Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the opening hours of the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg?
A. The U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg is open from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Monday through Friday. It is closed on official American and Russian holidays.
Official American and Russian Holidays
Q. Who may apply for a visa in St. Petersburg?
A. To be eligible for most types of nonimmigrant visas, applicants must show that they have a residence abroad to which they intend to return. This is most easily shown if applicants apply in the consular district in which they live. Persons residing in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region or elsewhere in northwest Russia, including the oblasts of Pskov, Novgorod, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, the Republic of Karelia, and Nenets Autonomous District, should submit their visa applications to the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg. Residents of other regions of Russia may apply at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, or at the U.S. Consulates in Vladivostok or Yekaterinburg.
Q. Does my passport need to be biometric in order to apply for a visa?
A. No, but all valid travel passports submitted must be machine-readable. A machine-readable passport is one that can be "read" mechanically when swiped through a passport reader.
Q. May I submit the photocopy of my passport to Pony Express?
A. Yes, you may submit the photocopy of your passport's biopage after you have presented the original to Pony Express. You must bring to the Consulate the same original passport with the Pony Express barcode attached. Please note that you may not substitute the passport and bring a new one to the Consulate.
Q. I am not a Russian citizen. Can I apply for a visa in St. Petersburg?
A. While anyone can apply for a visa in St. Petersburg, it will be more difficult for a consular officer to determine the eligibility of visa applicants who are not residents of the consular district where the interview is conducted. On the other hand, a consular officer should be able to evaluate the visa qualifications of non-Russian citizens who live in Russia just as easily as those of Russian applicants.
Q. Is my passport required to be valid for at least six months after the end of my proposed stay in the U.S.?
A. No, but your trip should take place completely within the validity of your passport.
Q. How much time is required to process a visa?
A. Usual time for a visa processing is two-three working days after an interview at the Consulate. To make your trip to the U.S. on time we generally advise to submit the documents to Pony Express for nonimmigrant visas at least six weeks prior to the intended departure date. Some visa applications require additional special clearances or administrative processing, which requires additional time. Most special clearances are resolved within 30 days of application. When additional special clearances or administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.
Q. What happens if I have a valid visa, but my passport has expired or has been cancelled? Can my visa be transferred to my new passport?
A. Your visa cannot be transferred. For entry into the U.S. you may present your expired or cancelled passport containing the valid U.S. visa, along with your new passport. Alternatively, you may apply for a new visa, but you must pay all fees again.
Q. My child is planning to travel to the United States. Must he or she appear for an interview? Can I appear with him or her? Do I need to present written permission from the child's other parent allowing him or her to leave the country?
A. Visa interviews are required for children who are fourteen years old or older. Children who are less than eighteen years old may appear with parents if they prefer. As a precaution, consular officers usually require at the interview written, notarized permission allowing a child to leave Russia signed by any parent who does not appear at the visa interview. If one parent applies with the child, written permission from the second is needed. A single parent may produce instead evidence that he or she has sole custody of the child. Please bring the original and one copy of all permission documents; the original will be returned if requested.
Q. May my American citizen sponsor or relative be present with me at the interview?
A. No one may accompany applicants into the Consulate’s visa waiting room. This includes American citizens, spouses, attorneys, sponsors, friends, and family members. Thus, any information these individuals would like to present should be submitted with the application materials or given to the applicant to present to the consular officer during the interview.
Q. Does my American sponsor or relative need to send a letter of invitation to the Consulate?
A. The U.S. Consulate General does not accept letters or e-mails sent to us on behalf of or in support of a prospective visa applicant. Any information which you wish the consular officer to consider should be brought to the Consulate by the applicant on the day of the interview only. Thus, any invitations, letters of support, or other information should be sent to the visa applicant directly, not to the Consulate. Because we receive over 20,000 visa applications each year, we are not able to match letters of support or invitation to each individual application, and the only way to ensure that the consular officer sees information relevant to an applicant's case is if the applicant presents it himself/herself.
Q. Why did the consular officer refuse me without even looking at all my documents?
A. The consular officer examines the visa application and documents you submitted before you are called to the window for interview. That information, along with the information obtained during the interview, is usually sufficient for a decision to be made. It is also important to note that documents presented are only one of many factors consular officers consider when determining an applicant's eligibility for a non-immigrant visa. Decisions are not based on documents alone.
Q. If I have a valid visa, do I have to come to the Consulate for fingerprinting?
A. No, you will submit your fingerprints during your next application.
Q. Where should I indicate that I need a multiple-entry visa?
A. Your visa validity and type (single or multiple-entry) is determined by the consular officer during the interview. You need to indicate your preferences when you submit your documents to the consular staff on the day of the interview.
Q. Do I need a visa, if I am transiting through the U.S.?
A. Yes. All travelers who normally require visas need to obtain transit visas to change planes in the U.S. In addition to the standard set of documents for a nonimmigrant visa application, transit visa applicants should submit valid visas to their final destination and travel itinerary.
Q. Do all visitors to the U.S. need visas?
A. U.S. visa policy permits citizens of certain countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa under certain circumstances, though this policy does not apply to citizens of Russia. For more information, see the following web site: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1261.html.
International visitors to the U.S. from Visa Waiver Program countries may now apply for travel authorization online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
Q. Is insurance required in order to obtain U.S. visa?
A. No, insurance is not required to get a visa.
Q. I have to fly to the U.S. in two days, and my American sponsors already have purchased tickets for me. But I have been scheduled for an interview in two weeks!
A. Pony Express Courier Company schedules applicants for the next available interview slot. Unfortunately, we cannot reschedule an applicant’s visa interview to an earlier date or time. Generally, we advise all applicants to submit their documents to Pony Express for nonimmigrant visas at least six weeks prior to their intended departure date. We do not recommend that applicants or their sponsors purchase airline tickets or pay for accommodations prior to the issuance of a visa.
If you have an emergency situation, you will need to make an appointment with Pony Express for the next available day and request an earlier date in writing (preferably in English) either by E-mail visastpete@state.gov or fax at 7-(812) 331-2646. That message should state why an appointment is needed sooner and note the date of already-scheduled appointment.
Q. I have just learned that my close relative has died in the United States. Is there a special procedure for real emergencies so that I could get a visa as soon as possible to be able to attend the funeral?
A. If you need to travel urgently in connection with a life-and-death emergency related to yourself or your close family member and the interview waiting time at Pony Express does not allow you to leave as soon as you plan, please contact the Consulate through visastpete@state.gov. Please be prepared to submit documentation supporting the emergency should an emergency appointment be granted.
Q. I work for the company which is the member of American Chamber of Commerce and need to travel to the United States on business. Should I follow the general application procedure?
A. There is a special Visa program run by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in St. Petersburg. AmCham employees should refer to the web site www.amcham.ru/spb for instructions.
Q. I received a passport with a visa and noticed a mistake. How can it be corrected?
A. Please bring your passport to the front gate of the Consulate at 4:00 p.m. any working day except American and Russian holidays.
Q. I did not turn in my I-94 when I left the U.S., what should I do?
A. If you returned home with your Department of Homeland Security (DHS) departure record Form I-94 (white) or Form I-94W (green) in your passport, it means that your departure was not recorded properly. It is your responsibility to correct this record. You must provide the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sufficient information so they can record your timely departure from the United States. This will close out your earlier record of arrival to this country.
If you do not validate a timely departure from the United States, or if you cannot reasonably prove otherwise when you next apply for admission to the United States, the CBP may conclude you remained in the United States beyond your authorized stay.
If you did not return Form I-94 when exiting the U.S., please visit the CBP website for information on how you can record your departure.
Do not mail your departure Form I-94 or supporting information to any United States Embassy or Consulate.
Q. Whom do I contact if I have an inquiry or am seeking resolution regarding difficulties experienced during travel screening at transportation hubs in the U.S, including continuously being referred to additional (secondary) screening?
A. Travelers may visit the Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) website at http://www.dhs.gov/trip to seek help with such issues.
Q. What documents need to be presented in order to receive a visa for medical treatment?
A. Medical services in the United States are very expensive. U.S. law prohibits the issuance of a visa to anyone who is likely at any time to become a public charge, including individuals who might require medical care at the expense of federal, state, or local government agencies. If you seek medical care in the U.S., you will need to present certain information during your interview at the Consulate.
You will need to present a letter from a doctor or a hospital in the United States certifying that you have been accepted for treatment. The letter should include the estimated cost of proposed treatment and, if necessary, hospitalization, and the length of time you will need to be in the U.S. for treatment and follow-up.
You will also need to present proof that the treatment, as described in the letter from a doctor or a hospital in the United States, will not be paid by public funds. The proof should be presented in either one of the following forms:
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An affidavit of support from a U.S. citizen or resident confirming both the commitment to pay for the treatment, as well as the ability to pay for the treatment. The affidavit should demonstrate sufficient income and/or other financial resources to enable your sponsor to pay for the treatment. A copy of the most recent tax returns or other financial document should be included as proof of ability to meet the proposed expenses, or
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Proof of significant resources available to the applicant for use in meeting expenses, or
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A letter from your prospective doctor and/or hospital, indicating that all the expenses will be covered by the doctor and/or hospital.
A visa cannot be issued to a person requiring medical treatment in the United States without the required information showing that the applicant is not likely to become a public charge in the U.S.
Please note that meeting the requirement listed above is in addition to meeting other qualifications for a U.S. visa, and that even an applicant who can show adequate financial resources might therefore still be denied a visa.
