Deadline for obtaining a US visa in 2021

Millions of people want to see America every year, if only they had a visa to the USA. Both young and old are ready to save for months for a trip to see stunning landscapes with their own eyes: Hollywood, Niagara Falls, New York, California and much more.

City of San Francisco in California

There are many myths and legends associated with obtaining an American visa that are spread among Russians and Ukrainians. Of course, there are certain difficulties for students or unemployed people, pensioners and single women. First of all, you need to truthfully explain to the consular officer and border guard at the airport your purpose for visiting the United States.

It is a fact that American border guards are half-heartedly allowing Russians across the border, as well as Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans. Having a visa does not always guarantee passage across the border; how you look and answer the border guard’s questions is also important. Because many of our compatriots want to find work in the USA and live there illegally, and not at all to walk around New York or sunbathe on the beaches of Florida.

Tourism in the USA has always been, is and will be. The number of travelers is growing rapidly every year, so representatives of the New World country do not care at all about your feelings in case of refusal.

Online application for a US visa

To minimize the risk of refusal to issue a tourist visa to the United States in case of self-application, it is necessary to study in detail the process of submitting and reviewing the application form.

Jurisdiction of the consular service in Russia

For Russians, as well as for former Ukrainians, and now citizens of Crimea, you can obtain a visa at one of the consular services, although for Crimeans the procedure can take weeks and months. And the likelihood of them receiving an American visa is close to zero.

Citizens of those regions that do not live in the territories assigned to other consulates general in Russia can apply for a tourist visa to the Moscow consulate (a detailed list of regions is on the official website).

Citizens of Crimea and Sevastopol will need to apply for a tourist visa in 2021 at the American Embassy in Kyiv, the official website informs about this. Information on the immigration category of visas states that registration takes place only in Moscow for all citizens of Russia, as well as former Soviet republics, with the exception of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

How are interviews conducted?

The visa will be issued after a meeting with a representative at the embassy. In 2021, the interview can only be done in Moscow. The department itself calls the applicant at the time of consideration of his documents. A long waiting period is observed in November-December before the New Year.

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To successfully pass an interview, it is important to clearly answer the questions posed. Its possible duration is no more than half an hour. If the officer is highly professional, the interview will take five minutes or more. This time is enough for the employee to draw all the conclusions for himself.

The visa is issued within a few days after a successful interview with a consular officer and submission of the necessary documents. If the applicant lives in another region, then the documents are delivered to him by courier service within 2 - 3 days.

US Tourist Visa

The American tourist visa type B1/B2 belongs to the non-immigrant category of entry documents into the United States. The cost of obtaining a visa depends on exchange rate fluctuations on the stock exchange, so you need to find out in advance before submitting documents how much the consular fee costs. The amount is 160 USD in terms of Russian rubles, which is approximately 10,000 rubles.

Do not confuse the amount of the consular fee and the cost of obtaining a visa; the second is free for Russians.

Please note that a fee must be paid for all family members, including children under 14 years of age. The consular fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

For Russians, a visa can be issued single or multiple entry, and for a period of up to 3 years. However, do not forget that you know about your purpose of visit to America, but not the consulate officer, so for them you are a potential immigrant and an unscrupulous person. And there are plenty of those who emigrated and stayed in the United States, arriving there on a tourist or student visa.

Applying for a US visa on your own

You can pay a certain amount of money to the “agent” for issuing visas, but first of all, this will not be cheap (more precisely, at least twice as expensive). Secondly, you need to find a conscientious person who will promise mountains of gold and fulfill everything without deceiving. The best way to apply for a visa to the USA is to apply for it yourself, and the money for an “agent” is better spent on buying souvenirs or on cheap tickets to America.

It is possible to cross the territory of a foreign state only with a visa in hand. When applying for a visa for the first time, you must undergo an interview at the US Embassy. Subsequent applications for a single-entry visa to America will not require an interview.

Payment of the consular fee is the first action of the applicant. Its size is 160 dollars, transfer is possible via the Internet from Visa or Master Card - you cannot pay directly in dollars, only with a commission for conversion. After transferring money to the account, fill out a form with a photograph placed in it.

US Visa FAQ

Be sure to read our US visa FAQ! There's really a lot of useful information there.

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Filling out the DS-160 form

The video shows an example and example of how to correctly fill out a form and application for a visa at the US Embassy.

Initially, you should prepare a photograph. This is important because after filling out the electronic form, you will need to download it immediately.

Step-by-step instructions for filling out the form:

Initially, you should choose a language. The application form is entirely in English, so Russian citizens should select their native language in the tab located in the upper right corner of the monitor. Remember, the form is not automatically translated. All information on the server is provided in English. The translation will appear when you hover over the text.
Then we select the country and city where we plan to have an interview with a consular officer. After making your selection, click on the link “start filling out the application form.” This transition means the beginning of filling out the electronic form.
The beginning of filling is characterized by assigning a number to the form.
The applicant will then be required to answer a security question identifying the form number. The form number and security question play an important role. Thanks to them, you can save the form and continue filling it out at a convenient time. For convenience, the assigned number can be printed on a printer. To do this, press the Print Application ID button.
Then you should enter the personal data of the person filling out the form. All information is copied from the foreign passport. Information to be entered in order:

Full names must be entered in English.
Full name in native language.
Maiden name.
Floor.
Family status.
Date on which the applicant was born.
Place (city) of birth.
The region in which the applicant was born.
Republic of birth.

After entering this information, you should click “next page with personal data: 2”.

After clicking this button, the second page of the form appears on which you need to enter information such as:

Citizenship.
Past citizenship.
Civil passport number.
United States Social Security Number. Not everyone has this number. If there is no such number, then you should select Does Not Apply.
TIN card number. If it is not there, we do the same as in the previous paragraph.

Click the link “Next: addresses and telephone numbers” and go to the next page of the form.

On this page you should indicate all the contact information of the person filling out the application form for an entry visa to the United States:

Actual residential address in the following sequence: house number, street, apartment number.
City of residence.
Index.
Republic.
A valid mobile or home phone number.
Additional contact phone number.
Work phone number.
Valid Email Address.

After entering the information, you should click “Next: passport data”.

Next, you will need to fill out a page with your passport information. Initially, you should select the type of international passport REGULAR and enter its number. Then information regarding the country that issued the passport is entered.
After moving to the next page, you need to fill out information directly related to travel to the United States of America.

Entered information:

Purpose of the trip.
Type of visa permit.
Date of arrival in the country.
Estimated period of stay in the state.
The address where the foreign resident plans to stay. The address is indicated in the following sequence: initially the house number, then the street, then the apartment number.
City.
State.
Index.
Personal details of the travel sponsor.

On the next page you should indicate information about your travel companions.
The next page is filled with information about previous trips to the United States of America. It is worth indicating in detail the date of arrival in this country and the time of stay in it. You will also need to enter information about previously issued visas and indicate whether the applicant has undergone the fingerprinting procedure.

After filling out all the fields, you need to click Next: US Contact, and the server will automatically redirect you to the next page, where you will need to provide information about the inviting person.

After this, you need to enter complete information about the applicant’s relatives: full names of the father and mother, their dates of birth, location and country of residence.
The next page is filled with family information. The full name of the husband/wife, date of birth, nationality and actual address of residence are indicated.
The next page of the application provides information regarding the place of study or employment. Initially, you should select a specialty or direction, then indicate the name and contact information of the organization where the applicant works.
After this, you should go to the page where you need to enter information about previous places of work and training.
The next page provides additional information about education, work experience, military service, etc.
The Security and Background page is divided into five parts. In each part you need to answer “yes” or “no”. This page displays US personal information and security issues.
After answering the questions, you should fill out information about two friends. This page is only to be completed by students applying for a student visa.
The next page is also filled out by people who intend to study in the United States of America.
After this, you should upload a photo. The photo is checked by a special system. If the photo has passed the test, the inscription Photo passed quality standards appears at the top. Then click Continue Using This Photo.
After this, you can check the accuracy of the entered information. If everything is correct, you should sign it electronically and send the file. After this, a confirmation window with the form number will appear on the monitor. You must print this document and visit the diplomatic mission of the United States of America with it.

You need to clearly formulate your plan for staying in the USA. You also need to prepare a package of personal documents, and the list is indefinite. You need to demonstrate that you have a permanent job, family, real estate, or other grounds for returning to Russia.

The chances of successfully obtaining an American visa greatly depend on the correct completion of a complex application form. Therefore, we recommend that you seek help from professionals who have been working with the USA for more than 7 years 100viz.com.

The consulate requires an interview as part of any visa. To prepare for it, we need to obtain personal information from you; the questions can be anything, but most often they are tactful and clear. The same applies to filling out the form, which must be filled out online on the official website and then printed. Everything is done very simply.

You can fill out Form DS-160 to obtain an American visa here.

So, you fill out an electronic application form, check your foreign passport (validity must be 180 days longer than the end date of your tourist trip) and scan one 50*50 mm photo (it must show you in your current image, a radical change is not allowed image).

Requirements for photographs in electronic form:

Resolution – no less than 600*600 px, but no more than 1,200 px.
Allowed format is jpg.
Color profile – sRGB (24bit).
The human head should occupy from 50 to 70% of the total frame space.
Size – no more than 240 kilobytes.
Background – light or white.

Photo requirements:

The background is light.
The quality of the photo must be clear.
Size: 50*50 millimeters.
The size of the applicant's head in the photo must range from 25 to 35 millimeters.
The location of the eyes is from 28 to 35 millimeters from the bottom edge of the picture.
Ears should not be covered with hair or hats.
It is prohibited to take photos with glasses.

The next step is to book your interview online. To record, you will need to specify the bank transaction number when paying the fee (it will either be printed on the receipt, or you will find it in the account statement by clicking on the completed payment), as well as the barcode number from your application form. After you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email.

Tourist visa to the USA - how to get it yourself

To obtain an American tourist visa, you must contact the US Consulate. To obtain an entry document you need to:

Pay the consular fee.
Enter all data into the form electronically.
Sign up for an interview.
Arrive at the appointed time at the US Embassy or Consulate with all necessary documents. You must have a letter inviting you for an interview with you. You will also need proof of application, all foreign passports ever issued, and a photograph.

Sometimes it is not necessary to undergo an interview at the Embassy to obtain a visa. This is possible if a US visa has been issued previously. In this case, the applicant's fingerprints were taken during the previous interview. A prerequisite is the visa category: the new visa must be the same type as the previous one. In this case, to obtain the document you will need to contact one of the Pony Express divisions. To obtain a visa again you will need:

Pay the consular fee.
Submit an application for a tourist visa electronically.
Visit the website to sign up for an interview at Pony Express. You will first need to register on the site. In addition, following the instructions, you will need to make sure that all the requirements for obtaining a visa without an interview are met.
On the appointed day, at any time convenient for the applicant, he will need to come to the Pony Express office with all the necessary documents.
If the visa is approved, the Pony Express courier will deliver it to the specified address.

Documentation

For the interview you will need to prepare the following documents for the consul:

Printed visa application. It must be completed electronically before scheduling an interview. The consul will need to present a printed version. Applications filled out manually will not be accepted. All questions must be answered in English, using Latin letters. The questionnaire is filled out separately for each applicant.
International passport. It must be valid after leaving the United States for six months or more.
Color photograph that meets all established requirements. The size of the photo must be 5x5 cm. There is a limitation on the resolution of the photo: it must be no less than 600x600 pixels and no more than 1200x1200 pixels. The entire head and upper shoulders should be visible in the photograph. The head size should be approximately 25-35 mm (50-70% of the photo). You need to take a photo from the front. Facial expression must be neutral. The eyes should be open and clearly visible. It is not allowed to be photographed wearing glasses. Clothes should be casual. The use of the form is not allowed. Headdresses are allowed to remain only if they are worn constantly for religious reasons. However, they should not cover or obscure the face. There should be no foreign objects in the photograph. The background is preferably white or close to white.

In addition to the main documents, you will need to provide additional ones. They will be needed to confirm the purpose of the trip and prove that the applicant plans to return home:

US visa application form: sample form

To fill out the US visa application, follow the link. Select the type of visa you need and start filling out. You can find detailed instructions for filling out the DS-160 form in the video below.

Where to contact

Due to the closure of some American consulates in Russia, the number of applicants at the US Embassy in Moscow has increased sharply, and therefore, some Russian US visa applicants are traveling to neighboring countries where the United States has missions. This is completely legal, although US officials in Russia recommend applying for a visa in your country of citizenship or permanent residence.

So, Russians can apply for a visa at the US Embassy in Moscow, at the Consulate General in Yekaterinburg or at the Consulate General in Vladivostok (the consulate is selected in accordance with the applicant’s district of residence).

If for some reason you cannot get an interview at these representative offices (say, waiting too long), you can contact the American representative offices in Tallinn, Helsinki, Kiev, Riga, Vilnius and Tbilisi. All these missions welcome Russian citizens. At the same time, an interview in Russian can be completed in all of the indicated representative offices, except for Helsinki - here they interview only in English or Finnish.

Sign up for an interview

You can schedule an interview at cgifederal.secure.force.com. You will need to register first. To schedule a rendezvous, you will need to provide details of your foreign passport, receipt of payment of the consular fee, and a document confirming the submission of your visa application electronically.

American visa cost: consular fee

All applicants, including minor children, are required to pay a consular fee. Regardless of whether the visa issue is resolved positively or negatively, the fee cannot be returned or transferred to another person.

Payment must be made before applying for an interview. The receipt is considered not expired within a year.

The amount of the fee depends on the visa category. For a tourist visa you will need to pay $160 (about 10,500 rubles). You can pay in cash or by credit card at a computerized branch of the Russian Post. Payment is made in rubles. The exact amount of the fee depends on the exchange rate at the time of payment.

More information about the consular fee for different types of US visas and the current exchange rates can be found here.

Registration deadlines

It usually takes 3 days to process your application. If additional information from the applicant or clarification of any data is required, the wait for a decision may take longer.

As for the waiting period for an interview, things are not so rosy here. You can find out the current waiting times for interviews in Russia and other countries here.

At the time of writing, the waiting period for a visitor visa interview at the US Embassy in Moscow is 300 days! Keep this in mind!

How long can you stay in the USA on a tourist visa?

With a US visa you can only arrive at a US airport or seaport. There, a US Customs and Border Protection officer will authorize you to enter the country. He decides how long a tourist can stay. However, if the time spent in the country turns out to be much longer than what was indicated on the visa, problems may arise in the future with obtaining a new document.

It is important to understand that the validity period of a visa does not indicate the time during which the visa holder can remain in the United States. The length of stay in the United States can only be determined by a Customs and Border Protection officer upon entry into the country.

Submitting an application

The list of documents for an American visa differs from a Schengen visa in that it is difficult to predict. And therefore, people take many certificates and extracts with them to the American embassy, many of which do not even require presentation. There is, of course, a basic set of documents to apply for a tourist visa on your own.

You must submit all documents along with the application form to one of the Pony Express offices.

The cost of consideration is not considered, since the US Consulate has already included any costs of working with you in the amount of its fee.

There is no need to translate documents into English. Please note that if you are planning to travel to the USA, apply for a visa at least 6-9 months before your trip.

Required documents

So, the basic documents for applying for a tourist visa in 2021 include:

A foreign passport, in which it is preferable to have Schengen visas, American or Canadian.
An old passport with similar types of visas (only those for the last 5 years are considered).
An application form filled out as completely as possible.
Receipt for payment of duty.
Color photograph (the original of the one scanned during online submission).
Certificate from work about your position, salary and expected vacation dates. If you are an individual entrepreneur, then documents on registration and tax registration. The employment certificate template can be downloaded in both Russian and English.
A letter of sponsorship from your immediate family stating that your trip is at their expense. Sample in Russian (), in English ().
Invitation from the American side (hotel voucher or tour package).
Confirmation of payment for the tour or availability of sufficient funds for the entire duration of the trip.
Documents of relationship (marriage or birth certificate).
Documents for real estate in Russia.
It is advisable to have health insurance, but this is not required at the time of obtaining a visa, nor is it necessary to book air tickets.

Submission of documents

Collection and submission of documents is done after sending the application. To register a trip, the following details are required:

A valid foreign passport - its presence will speed up the processing time for a US visa
Completed Travel Form DS 160 - form can be submitted online at ceac.state.gov. Submission deadline - the time when the voucher will begin to be issued
Photo size 5 by 5 cm
Receipt for payment of the consular fee
Documents are submitted confirming the applicant's desire to return home .

To prove the last point, it will be useful to submit real estate rights and a marriage certificate with a Russian citizen remaining on its territory.

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Numerous stamps in the international passport, affixed in other countries, will help the officer to verify on the day of the interview about the tourist purpose of departure and reduce the time for registration and issuance. Consideration of the application, if available, should not wait long.

The consulate will need to submit additional data, and their type depends on the purpose of sending. Vacationers bring return tickets and confirmation of hotel room reservation. To visit relatives or friends you need to submit an invitation.

Interview at the embassy

Given the high volume of travelers to the United States, the wait in line for an interview can be long. At the end of the interview you will be advised of the next steps.

If everything is fine, then wait two or three days. At the end of this period, you will find out whether you have been issued a visa or not.

The consulate allows one attempt for an urgent appointment for an interview. This should be used only in case of unforeseen circumstances of an urgent nature, but you understand, tourism is the planned purpose of the visit, so we will omit the details. You must arrive for the interview on time, independently explain the purpose of the trip, the route, and answer the questions of the consular officer.

All capable citizens must be present alone at the time of the interview at the US Embassy. Children can be with a parent. Try to control yourself and not fuss, otherwise additional questions may follow. Sometimes you think that 10-15 documents in a folder will be your ticket to the New World, but this is not so. It is better to answer questions one-on-one and provide missing documents than to have papers in hand and not be able to explain some details.

The most frequently asked questions at the United States Embassy:

Questions directly related to the trip. This means that the consular officer will ask questions regarding the purpose of the trip to the United States, the place where the traveler plans to stay and the route of travel.
Questions regarding work. Often, consular officers are interested in the size of the applicant’s monthly salary, his position, length of service and approval of leave with the management of the organization or company where the applicant works.
Questions about family. The most common question in this category concerns the presence of relatives in the United States of America. The consular officer will also inquire about the applicant’s marital status. If during the interview it turns out that the rest of the family members do not go to the United States, but remain in their home country, this will lead the diplomatic representative to the idea that the applicant intends to go to America for the purpose of illegal employment. Therefore, you need to come up with a convincing response to such a situation in advance so as not to provoke unnecessary suspicion.
American visa example
Questions regarding sponsorship of a trip to the USA. Similar questions are asked if the sponsor of the trip to the United States of America is not the applicant himself. The consular officer will be interested in the sponsor, his type of activity, family connection and motivation for paying for the trip.
Questions regarding the receiving party. If the applicant has an invitation from relatives living in the United States, then take documents confirming the relationship with him to the interview. If the receiving party is a company or organization, then it is better to bring evidence that correspondence (negotiations) were previously conducted with such a company to prove that the purpose of the trip is genuine.
Questions regarding English language proficiency level. Knowledge of English does not in any way affect the result of issuing a visa, but an employee of a diplomatic mission may doubt that a person is leaving for America for the purpose of tourism or conducting business negotiations, without knowing the national language of the country.
Questions regarding filling out the application form. During the interview, the consular officer reviews the DS-160 form and asks leading questions on it to verify the authenticity of the information entered on the form.

Why are US visas denied?

You have collected your documents, completed everything, answered questions at the consulate, but you have not received your long-awaited US visa. Why? There are several reasons:

You decided to deceive the consul by hiding some information (or did it unknowingly when preparing documents);
You made mistakes while filling out the form;
You have not proven your attachment to your homeland;
The consul has reasons to believe that you will not comply with the visa regime.

What to do if you have not received a US visa?

Find out the reason for the refusal. Contact our specialists for help. If time is tight, try re-booking an interview in 3-4 months.

Registration through Pony Express

Pony Express is a well-known authorized courier service of the United States diplomatic missions in America. This company delivers ready-made visas to America to owners. But in addition to courier services, Pony Express also specializes in issuing visa permits to enter the United States.

A person’s acquaintance with this company begins at the end of the visa process. When submitting papers for the first time, the courier service only delivers ready-made papers. When re-opening a visa, the applicant submits documents to the Pony Express company, thereby freeing himself from visiting the diplomatic mission. representation and interviews.

In addition to the main package of papers, the organization is provided with:

A photocopy of your previous visa permit.
Dropbox Confirmation Email.
Application form DS-160.

After submitting the papers, the company transfers them to the diplomatic department. American representation. Usually delivery takes no more than 3 days. After the consular officer reviews the papers, they are sent back to the Pony Express office.

Deadlines for obtaining a US visa for Ukrainians

Typically, preparation for the procedure for obtaining a visa to America takes no more than two weeks. But there are periods when the waiting time for an interview can be significantly longer due to specific requirements for certain types of visas or increased workload at embassies, as happens on the eve of the New Year holidays or summer holidays. Therefore, it is necessary to apply for a non-immigrant visa in advance, preferably 3 months before the date of travel.

Tourist visa: deadlines

The most commonly requested tourist visa to the United States is issued for 10 years with multiple entries, or a period determined at the discretion of the visa officer. During each entry, a tourist can stay in the United States for 180 days, or less if so determined by the border officer.

An American visa allows you to travel not only to the United States, but also to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and some Caribbean countries - Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Also, welcome with a US visa to the Mariana and Marshall Islands.

You can find out more details here: lifeistravel.com.ua

You need to start applying for a tourist visa 2-3 weeks before your trip. After the interview, the visa will be ready in 2-3 business days.

Visitor visa: deadlines

Citizens of Ukraine are issued a visitor visa for 10 years with multiple entries, but after an interview they may limit the validity of the visa. After entry, you can stay in the United States for 180 days, but the duration of your visit will be determined by an immigration officer when going through customs control.

On the first trip to visit family or friends, border officers are not picky and set the maximum number of days of stay. But on subsequent trips, the number of days will depend on the duration and frequency of previous visits.

All preparation of the necessary documentation requires about 5 days, or even more. Submitted documents are reviewed within 10 days, so it is better to apply for a visa 2-3 weeks before the intended trip. The date the visa is ready in this case depends on the date of the interview. After passing the interview, you can receive a visa after 2-3 working days.

Business visa: deadlines

A business visa is issued, just like a tourist and guest visa, for 10 years with multiple entries, but after the interview they can reduce the visa period at their discretion. You can stay in the United States for 180 days, but the visa officer at the border can reduce this period.

As a rule, border guards limit business trips to no more than 90 days of possible stay. However, the decision depends on many factors.

In turn, a business visa to the USA allows you to make frequent visits, up to 7-10 trips per year.

The process of obtaining this visa takes 2-3 weeks. It will be ready within 2-3 working days after the interview.

Student visa: deadlines

A student visa is issued with multiple entries for the period of study in the United States. The length of study is listed on the Form I-20 that the school sends for your visa application. Most often the period is 1-5 years. But the visa officer, after the interview, has the right to shorten the visa period at his discretion.

If you are applying for a student visa for the first time, you will not be allowed to enter the United States until 30 days before your start date on Form I-20. Re-applying students may enter America at any time before the start of classes. After entry, you can stay in America without leaving for the entire period of validity of the visa.

We recommend starting to apply for this type of visa 1-3 months before the trip (since the study confirmation form must be received from the USA in the original).

In most cases, a student visa is multiple-entry and allows you to make several trips to America during its validity. Sometimes a visa officer may issue a study visa for one visit and duration for a specific study program.

You can find out more details here: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Work visa: deadlines

Applying for a work visa is a rather lengthy and complex process, because it requires the participation of two parties: both the applicant and the employer.

Applying for a work visa consists of many stages. So, first of all, the employing company must obtain permission to hire foreigners, after which it submits a petition to USCIS. The petition can be submitted six months before the planned visa opening date. Its consideration lasts up to 90 days and only after its approval, the applicant can begin preparing documents and sign up for an interview.

A work visa is issued for the period specified in the multi-entry petition. As a rule, it is 1–3 years. The visa can be extended in the United States for another 1–2 years.

After entry, you can stay without leaving for the entire period of the visa, and you can enter 10 days before the start of work.

You can find out more details here: www.visaplus.com.ua/visa-v-usa/rabochaia-viza-v-ssha/

Fiancé/groom visa: deadlines

A fiancé visa is issued for one entry for a period of 90 days for the purpose of marriage. The visa becomes valid from the moment it is inserted into the passport. The final date of validity of the visa is indicated based on the desired date of entry, to which another 90 days are added.

It is advisable to start registration six months, or even a year before the trip. Since the time frame for obtaining a fiancé visa to the United States varies from case to case, consideration of documents for the petition can take from several weeks to several months (from 2 weeks to 6 months). If USCIS has questions about your documents, they may issue a Reason for Evidence (RFE), which will lengthen the visa application process.

And after a positive answer, you will need to undergo a medical examination, for which you can book a month in advance.

Transit visa: deadlines

A transit visa is usually multiple-entry and is issued for 10 years.

Usually it is issued for a period of several days, depending on the waiting time for a flight to another country from the United States. In other words, the timing is determined by the American embassy staff.

It is better to start registration 2-3 weeks before the trip.

How long should I wait for an interview?

The waiting time for the interview itself depends on the date you choose to visit the embassy. If you ask for help, our visa specialists will help you fill out the application and choose a day for the interview in order to receive your visa on time. If there have been previous refusals, the waiting period for an interview may be longer.

It is important to understand that the interview at the US Embassy is the most important stage in obtaining a visa. After reviewing your application, the embassy officer will try to find weak points and ask some questions. This will not take more than 5 minutes, but he wants to make sure that the documents submitted are correct and that you are going to come back.

Obtaining a visa

Delivery of a passport with a visa to your home or office is carried out by the Pony Express service. You can also independently pick up your passport and documents for your closest relatives at one of the company’s offices (all addresses are listed on the service’s website). All expenses are already included in the consular fee.

Consular fee receipt

To receive your passport, you will need to present your ID to the courier. If a relative will pick up the document, you will need to issue a power of attorney in advance.

If a visa was issued for a minor child, then only one of the parents with a civil passport receives it.

Refusal of a tourist visa

If you are refused an interview, this does not mean a complete refusal to issue a visa. You will be informed that either an administrative review of the package of documents is required, or additional information in the form of documents or answers to questions.

If we are talking about documents, then they will need to be brought to the delivery service within the next 12 months, otherwise you will have to go through all the stages again, including paying the consular fee again. The administrative review lasts up to two months from the date of the interview; after this period, you can submit a request for dossier review status.

Possible reasons for refusal to obtain a visa to America:

Limited connection with home country. If the applicant does not have relatives, a stable job or real estate in his home country, then most likely he will be denied a visa due to suspicion of illegal immigration to America.
A small number of trips abroad.
An invitation written by a blacklisted person.
Unconvincing purpose of trip.
Insufficient financial resources.
Violation of migration regulations. If the legal period of stay is exceeded from 6 to 12 months, the person is banned from entering this country for 3 years. If the permitted period of stay was exceeded by more than a year, then the person is blacklisted and “rewarded” with a ban on entry into America for 10 years.

Women may also be denied a re-visa due to having previously given birth in the United States. If a girl gave birth in America, but did not pay for the birth, then she will not be able to obtain a second entry permit.

Different types of US visas

Citizens of the Russian Federation who wish to visit America can do so using an entry document - a visa, and its type will depend on the purpose for which the person is going to this country. What specific documents are required to obtain a US visa largely depends on the visa itself. Let's look at the main types of visas: immigrant visas, intended for residence in the United States, and non-immigrant visas, intended for temporary stay. Some states participate in the American visa-free travel program, but, unfortunately, the Russian Federation is not yet on this list.

To get a visa in a short time, we recommend contacting a trusted company 100viz.com. Registration occurs quickly through neighboring countries according to a well-established scheme.

Tourism and business travel

Classic B1/B2 visa – for tourists and for short-term visits for various reasons. If you decide to get to know America better or want to visit friends or you are going to participate in a variety of non-profit activities, then this is the visa you need. By the way, B2 is also issued if the applicant wants to receive medical care in America.

Work visas

A work visa is needed in order to perform any short-term work in the United States. But it is also worth considering the fact that the employer must provide an application, which is approved by the Citizenship Department even before the visa application is processed.

USA work visa

There are different work visas - for skilled workers (note that the profession and the declared work must match, this will be checked by the immigration service).

There is a visa for seasonal work (for example, in agro-industry and agriculture). And the document that is needed for the transfer of managers within one corporation - by the way, such a visa should be obtained no less than three months before the expected start date of work.

student visa

Issued to schoolchildren and students, as well as participants in various educational programs (also suitable for members of language courses and camps). However, before obtaining a student visa, you must provide documentation that the person is enrolled in an official educational institution. F1 is the most common student visa and is issued to those who have been enrolled in various colleges and universities and private schools.

US Student Visa

To obtain professional or special education, you need an M1 visa. Separately, we should mention visas that are suitable for interuniversity exchange programs - a student, teacher, and even a researcher can take part in such a program, but a different visa will be required, J-1.

Visitor visa

A visitor visa is granted only if the applicant has relatives in the United States who issue an invitation. The trip will be considered tourist travel.

In order to facilitate the process of obtaining a visa, it will be better if relatives in the United States not only have legal status (otherwise it will simply not be possible to issue an invitation), but also American citizenship.

Fiancé and groom visa

If a woman plans to marry an American citizen, then she will need a K3/K4 visa; for a man who wants to marry an American woman, he needs a K1/K2 visa. These are immigrant visas, they are issued so that a person can legally and legally reside in the United States. To obtain such a visa, an American citizen submits a special request to the immigration service, otherwise the document will not be issued. You should also take into account that you can enter the United States with such a visa, but you must get married within three months.

Re-obtaining a visa

Re-applying for a US visa after you have already been to the country and returned is a slightly simplified option. That is, you visit the Pony Express office again to hand over a package of documents, but you do not have to undergo an interview.

However, this applies only to those citizens who have already had their fingerprints taken, whose current visa will expire in the near future or has recently expired, and who are also requesting a visa similar to the previous one. The cost of the consular fee for re-submission is the same 160 USD.

Visa for children

Thanks to the American government for the concessions in obtaining a tourist visa for a minor child. This translates into no need to undergo an interview. All you have to do is prepare documents similar to your kit and bring them to the Pony Express service office.

Receipt for payment for Pony Express services

By the way, you will be asked to provide electronic confirmation that there will be no interview. Usually, if you already have a valid visa, then this is how everything happens, and if not, then you need to sign up yourself and your child for an interview, but formally only you will go through it, you do not need to take your child with you.

Visa validity periods

A tourist and visitor visa to America is issued for 3 years. It allows you to stay in this country for 180 days. This visa is a multiple-entry visa, which means that a foreign national has the right to enter the United States an unlimited number of times over a period of 3 years. But as practice shows, it is better not to cross the American border more than 5 times a year.

A visitor visa allows you to visit America only 2-3 times a year.

A business visa is also issued for 3 years. But it implies the possibility of frequent trips. With this permit you can visit the United States of America up to 10 times a year.

Educational (student) is issued for 1 year.

Example of a US student visa

Tourist visa

The most popular visa in the USA is a tourist visa. To get it, you need to convince the consul that you need a US visa only for vacation, that you plan to stay in the territory of a foreign country only for a certain time. That you have enough funds for expenses and that you have obligations that require returning to your homeland (family, business, etc.)

Advantages of obtaining a tourist visa to the USA:

Long validity period (3 years);
Speed of registration;
No invitation required.

Flaws:

There is a risk of refusal if you have relatives in America;
High cost of registration;
Not suitable for persons under 18 years of age;
It is difficult for citizens with low incomes to apply.

Price

The cost of a tourist, work and study visa is $160. A fiancée visa costs $240.

The consular fee can be paid in two ways:

Cash transfer via Russian Post.
Cashless payment using a bank card.

To pay the consular fee, the applicant will need to fill out a receipt electronically. Then it is printed and the payment is already made using this receipt. The receipt confirming payment of the fee is attached to the main documents for obtaining a visa.

Visa for pensioners and unemployed people

It is very difficult for pensioners to obtain a visa to the USA, but it is possible. To obtain an entry permit, a pensioner must prove that he has strong ties with his homeland (real estate, family, work, business, etc.).

To obtain a visa, pensioners submit a standard package of papers. If a pensioner does not work, then it is better for him to prove the source of his income or have an invitation letter from a US resident who is ready to act as his sponsor for the duration of his trip to this country.

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Unemployed people will need to prove their solvency. They are required to assure the diplomatic mission staff of their good financial condition and provide cards or bank account statements as proof.

US Non-Immigrant Visa Refusal

The most common reason for a US visa to be denied is Section 214(b). According to this document, any applicant applying for a visa must prove to the consul that he does not intend to remain in the United States and intends to return home. Evidence may include work in the homeland, ownership of real estate, an existing bank account, or family members remaining in the homeland. The consul makes a decision taking into account various factors.

In case of refusal, you can reapply if there is any new evidence confirming your intention to leave the United States and return home after a certain period of time.

US Embassy and Consulate in the Russian Federation

Moscow

The consulate is located at the address: Novinsky Boulevard, building 21.
Open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00.
Call.
Write

Saint Petersburg

Located at: Furshtatskaya street, building 15.
Open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:30.
Call the number: +7 812 331‑26-00.

Yekaterinburg city

Located on Gogol Street, house 15.
Open every day except holidays and weekends from 9:00 to 17:00.
Call.