Planning a U.S. Trip? Russian Applicants Told to Start Visa Process a Year Early

If you're a Russian citizen hoping to get a U.S. visa, you might want to clear your calendar — and your patience. According to migration analyst Maxim Maximov, the wait time for a non-immigrant visa at the U.S. embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan, has stretched to roughly 12 months. His advice: start the paperwork at least a year in advance, and don't fall for paid bots promising to jump the queue.

The bottleneck comes after Washington imposed a ban on immigrant visas for citizens from 75 countries, including Russia, back in January. Non-immigrant visas — the kind tourists and business travelers need — are still available, but only through U.S. embassies in Astana and Warsaw. Poland, however, has slapped its own strict limits on Russian visa applicants.

Maximov told RIA Novosti that Astana's embassy is simply overwhelmed. "If you're applying there, begin the process a year out," he said. "And don't rely on a bot to get you an appointment next month."

For Russians who already hold a valid Schengen visa, he suggests a different route: try the U.S. embassy in Poland. "Warsaw is the only option where you might get an interview in the coming months," Maximov added.

With limited slots and growing demand, the message is clear: plan early, skip the shortcuts, and be realistic about the timeline.