulate website.
Registration for an interview on-line. During the registration process, the system will require the number of three documents: a passport, a payment receipt and a barcode from the application.
Personal visit to the consulate. An interview for a US visa is a key step on the way to a visa. It is difficult to predict the course of the conversation, questions, and even more so the result. You must arrive at the scheduled time for the interview. Bring your passport, the previously completed application, a photo and other documents from the "Additional" section with you.

Consulate employees take fingerprints from a foreigner. Children under 14 years old and pensioners over 79 years old do not undergo the biometrics procedure. It is important that there are no calluses, cuts or other damage on the fingers that change the individual pattern.

In 2019, some concessions apply to biometrics. A Russian citizen is exempted from this procedure subject to a number of conditions:

The applicant already had a US visa, and the validity period expired no more than 11 months ago.
The previous visa had a similar category.
A foreigner applies for a visa in the state where he permanently resides.

Terms of registration and cost

You need to apply with an application no earlier than three months before the intended departure to the States. After the successful completion of the interview, you have to wait 1-2 days for a decision.

If the consulate has additional questions or requirements, the period will increase. For visas that are issued without an interview, the period is from a week to a month.

The cost of different types of visa is shown in the table:

Visa for minors

Documents for children are drawn up according to simplified rules. The main difference is the absence of an interview at the consulate. All Russians under the age of 14 are exempted from it. Children traveling with or without one parent need a notarized power of attorney.

In the case when the parent with whom the child is traveling has a US visa, documents can be submitted in absentia through a courier service. You need to pay the fee and fill out the application in the same way as in the case of a regular visa. If the conditions are met and it is possible to issue a visa without personal presence, a corresponding confirmation will be sent to the post office. It should be printed and attached to other documents.

List of documents for a visa for a child:

Passport.
A copy of the visa of the accompanying adult. If the child is traveling with a group, a detailed description of the stay program and a list of other children is required.
Inventory of documents sent by courier.
Colored new photo.
Additional certificates, letters, confirmations (at the discretion of a foreign citizen).

After the child is 14 years old, he needs to be interviewed, even if the passport already had an American visa obtained in absentia. The presence of parents at the interview is not prohibited.

Document Status Tracking

On the official website of the Embassy, you can track the status of your passport. To do this, you need to enter the code given at the interview in the appropriate section. The finished passport is transferred to the points of issue of documents. You need to pick it up from there in 15 days. After this period, he will return to the Embassy as unclaimed.

During registration, the applicant may also indicate the address where the passport should be delivered. The courier service will do it for free.