The United States will suspend the procedure for issuing nonimmigrant visas to the Russian Federation from August 23, in Moscow this procedure will resume on September 1. This is stated in a statement posted on the website of the US Embassy in Russia.
“In connection with the measures taken by the Russian Federation to limit the size of the US diplomatic mission employees in Russia, since August 23, 2017, the procedure for the issuance of nonimmigrant visas across Russia will be suspended September 1, 2017, this procedure will resume in Moscow -. Informed the embassy “The procedure for issuing nonimmigrant visas to US consulates in Russia will be suspended indefinitely.”
“Previously scheduled interviews will be cancelled, and those who have already applied for a US visa will be informed about how they can reassign the interview,” the embassy noted. At the same time since Monday in the US consulates are no longer being interviewed for a visa. “Starting at 9:00 am on Monday, August 21, 2017, the US Embassy will begin the process of cancelling interviews to obtain a non-immigrant visa appointed in all US consulates in the Russian Federation. Those applicants who will be affected will receive an e-mail message with a phone number that will need to be contacted in order to postpone the interview at the US Embassy in Moscow at a later date, “the report said.
The US Embassy in Moscow began preparing for the departure of employees in accordance with the countermeasures introduced by Russia in response to US sanctions. “In pursuance of the RF requirements to limit the number of employees of the US diplomatic mission to the Russian Federation by September 1, we have already begun preparing for the departure and reduction of staff,” the embassy said.
The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after voting in the Congress on anti-Russian sanctions, invited Washington to bring the number of diplomatic and technical staff working at the US Embassy in Moscow to the consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok to September 1, exactly in line with the number of Russian diplomats and technical personnel, Which are in the US. This means that the total number of personnel employed in American diplomatic and consular institutions in Russia is reduced to 455 people. President Vladimir Putin in an interview specified that 755 diplomats and technical staff of the US diplomatic missions should leave Russia.
