Visas
Important Consulate Announcements
Important Notice for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants - New Application Form
C1/D visa applicants in St. Petersburg must now use the new online application form (DS-160) which can be filled out by clicking here. After completing the DS-160, the applicant will electronically transmit the application and will be provided with a confirmation page that includes some biographical information and a bar code with a confirmation number. Applicants must bring this confirmation page with them to Pony Express for scheduling the interview appointment.
Beginning December 6, 2009, all nonimmigrant visa applicants in St. Petersburg must use the new online application form (DS-160) described above.
For more information on the DS-160, please click here.
Preparing Your Documents
When applying for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa, each applicant including children who travel on a parent’s passport - is required to submit the following documents:
- Valid travel passport;
- Completed and signed DS-156 application form: the Electronic Visa Application Form is available online at http://evisaforms.state.gov. After filling out the form in the English language, applicants should print the form. We strongly recommend using a laser printer to ensure the quality of barcode data on the 3rd page;
- Completed DS-157 supplemental form (for male applicants ages 16 to 45) in the English language;
- One 2"x2" color photo taken against a white or off-white background within last six months, not attached to application;
- Notarized permission from parents (for minor children to travel abroad);
- Application fee of $131.
F-1, J-1, M-1 visa applicants must bring the DS-158 supplemental form in the English language to the interview and pay a SEVIS fee prior to the application (see instructions on http://www.fmjfee.com)
Candidates for petition-based visas (H, L, O, P and R type visas) must e-mail the receipt number of their approved I-129 Petition to visastpete@state.gov in advance of their interview date. Please include your full name in the e-mail. Failure to do this may result in a delay in processing of your application.
U.S. law presumes "every alien...to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa...that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status." Applicants may establish eligibility for a nonimmigrant visa by presenting evidence of strong family, social, and economic ties to a permanent residence abroad. No list of documents is required to meet these criteria, but accompanying materials are strongly recommended and might include the following:
- Proof of constant employment and/or stable family income;
- Previous passports (to show evidence of prior travel);
- Proof of current enrollment at university or in school;
- For scientists: forms DS-156, DS-157 (regardless of age and gender) and DS-158 (if applicable) completed in the English language; list of publications and CV in the English language.
Although a notarized invitation is not required, each applicant is strongly encouraged to present a letter (or faxed copy) from friends, relatives, or business partners in the U.S., describing the applicant's relationship and details of the proposed trip. Applicants with family members in the U.S. may be asked to provide documentary proof of their relatives' legal status in the U.S. and should bring copies of pertinent U.S. passports, "green cards", or visas. Documents should not be sent to the Consulate directly; rather they should be presented by the applicant on the day of the interview.
If you would like to receive a multiple entry visa for two years, this will cost an additional $100 to be paid at the Consulate after the interview (reciprocity fees and visa validity may vary according to the applicant's nationality).
If you plan to travel as part of a large group, the organizer is welcome to contact us for more information via e-mail visastpete@state.gov. Please be sure to provide the number of people in your group and the purpose of your travel.
