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Worldwide Caution: The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow provides routine and emergency services to U.S. citizens. Consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg remain suspended.
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Notice

Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries, including Russia, whose immigrants have a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer. Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of impacted countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department of State will continue to schedule consular appointments for visa interviews. Read more about the immigrant visa processing updates for nationalities at high risk of public benefits reliance.

Russian applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, or the U.S. Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan. Visa application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.  For more information, visit travel.state.gov.

All individuals applying for an A-3, C-3 (if a domestic worker), G-5, H1-B, H-3, H-4 dependent of H-1B and H-3, F, M, J, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, or U nonimmigrant visa are instructed to adjust the privacy setting on all social media accounts to “public” or “open” to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law. More information is available at travel.state.gov.

Effective immediately, the Department of State has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants. For additional details, visit travel.state.gov here.

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Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of Public Benefits Usage

Last Updated: January 14, 2026

President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans.  The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.

Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State is pausing all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of the following countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my immigrant visa interview appointment?
Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause.

Are there any exceptions?
Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country that is not listed above are exempt from this pause.

Does this affect my current valid visa?
No immigrant visas have been revoked as part of this guidance.  For questions regarding admission to the United States, we refer you to DHS.

Does this apply to tourist visas?
No, this pause is specifically for immigrant visa applicants. Tourist visas are nonimmigrant visas.

Important Information About Visa Services

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services due to the Russian government prohibiting the Embassy from employing foreign nationals in any capacity.

Effective immediately, the Department of State has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments:

  • Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate  in their country of nationality or residence.
  • Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere.  Russian nationals should apply for NIVs in Warsaw, Poland, or Astana, Kazakhstan.

Due to the suspension of immigrant visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, the U.S. Department of State has designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw to process immigrant visas for residents of Russia.  The Department of State added U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR-5 (parent of a U.S. citizen) immigrant visa applicants.  Please find additional information about immigrant visas here.

For information about consular fees, please see the Code of Federal Regulations.

We are not processing boarding foils at this time.

We regret that the actions of the Russian government have made it impossible for our office to continue offering non-diplomatic visa services in Russia.  All consular services at the U.S. Consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok remain in suspended status.

 

Asylum & Refugee Status

Please be advised that aliens seeking asylum status are defined as those already inside the United States, who would face immediate physical danger if they returned to their country of origin. The term refugee applies to nonresidents who need assistance departing the country to which they have fled because of safety concerns for themselves or their families in their country of origin.  The U.S. Embassy cannot provide assistance in such cases.

The U.S. Embassy in Russia does not process applications for refugee or asylum status in the United States. We refer you to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at for more information about seeking refugee or asylum status: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/refugees .  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the primary resource of appeal for refugees.  For more information, please contact:

UNHCR
9, Leontievsky lane,
Moscow, Russian Federation, 125009
+7-495-660-0901 rusmo@unhcr.org

The process may take several months. Please note that the UNHCR representative in Russia cannot assist citizens of Russia in obtaining refugee status. They can only help nonresidents residing in Russia. Russian nationals cannot be considered refugees in their own country.

What is a Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security DHS.

The Visa section of this website is about U.S. visas for foreign citizens and nationals to travel to the United States.

Visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.

Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.

What Type of Visa Do You Need?

For short-term visits to the United States (for tourism, business, education, and more), you can go directly to the online application (form DS-160). For immigrant visas,  which are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, you can visit the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services site for the relevant forms.  If you are unsure what type of visa you need, please use the Visa Wizard below. 

Visa Types

Tourism & Visit

Study & Exchange

Business

Immigrate

Employment

Other Types of Visas

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers

This pamphlet informs you of your legal rights in the United States as a nonimmigrant visa holder in certain employment- and education-based categories.

Temporary Workers Rights & Protections Info

Rights and Protections for Visa Applicants

This pamphlet informs applicants applying for K-1 visas, K-3, IR-1/CR-1 immigrant visas, and F2A immigrant visas of their legal rights in the United States relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Visa Applicants Rights & Protections Info

Other Resources

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Fraud Prevention

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Travel.State.gov

Nonimmigrant Visa FAQs

Immigrant Visa FAQ

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