Phone Number: |
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow no longer accepts direct calls from the public on visa-related matters. All this information is provided by a user-pays call center.
From Russia: +7 (495) 728-5000, +7 (495) 745-3388. Cost $2.68 per minute, 3 minutes minimum.
From the U.S.A.: 1-888-222-5673. Payment by credit card only. Cost $12 per call, regardless of duration.
Everywhere else: +7(495) 787-3167, +7(495) 974-8843 (Moscow is 8 hours ahead of Washington, DC), 1-888-222-5673. Payment by credit card only. Cost $12 per call regardless of duration.
Operators are available from 8:00 AM to 8:00PM from Monday through Friday.
{ADDED INFO 5/18/2010: The phone line is completely useless, they have no case-specific information whatsoever. Nobody at the call center has access to embassy records. If you ask a question about your case, they simply send a request to the embassy and tell you to call back in 24 hours. And then, if they don't have the answer yet, to call back in another 24 hours. etc...AND for this they charge you the full amount for every single call!! And once you finally do get a response, any follow-up questions they cannot answer, because they're just reading off a response someone sent them. Better off sending an e-mail - you'll get the same meager information at the same speed but without the expense}
General information on visa-related matters is available on the Embassy's web site: https://moscow.usembassy.gov/visas.html
(Updated 12-31-2016)
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E-Mail: |
consulMo@state.gov |
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Address: |
American Embassy Moscow
Consular Section
21 Novinskiy Bulvar
123242 Moscow
Russia
(located near metro stations Barrikadnaya, Smolenskaya and Krasnopresnenskaya) |
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Working Hours: |
The American Citizen Services Unit (telephone +7 (095) 728-5577 is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on Russian and American holidays. In the event of an emergency, American citizens may telephone +7 (095) 728-5577 anytime from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. After 6:00 p.m., please call the Embassy duty officer at (7) (095) 728-5000. (Moscow is 8 hours ahead of Washington).
The Embassy is usually closed on both Russian AND US Holidays. For a list of holiday closures, see the link below:
https://moscow.usembassy.gov/holidays.html
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Best Contact Method: |
By e-mail: ConsulMo@state.gov
(it's free!) if you have a couple days to spare waiting for an answer.
{see comment on phone above - e-mail is definitely the way to go} |
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Approx Waiting Time for Interview After Consulate Recieves
NVC Package: |
As soon as you receive the MOS (case number), you are able to go to the US Embassy website and schedule your interview date.
You will need to pay the $325.00 to the Russian Standard Bank online and wait (3 hours to 24 hours) for this information to be obtained by the US Embassy website and then input the receipt number from your payment, this allows you to schedule the interview. |
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Issues Packet 3? |
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Packet 3 Contains: |
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Issues Packet 4? |
No |
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Packet 4 Contents (if known): |
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Forms to Consulate? |
An applicant's interview can be scheduled and an invitation packet can be mailed only upon completion of the Administrative Processing, which the Embassy is required to perform on visa cases. The procedure is obligatory and cannot be waived.
Once scheduled, the beneficiary is provided via mail with an invitation letter and information sheet outlining the steps to be taken.
(The Applicant schedules interview after receiving the MOS (case) number)
Online Immigrant Visa Appointment Schedule Information makes it possible to obtain information regarding interview dates for those already scheduled. This is how you will schedule the interview date.
This is the link where interviews can now be scheduled:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ru/ru-iv-visaapplyinfo.asp
(Broken/old links have been removed.)
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Other Forms (if any)? |
List of Documents for Fiance(e) Visa Interview
- A valid International Passport with a photocopy of the first page.
- An original birth certificate with its photocopy and translation into English.
- Police certificates in all names as well as all dates of birth ever used. Police certificate must contain references to each place (subject to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation) in which the applicant lives or has lived for more than six months since attaining the age of 16. This includes localities where applicants have lived during university studies. If the applicant was on military service, he/she should bring the certificate from the local draft board. If an applicant has lived abroad for more than one year, a police certificate must also be submitted from the country in which he/she lived. Police certificate validity is one year since the date of issuance.
- Evidence of termination of prior marriage (if applicable), original, photocopy and translation into English.
- Accompanying child requires a valid passport (or may be included in the parent's passport), a birth certificate and a medical examination. If a child is 16 years of age or over, police certificates are required. Translations of the indicated documents are required as well.
- 3 black-and-white or color photos taken against a white or off - white background (5 x 5 sm) for visa.
- 5 photos of passport size for medical exam.
- Visa application fee of $350 (or the ruble equivalent) per person, payable at the Embassy on the day of interview.
- Documents confirming relationship: photos of Petitioner and Beneficiary together, letters to each other, phone bills, airplane tickets, emails, etc. (K3 applicants should present marriage certificate).
- Results of Medical Examination in a sealed envelope.
- Financial documentation from the petitioner may include but is not limited to employment letter for the petitioner with salary information and/or a copy of tax returns (Form 1040) for the last year, bank statement, W-2s. I-134 Affidavit of Support is not required but may be requested by a consular officer.
- DHL receipt to confirm you paid for visa delivery. The fee can be paid at one of the DHL offices.
- All original documents must be accompained by photocopies and English translations. If the original documents are in Russian, there is no need to have the translations notarized.
In case any of the required documents are not ready for interview, the interview will be rescheduled for a later date.
If an applicant is required to provide additional documentation after the interview with an American consular officer has taken place, the documentation may be submitted to the 221G box at the Embassy North Gate between 2.00PM and 4.00PM on any working day or mailed to the Embassy.
Tons of information about fiancee visa at:
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/iv-fiancee.html |
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Direct Consular Filing Offered? |
Yes |
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If DCF Allowed: For all or only US citizen lawfully resident in country?
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All |
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Can fiance(e)/spouse attend interview? |
Yes |
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Visa fee payment "same day" or "in advance"? |
Same_Day |
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Did embassy schedule interview or could you walk-in? |
Embassy Scheduled |
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Visa issued same day? |
No |
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If not what's the waiting period? |
Depends on delivery time to different parts of Russia. If you request the passport to be picked up at the local Pony Express office (you choose one of the four available in Moscow) it averages 3-5 days. Some people recently have been subjected to "additional administrative review" of 3-6 weeks. Wesekat and his fiancee have been in Administrative Review for almost 7 months. Possibly because there is a man with a similar name on the FBI data base? They will not say why or how long it can take. |
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Is the Medical exam same day as interview? |
Prior to Interview |
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Cost of Medical Exam? |
$175
The medical exam requests 5 PHOTOS, not 4. (There wasn't an option for 4 in the drop down menu.) |
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List of doctors? |
See website at: http://moscow.usembassy.gov/consular/wwwhci8.html |
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How many Passport Photo's Required for the medical? |
4 |
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How many Passport Photo's Required at the interview? |
2 |
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Estimated waiting time at the consulate on the day of interview? |
Katya waited 2 hours. But the wealthy guy who walked in was seen immediately. |
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Vaccination requirements? |
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Cheap and good hotels near the Consulate? |
There is a good budget hotel located not far from the Embassy called Hotel Mayak near metro Mayakovskaya. The prices start from around $60/night and it's easily reachable from the Embassy by bus. |
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Additional Info? |
The Embassy can also be easily reached by bus. The bus stop is actually located right in front of the Embassy, so if you want to avoid taking the metro, this might be better way to go. |
