The U.S. Embassy in Moscow announced on Aug. 21, 2017, that all nonimmigrant visa operations temporarily will be suspended beginning on Aug. 23, 2017, and other visa operations will be curtailed. Processing will reopen at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow on Sept. 1, 2017. All other U.S. consular locations across Russia will remain closed for nonimmigrant visa processing until further notice.

The stated reason for the interruption is the sharply reduced maximum number of U.S. diplomats allowable under recently imposed restrictions issued by the Russian government.

Nonimmigrants visa appointments currently scheduled will be cancelled and applicants will be provided with information on rescheduling their appointments. Applicants currently holding appointments for nonimmigrant visa applications at the U.S. consulates in Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, and St. Petersburg should call the following number if they wish to attempt to reschedule their appointments for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow: +7 (495) 745 3388 or 8 800 100 2554 (ITFN).

A block of interviews for students travelling to U.S. universities will be made available in September. Fees for scheduled interviews cannot be refunded, or used outside Russia, but may be used for another interview in Russia for up to one year. New visa applications for residents of Belarus will no longer be accepted at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow or the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg. Services for U.S. citizens will continue as normal, but operating hours may change.