New U.S. Visa Application Procedures

February 26, 2010

Press Release by the U.S. Embassy
Minsk, Belarus

The Embassy of the United States of America in the Republic of Belarus would like to apologize once again to the public that we are unable to provide visa services to most Belarusians.  This is due to the decision by Belarusian government in 2008 that the U.S. Embassy in Minsk be compelled to reduce its American staff from 35 diplomats to 5.  However, we are pleased to announce new changes in the process of applying for a non-immigrant visa that should make it faster and easier for Belarusian citizens applying for visas here and at other U.S. Embassies and Consulates, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev.  The United States values greatly people-to-people contacts between Americans and Belarusians, and we continue to welcome Belarusian visitors to the United States. 

Beginning March 1, 2010, applicants applying for all nonimmigrant visas in Minsk will have to use the new online visa application form (DS-160).  DS-160 is a new electronic non-immigrant visa application form that replaces the three visa application forms (DS-156, DS-157, DS-158) formerly used in the non-immigrant visa application process.   It is available online in both English and Russian at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.

Nonimmigrant visa applications using old forms will not be accepted or considered after March 1, 2010 by the U.S. Embassy in Minsk or at many other U.S. Embassies and Consulates.   Non-immigrant visa applicants from Belarus may apply at any other U.S. Embassy or Consulate, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev, all of which now will process only the new DS-160 application form.  Please be sure you know at which Embassy or Consulate you plan to apply before completing the form, as it can be submitted to only one location.

The Embassy would like to emphasize that these are technical changes that will not affect numbers and categories of visa applicants currently processed by the U.S. Embassy in Minsk.  For more information on how to apply for a U.S. visa, and who can be interviewed in Minsk, please visit minsk.usembassy.gov. Questions regarding the new visa application process should be directed to the Consular section at (375 17) 210-12-83 between 16:00 and 17:00, Monday through Friday.