At present, the issue of applying for a visa to the United States, a country with great opportunities and prospects in business development, is very relevant. Many tourists apply for visas in order to travel to the states to relax and get acquainted with local attractions. However, like all other similar types of permits, a visa to the United States has a certain period of validity, after which it must be reissued by contacting specialized authorities. How is the visa extension procedure in the USA? Let us consider it in more detail below.
US Visa Features
A visa is a special permit document that entitles you to cross the US border for a certain period and a certain number of times. It is issued by the body representing the country's diplomatic mission - the US Embassy in Moscow or in St. Petersburg.
This document is issued for a period of three years (reusable, designed for long-term use), after which it requires renewal by re-contacting the relevant authorities. A visa issued by the US Embassy gives a Russian citizen the right to cross the border of the country during the entire period of its validity.
In the event that the traveler wishes to obtain a visa to visit the state for leisure purposes, then it is best for him to apply for a type B. A tourist visa in the USA lasts for a year. If a Russian decides to invest his income in the US economy, he needs to request an investor visa, the validity of which is 10 years, the same applies to entrepreneurs who decide to do business.
Where to go?
In order to obtain visas to the United States, a Russian citizen must apply with a corresponding application and a full package of documents to the US Embassy in Moscow (8 Bolshoy Devyatinsky Lane) or in St. Petersburg (15 Furshtatskaya St., 15). In addition to these cities, offices authorized to consider such applications are also located in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg.
If desired, a person who wants to complete an extension of a visa to the United States can seek help from intermediaries. In this case, you need to be prepared to pay for additional services provided by a specialist. It should be noted that you need to choose only those intermediaries that are accredited by the US Embassy. It should be noted that visa centers are empowered to perform only intermediary work, and decision-making regarding visa extension or refusal is not within their competence.
Today, many Russians also prefer to renew their visas to the United States through the Pony Express, as they believe that this is the most reliable intermediary accredited by the state in question.
When can I extend my visa without an interview
A standard US visa extension procedure requires an interview. However, in practice this stage can be avoided if certain conditions are met.
First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that an interview is not required when applying for an extension of the same type of visa that was received earlier by a Russian citizen. Also, its passage is not required when there is a scan of the applicant’s fingerprints provided earlier in the database of the representative office.
Citizens of the Russian Federation who apply in Russia should not be interviewed. Moreover, this action is also excluded when the previous visa was issued by the US mission located in the Russian Federation.
How to extend a visa
What do I need to extend a visa to the USA? First you need to make an electronic appointment at the embassy. In order to extend a visa to the USA, the applicant must pay in advance the consular fee in the prescribed amount. You can do this on the official website of the representative office, as well as in bank branches.
To the receipt received during payment, you should attach the questionnaire, completed in accordance with the established rules, in English and legible letters. Filling must be done exclusively in electronic form. If desired, the applicant can use the services of automatic translation, which is provided on the site.
You must attach to the specified presented in electronic version and all the necessary documents.
The full package of files must be entered in the appropriate section in your account, which is preliminarily created on the official website of the embassy. To complete this action, you need to log in only with the username and password that was used to obtain an extended visa.
In order to apply for an extension, you need to select the “Change data” function in your account and then, following the instructions provided, make an appointment for an interview. Based on the results of registration, the applicant must print the received coupon, which should be attached to the general list of original documents that are required to extend the visa.
Documents for renewal
As for the package of documents required for a visa extension, it is completely identical to the one provided for its initial receipt. Their list includes a passport in which there is an old visa, as well as a valid document and a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
To the general package you need to attach a couple of color photos of size 5 x 5 cm with widescreen resolution, the original receipt of payment of state fees, as well as a printed application form.
In the process of submitting documents, the applicant must confirm the purpose of his trip. To do this, attach a copy of a tourist permit, an employment contract or an extension of the contract, tickets, invitations from the organizers of the event and other similar documents.
To extend a visa to the United States, a general package of documents must include a certificate from the applicant’s place of work or study. The content of the document should include not only personal data, but also information regarding the position held by him, the period of employment, as well as the amount of wages.
A citizen of the Russian Federation who wishes to extend a visa to the United States must confirm his solvency, which is done by providing a bank statement issued in the name of the applicant, traveler’s checks, income statements, etc. What amount is considered sufficient to stay in the United States as tourist? Its size is $ 100 per day.
The general package of documents should also include a certificate of family composition, medical insurance, as well as a notice of confirmation of an appointment for an interview.
When do I need to renew my visa?
The rules set certain periods during which it is necessary to apply for an extension of a visa to America. They indicate that the appeal should be made 11 months before the expiration of the established period of validity of the document. Otherwise, the holder of the document will have to receive it again by submitting a package of all necessary documents and passing an interview at the embassy.
Duration of consideration
How long does it take to consider applying for a visa to the USA in Moscow or St. Petersburg? In accordance with the established rules, 15 days are allotted for this. As practice shows, the commission makes a decision within 12 business days.
During the entire period of consideration of the submitted application, the person submitting it can track the progress of the examination of documents online by visiting the personal account on the official website of the embassy.
Cost
The procedure for extending a visa to the United States is paid. The cost of its provision is 165 dollars. In the event that a person uses the services of Pony Express, the services of an intermediary must be paid separately, in accordance with the set price list. It should be noted that the indicated price is valid for visa extension for both an adult and a child.
It should be noted that the indicated amount is paid not for providing a positive response to the extension of the visa, but for the consideration of the application itself. This means that even after paying the specified fee, the commission has the right to refuse to extend the visa.
Reasons for refusal
For what reasons can a visa extension be refused? Practice shows that its likelihood is quite high when the applicant previously committed some violations of the law while in the United States, and also has a poor visa history or criminal record.
In the case of the submission of an incomplete package of documents for the extension of a visa to the USA, the applicant also receives a guaranteed refusal to apply for a second document. The same applies to the situation with the provision of fake papers or false information.