U.S. Visa in Kazakhstan (Astana) for Russian Citizens

Questions and Answers About U.S. Visas in Kazakhstan (100)

• 

  Svetlana

  Hello! I submitted my application, paid the visa fee for a U.S. visa in Astana and created my online account about four months ago. I have not yet managed to book an interview. Is there a time limit for booking in Astana from the date the account was created?

  • 

    Elena

    Hello, Svetlana! Yes, there is a time limit, but it is tied to the visa fee payment date. The payment is valid for one year, and you must book an interview within that period. If you do not, you will need to pay again. The interview itself can take place later; it does not have to fall within that year.

    At present, booking an interview in Astana manually is quite difficult. Applicant numbers are very high, and the number of slots for Russians is strictly limited. Sometimes available interview slots are only for dates far in the future, which is not suitable for everyone. Many applicants therefore use an automated booking bot, which can secure earlier dates released in the system within seconds.

    To book your U.S. visa interview before your payment expires, you can contact our company and use our bot service. You already have everything required: your account is registered, your DS‑160 has been submitted and your visa fee has been paid.

    Getting started is simple: submit a request using this link or email bot@gofortravel.ru. A member of our team will contact you, explain the details and accept your request. Once activated, the bot will monitor available dates around the clock and automatically book your interview as soon as a suitable slot appears. You will then only need to prepare for the interview.

• 

  Alena

  Hello! I would like to invite my mother to visit. I have a marriage-based Green Card and have had a son, and I want her to meet her grandson. The difficulty is that she is deaf and does not speak. We want to apply for her U.S. visa through Kazakhstan, and she will need a sign language interpreter. Can this be anyone, such as her sister, or must they be professionally qualified? Do we need to include the interpreter in the application form somehow? How are such situations handled?

  • 

    Maria

    Hello, Alena! If an applicant needs someone to accompany them to the U.S. Embassy interview in Kazakhstan, you should submit a special request through the contact form in the online account. Support will explain the current requirements for a sign language interpreter. You can agree on all the details and send the Embassy a copy of the accompanying person’s passport.

    You will then receive a final response. If permission is granted, the applicant can enter with their sign language interpreter. Print the approval email and bring it to the interview. This is very important because only applicants with appointments are normally admitted. To admit an accompanying person, you need proof of the Embassy’s approval.

    You do not need to mention the interpreter in the DS‑160 form. An applicant’s health difficulties or particular needs are not commented on in the form, which is standard for all applicants. However, you can explain the situation in your invitation and state that you will meet your mother at the airport and accompany her throughout her stay in the United States.

• 

  Elena

  Hello! I am preparing for an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. Do copies of documents need to be certified, or should I provide originals only?

  • 

    Maria

    Hello, Elena! For an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, prepare the standard U.S. visa document package: evidence of income, family status and previous overseas travel. Include an invitation from your host where applicable. There are no special document requirements for Kazakhstan; the rules are the same for all countries and applicants.

    Letters from employers, educational institutions and banks are normally presented as originals. Property ownership documents, if needed, can be copies. Copies are also accepted for previous passports, for example if these were surrendered to the migration authorities, marriage certificates and children’s birth certificates. An invitation from the U.S. can be emailed. The original is not required, whether it is a personal or business invitation.

    None of these copies needs notarization for an application through Kazakhstan. Ordinary photocopies are sufficient, without additional stamps from a notary or HR department. They simply need to be clear copies of the originals. However, the applicant’s current international passport must be provided in its original form. This is mandatory for every U.S. visa applicant.

• 

  Elina

  Hello! I am Russian but currently live in Kazakhstan with my father. My older daughter lives in Thailand. We would both like U.S. visas. Can she apply in Kazakhstan together with me, or must she apply where she lives?

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Elina! The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan accepts visa applications not only from local residents, but also from Russians who live permanently in Russia and citizens of other countries. However, the general recommendation from the U.S. immigration authorities is to apply where you normally live. If applications are not being accepted there, you can attend an interview abroad.

    Your daughter lives in Thailand and can apply at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, but her application will also be accepted in Kazakhstan. She should explain to the officer that you wanted to attend the interview together, so she came to Kazakhstan to apply. One consideration is her supporting documents. As she lives in Thailand, her employment letter will presumably be from there, which may raise questions for the consular section.

    If officers in Kazakhstan are unfamiliar with conditions in Thailand, local living standards or average salaries, misunderstandings may arise. Be prepared for this. If an officer has difficulty reaching a decision, they may ask the applicant to apply in their country of permanent residence, where possible. In that case, she would have to pay the fee again and book an interview in Thailand.

• 

  Tatyana

  Hello! How long are U.S. visas issued in Kazakhstan valid for? I have heard they can be approved for ten years.

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Tatyana! U.S. visas can indeed be issued for ten years in Kazakhstan, as in other countries, but this depends on the applicant’s citizenship. Ten-year visas are issued to citizens of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Turkey and other countries. Russian citizens, however, receive a three-year U.S. visa. That is the maximum validity you can expect when applying in Kazakhstan.

    Sometimes even this period is significantly reduced. For example, if an applicant undergoes administrative processing, the visa will be issued for only one year. In certain exceptional circumstances, a U.S. visa may be issued for a single specific trip. Fortunately, this is not common, and Russian citizens receive three-year visas in most cases.

    You can therefore expect a ten-year U.S. visa in Kazakhstan only if you hold an eligible citizenship. If you are a Russian citizen, the maximum validity is three years. Visa validity does not depend on the country of application. The same immigration rules apply at U.S. embassies worldwide.

• 

  Artem

  Hello! My mother has booked a U.S. visa interview in Kazakhstan. I completed her DS‑160 and listed only myself as a close relative living in the United States, completely forgetting to include my brother. I explained this in my invitation letter. Does that correct my mistake? Can she explain it at the interview, or is there no point in her going to Kazakhstan now?

  • 

    Andrey

    Hello, Artem! There is no need to cancel the U.S. visitor visa interview in Kazakhstan. You just need to correct the application. This mistake should be fixed because all relevant relatives currently living in the United States must be disclosed. An applicant’s son is an immediate relative who cannot be omitted. Although you explained the situation in your invitation, there is still time to correct the completed DS‑160 before the interview.

    More precisely, the applicant must create a new form, as a confirmed and submitted application cannot be edited. This is straightforward: you can quickly create a new form using the existing one. Enter the application number, surname and security question answer. Then correct the family details and complete the empty fields; most will already contain information from the old form.

    Confirm and submit the form. Remember to change the DS‑160 number in the online account and print a new interview confirmation. The officer may ask about the two applications and the changes, so the applicant should be ready to explain everything. This should not be difficult, as Russian-speaking officers conduct interviews in Russian at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan.

• 

  Svetlana

  Hello! I originally wanted to apply through Israel and completed and submitted the application, but did not book an interview. I now want to apply at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. Do I need to complete a new form and pay the fee again? I am retired and do not work. How do pensioners fare when applying for U.S. visas in Kazakhstan? I have visited America three times on tourist visas.

  • 

    Andrey

    Hello, Svetlana! A U.S. visa fee is valid only in the country for which it was paid. If you paid for an application in Israel, you must pay again to apply in Kazakhstan. The payment cannot be transferred. You also need to update the DS‑160, which specifies the interview country and city. The form must contain the current information.

    Otherwise, your form may not be found in the database at the Kazakhstan interview, and the appointment would need to be rescheduled. You should now transfer your profile to the correct country by contacting support through your account. Complete a new DS‑160, enter its number in your profile, pay the visa fee and book the interview. Prepare your supporting documents. Russian citizens can obtain visas in Kazakhstan without difficulty in principle.

    The officer’s decision will depend on your circumstances. When applying for a U.S. visa as a pensioner, you need to demonstrate ties to your home country. Discuss your family and relatives in Russia at the interview. Confirm your source of income, such as your pension or the salary of your spouse or adult children. Bank letters are optional and are mainly needed for long trips or visits with particular purposes, such as study, medical treatment or participation in an event.

• 

  Irina

  Hello! My eight-year-old daughter and I plan to obtain visas for a trip to the United States. It is simply a holiday, and we want to visit Disneyland. I have a friend living in the U.S. on a work visa. Should I mention her, or is it better not to bring this up during the consular interview?

  • 

    Maria

    Hello, Irina! It depends on whether you plan to visit your friend in the United States. At the interview, you will be asked about your plans: what you intend to do, who you will meet, where you will stay and so on. If you plan to stay at a hotel and follow your own tourist itinerary, while your friend simply happens to be in the U.S. and you may not meet, you do not have to mention her.

    For a U.S. visa, the simpler the situation, the better. The application asks about relatives living in the United States. You may have other contacts there, but these should be mentioned if they are genuinely close to you. At the same time, you must give truthful information at the interview. This is an Embassy requirement, and it also makes the interview easier because you will not become confused.

    If you intend to meet your friend, you can say so. If you plan to stay with her and spend a lot of time together, she should provide a U.S. visa invitation letter confirming that she is expecting you. It should contain her contact details and a brief outline of your trip. The letter can be sent by email and does not need notarization.

• 

  Elena

  Hello! We plan to apply for a U.S. visitor/tourist visa for my father, aged 89, through Astana, Kazakhstan. His son is a U.S. citizen. His last visa expired six months ago. Will he need an interview, or is he exempt because he is over 80, even though he is not a resident of Kazakhstan?

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Elena! A U.S. visa without an interview is available only in the applicant’s country of permanent residence. In some countries, children under 14 do not have to attend and can be represented by their parents. However, adult applicants applying in their own right must meet the officer in person. This includes elderly applicants, even those over 80.

    Unfortunately, you cannot send the documents by courier for consideration without an interview. The international passport is handed to the officer during the interview. A U.S. visa cannot be renewed abroad either. Renewal is available in the same country where the previous visa was issued, and the applicant must be a resident there, rather than a tourist or temporary visitor. These are the official immigration rules.

    For an 89-year-old applicant who previously held a U.S. visa, the only option is therefore a new application abroad with an interview. The Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan accept Russian citizens. Slots are released, but are immediately taken. For faster booking, we recommend the U.S. visa appointment bot for Kazakhstan. It will book an appointment according to the applicant’s preferences.

• 

  Olga

  Hello! I previously obtained a U.S. visa in Russia and now plan to apply through Kazakhstan with my husband, who will be applying for the first time. Can we attend the interview together, or will we need separate appointments? Will my application be considered a renewal or a first application in Kazakhstan?

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Olga! You can obtain a U.S. visa in Kazakhstan only by attending a new interview with an officer. Unfortunately, visa renewal abroad is not possible. Applying without an interview is available only to residents of the country, and the previous visa must also have been issued there. Your last visa was issued in Russia, where applications have been suspended, so you now need an in-person interview.

    Members of the same family may register a shared booking profile. Each person must complete their own DS‑160 form and pay the visa fee separately, but the online account can be shared. The interview booking will then automatically cover both of you, and you will speak to the officer together. However, each applicant is assessed individually, and the visa decisions may differ.

    Both of you should therefore bring a set of documents and be ready to answer the officer’s questions. Interview appointments are released regularly but are taken quickly. The most reliable way to secure a date is our U.S. visa appointment bot for Kazakhstan. The software will book quickly and take your preferences into account. Payment is due only once an appointment has been secured. You can read reviews in our Telegram channel, @gofortravel_chat.

• 

  Svetlana

  Hello! I am interested in U.S. tourist visas for my parents for a trip to Miami. They own three apartments in Russia and are currently building a country house. Both have just retired.

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Svetlana! We need more information to assess your parents’ chances. You can email their questionnaires to info@gofortravel.ru so that we can give more specific advice. The main point missing from your question is the purpose of the trip. They need tourist visas, but the purpose could be visiting someone or sightseeing. That determines which factors will matter most in their case.

    Travel history is one example. For a visit, especially to close relatives, previous overseas travel receives less attention. If your parents are going as tourists, however, their visa history will be very important. Obtaining a U.S. visa with a blank passport is quite difficult, as it is if previous trips were limited to CIS countries and visa-free destinations. Visits to Europe and other countries with stricter visa requirements are important.

    However, property ownership for a U.S. visa does not carry much weight. Apartments, houses and holiday homes do not guarantee that an applicant will return home, and potential immigration is the concern in every application. Property can be sold or rented out. Other ties to Russia, such as permanent employment and family, are therefore more important. Officers very rarely ask to see documents for movable or immovable property during an interview.

• 

  Dmitry

  Hello! I am completing the DS‑160 for a tourist visa. How should I answer the question about a family reunification petition? I answered yes, and it now asks for a detailed explanation. A family reunification petition was filed for me in the U.S. at the beginning of the year and is still being processed.

  • 

    Ekaterina

    Hello, Dmitry! If a family reunification petition has been filed for you, you must disclose it. You correctly answered yes to the direct question and now need to explain the circumstances in the field provided. You do not need to describe the entire history in the form. It is sufficient to state who filed the petition and in which year, or give a more precise date. Also state the current stage of the case.

    No further details are needed in the DS‑160 itself. The officer will ask any follow-up questions during the interview. You will certainly be asked who initiated the petition and what your future plans are, including whether you intend to move to the United States. Please note that there is a serious risk of a U.S. visa refusal in your case. A family reunification petition indicates that you want to leave Russia.

    The Embassy may reason that nothing prevents you from going to the United States on a tourist visa, B1/B2, without waiting for the immigrant petition to be processed. It will be difficult to prove that you will return to Russia. Prepare an employment letter stating your position and salary, and ask your employer to include your leave dates. This will show that you are expected back at work. However, it is difficult to predict whether the visa officer will be persuaded.

• 

  Elvina

  Hello! I am a Russian citizen studying in Russia, in year five of a six-year degree, and I am unmarried. I plan to apply for a U.S. visa through Kazakhstan. I have been to Turkey several times but have not visited Europe, and this will be my first visa application. Would it be appropriate to present an invitation from friends in the U.S. at the interview, or would it be better to provide only a letter from my university or employer? How can I improve my chances of getting the visa?

  • 

    Maria

    Hello, Elvina! At the U.S. Embassy interview, you need to explain the real purpose of your trip. If your friends live there and you are going to visit them, you must say so. The DS‑160 contains a direct question about your U.S. contact. If your friends live in the United States, you need to provide their details, and an invitation is required in that case. However, we do not recommend making your friends your trip sponsors.

    You need to show your own source of income. If you both study and work, you can provide your employment and salary letter. You should also prepare documents from a sponsor, one of your parents. At the interview, you can explain that you share a family budget with your parents. A sponsorship letter is not mandatory, but you should bring evidence of your sponsor’s income. A salary of at least 60,000-70,000 roubles is desirable.

    Obtaining a U.S. visa as a young woman can be difficult. You are close to graduating, unmarried and have little travel history. The Embassy will view you as a potential immigrant. To improve your chances, you could apply together with one of your parents. You do not have to travel together later, but it can help at the application stage. Young women are viewed with less concern when the trip is a family one.

• 

  Olga

  Good evening! My U.S. visa expired four months ago. Can I renew it in Kazakhstan without attending in person? I have heard that renewals are possible there.

  • 

    Maria

    Hello, Olga! At present, you cannot renew a U.S. visa abroad. This applies to every country, including Kazakhstan. Under the immigration rules, an applicant may submit a visa application without an interview only in the country where the previous visa was issued. There is also a second condition: the applicant must be a resident of that country and live there permanently. For example, if your previous U.S. visa was issued in Russia, you can renew it only in Russia. Even if it was issued in Kazakhstan, you cannot renew it there if you live permanently in Russia.

    Residents of Russia therefore cannot renew their U.S. visas until applications resume at the Embassy in Moscow or a consulate in Russia. For now, obtaining a U.S. visa requires an interview with an officer, and appointments are available abroad. Our website provides current U.S. visa appointment calendars for applications abroad. Choose a convenient option and contact our specialists. We try to help applicants complete the process as quickly as possible. The bot service is used for faster scheduling, automatically booking suitable calendar slots.

• 

  Nikolay

  Hello. I paid the visa fee online by bank card for an interview in Nur-Sultan. Do I need to print the receipt emailed to me and take it to the Embassy? Do all documents, such as employment letters and bank statements, have to be translated into English?

  • 

    Tomas

    Hello, Nikolay! Under the B1/B2 U.S. visa application rules, applicants only need the visa fee receipt to schedule an interview with a visa officer. You do not need to show it either when entering the diplomatic mission or during the interview itself.

    Please note that interviews at the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan are conducted in Russian, so supporting documents are accepted without translations. You do not need to prepare English versions. We recommend using the remaining time before your interview to consider possible questions and how you will answer them.

• 1
• 2
• 1
• 2