Department of State (DOS) Announces F/M/J Processing Posts for Applicants in Russia

Due to the Russian government’s April 23, 2021 notification prohibiting the U.S. Embassy Russia from employing foreign nationals in any capacity, the U.S. Embassies in Russia have not been offering non-diplomatic visa services.  This has effected both non-immigrant and immigrant visa processing. 

The Department of State announced on January 21, 2022 that it has designated multiple posts for processing certain nonimmigrant visa applications from persons residing in Russia due to the severely limited consular operations.  Under this designation, Russia-based student visa applicants (F and M categories) as well as academic exchange visitors (student, professor, research scholar, short-term scholar, and specialist J visa categories) and participants in U.S. government-funded exchange visitor programs may apply at the following posts:  Mission Kazakhstan and U.S. embassies Belgrade and Yerevan.  Applicants are encouraged to check each post’s website for the latest information on services and appointment availability at that specific post.

This designation does not prevent Russia-based F, M, and J applicants or any other non-immigrant visa applicant from applying at another post where they are physically present.  

Due to the suspension of immigrant visa services in Moscow, the U.S. Department of State has designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw to process immigrant visas for residents of Russia. 

These designations do not exempt travelers from the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) requirement that all air travelers to the United States be vaccinated against COVID-19 with a WHO emergency use listed vaccine.