Can I renew a US visa without leaving the US?

No. Only a consulate abroad issues visas. Inside the US you extend status through I-539 (or a new petition for O-1), and you will still need a new visa to re-enter after leaving.

Does a waiver guarantee no interview?

No: under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025 a consular officer may still require an in-person interview case by case, for any reason. A waiver is an option, not a right.

Can I renew a US visa in Moscow?

No. Per the US Embassy in Russia page (Sep 25, 2026), the Moscow embassy no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services, and the State Department designated the embassies in Warsaw (Poland) and Astana (Kazakhstan) for Russian nonimmigrant visa applicants. If you live in another country, apply there.

How do I renew a US visa now, if it is about to expire?

The same way as getting a new one: a new DS-160, the consular fee and an appointment - for Russians in Warsaw or Astana (the posts the State Department designated) or in the country where you live. Since Oct 1, 2025 only a B1/B2 (or H-2A) visa can be renewed without an interview: within 12 months of the prior visa expiring, the prior visa issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, no refusals, filing in the country of nationality or usual residence. O-1, H-1B, L-1 and other work visas are renewed through an interview. A visa cannot be renewed inside the US - there only status is extended, through I-539.

Renewing a US visa without an interview - who qualifies?

Since Oct 1, 2025, under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025, only when renewing a B1/B2 (or H-2A) visa: the prior visa expired no more than 12 months ago and was issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, you file in your country of nationality or usual residence, you have no refusals (or overcame them) and no apparent ineligibility. The consul may still call an interview. Russians living in Russia cannot meet that: Moscow issues no visas, and Warsaw and Astana are not their country of nationality or residence. With a residence permit elsewhere they can apply there: members report renewing without an interview on a German residence permit.

Where do Russians renew a visa: Warsaw, Astana, Belgrade, Almaty?

Per the State Department instruction (page updated Jul 15, 2026) a nonimmigrant visa is filed in the country of nationality or residence, and nationals of countries without visa services file at the designated embassy: for Russians that is Warsaw and Astana. Filing at another consulate, per the State Department text, may make it harder to qualify, appointment waits are longer, and the fee is neither refunded nor transferred. The chats advised the same in October 2025: "either Warsaw or Astana, if you have no permanent residence in Europe". The reports on Belgrade, Almaty and Yerevan in the chats are mostly from 2024-2025, before this rule.

Getting a US visa in Belgrade: how is an O-1 renewed there?

Russians get the O-1 on a three-year petition stamped for 2 years by reciprocity; a member requested the remaining year in Belgrade on the same approved petition - approved in one visit, about 40 minutes from entering to leaving (member report, November 2024). By 2025 reports an O visa in Belgrade was also processed by mail, with documents couriered within Serbia. 221(g) checks happen there too and run from months to over a year. Mind the State Department rule updated Jul 15, 2026: without residence in Serbia, Russians are expected to apply in Warsaw or Astana, and another consulate makes the visa harder to get. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next Belgrade appointment is 1.5 months for B1/B2 and 2 months for petition-based work visas.

Renewing a US visa in Warsaw: how does a Russian book?

A new DS-160, the MRV fee (someone else may pay, in your name) and an appointment: you do not have to live in Poland. B1/B2 uses the "non-resident" category, O-1, H-1B, L-1 and F-1 use "regular". The Warsaw interview can generally be in Russian. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next appointment is under 0.5 month; for non-resident B1/B2 the embassy listed 30 days. A Russian without Polish residence cannot renew without an interview. You need a Schengen visa to get there and 3-5 business days for the visa to print after approval.

Can I renew a US visa in Astana?

Yes, for a nonimmigrant visa (B1/B2, O-1, H-1B, L-1, F-1): Astana is the second post the State Department designated for Russians, and Kazakh residence is not needed. Russian immigrant visas go to Warsaw. The DS-160 must be submitted by 5:00 pm three business days before the interview. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next B1/B2 and work-visa appointment is 1 month, though 2026 chat reports also spoke of 4-6 months. The interview is mandatory.

A US visa in Tbilisi: is it possible without Georgian residence?

For a nonimmigrant visa - no: the embassy books in the country of residence or nationality, and in 2026 members wrote that the visa center will not book without residence and that residence is checked at the entrance. With Georgian residence booking is fast (under 0.5 month per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026), and a B1/B2 can be renewed without an interview under the Sep 18, 2025 rule. The B1/B2 bond since Aug 3, 2026 applies only to Georgian nationals.

Booking a US visa without an interview: how does it work?

There is no separate "no interview" queue: you file the DS-160, pay the fee and book as usual, and waiver eligibility is checked under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025 - a B1/B2 (or H-2A) renewal within 12 months of the prior visa expiring, issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, no refusals, filing in the country of nationality or usual residence. Each embassy sets its own drop-off procedure, published on its site. The consul may still call you for an interview.

Renewing a visa for America: do I fill in a new DS-160 and pay the fee again?

Yes: a renewal is a new application, so you need a new DS-160 and the consular fee in the country of filing. Russian-issued cards, in community experience, cannot pay the fees - members use cards from other countries or help from someone holding one. With an interview waiver (since Oct 1, 2025 only B1/B2) the passport and documents are submitted without an interview; without one you book an interview.

Can I leave the US on the day my visa expires, or later?

Yes. The visa expiry only limits entry; how long you may stay in the US is set by the Admit Until date in the electronic I-94 record. The visa can expire while you are in the country - you do not need to leave before it does; what matters is not staying past the I-94 date.

What happens if I stay past my I-94 date?

By statute the visa becomes void after the authorized stay ends (INA 222(g)), and a new nonimmigrant visa has to come from a consulate in the country of nationality or, if there is none, the one the State Department specifies (for Russian nonimmigrant visas it designated Warsaw and Astana). Unlawful presence of more than 180 days but under a year bars re-entry for 3 years after departure; a year or more - for 10 years (INA 212(a)(9)(B)).

Can I renew a US visa that has already expired?

Yes - it is effectively a new application (a new DS-160, the fee, a consulate), and an expired visa does not prevent it. The difference is only in the right to file without an interview: since Oct 1, 2025 it exists only for a B1/B2 expired no more than 12 months ago, filed in the country of nationality or residence. If more time has passed, the visa is a work visa, or you are a Russian without a residence permit elsewhere - an interview in Warsaw or Astana.

Visa renewal

How to renew a US visa in 2026: interview waiver, where to apply

Updated: September 30, 2026Author: Alina Kanametova

Key answer

There is no separate "renewal" procedure: it is a new application - a new DS-160, the consular fee and a consulate. It cannot be done in Moscow: the US Embassy no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services, and the State Department designated Warsaw and Astana for Russians (embassy page, Sep 25, 2026).

Without an interview - can I?: Since Oct 1, 2025 only when renewing a B1/B2 (or H-2A): the prior visa expired no more than 12 months ago and was issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, no refusals, and you file in your country of nationality or usual residence. The consul may still call an interview. O-1, H-1B, L-1 and other work visas always go through an interview.
Where does a Russian apply?: In Warsaw or Astana - the posts the State Department designated; if you live in another country, apply there. At another consulate, per the State Department instruction of Jul 15, 2026, the visa is harder to get, appointment waits are longer, and the fee is neither refunded nor transferred.
The visa has already expired - does that matter?: No: the application is new either way. The only difference is the right to file without an interview - it exists only for a B1/B2 that expired no more than 12 months ago.
I am inside the US - should I leave for a visa?: A visa cannot be renewed from inside the US: there you extend status only (I-539, or a new petition for O-1). In community experience leaving for a new visa is the main risk: applicants with jobs and families in the US were sent into administrative processing for months.

Warsaw Astana Belgrade Almaty Yerevan Tbilisi

2posts the State Department designated for Russians: Warsaw and Astana

12 monthsafter a B1/B2 expires - the limit for an interview-free filing (since Oct 1, 2025)

172chat messages about visa renewals in the community

I am in the US and my stay is running out

A visa cannot be renewed from inside the US: there you extend status only (I-539, or a new petition for O-1). In community experience leaving for a new visa is the main risk: applicants with jobs and families in the US were sent into administrative processing for months.

Where Russians renew: by city

The Moscow embassy offers no non-diplomatic visa services, and the State Department designated Warsaw and Astana for Russian nonimmigrant visa applicants; those living in another country apply there. Since Jul 15, 2026 filing outside the country of nationality, residence or the designated post, per the State Department text, makes the visa harder to get, and the fee is not refunded. Below are posts from community reports; the reports on other cities are mostly from 2024-2025, before this rule.

Warsaw, Astana, Belgrade, Tbilisi: where a Russian renews a visa

Four posts for a US visa renewal compared
Post	Without residence there	B1/B2 / O-1 appointment (State Dept, 2026-09-17)	No interview
Warsaw	yes: a designated post for Russians	under 0.5 month / under 0.5 month	only with residence, B1/B2
Astana	yes: a designated post for Russians	1 month / 1 month	only with residence, B1/B2
Belgrade	no: residence is required	1.5 months / 2 months	with residence, B1/B2
Tbilisi	no: residence is required	under 0.5 month / under 0.5 month	with residence, B1/B2

Renewing a US visa in Warsaw

The post the State Department designated for Russian nonimmigrant visas (together with Astana); immigrant visas for residents of Russia are processed only here. Living in Poland is not required.

Without an interview: For a Russian without Polish residence - no: only B1/B2 renewals skip the interview, and only in the country of nationality or usual residence, which a designated post is not. With Polish residence the Sep 18, 2025 rule applies.
Next appointment (State Department, 2026-09-17): B1/B2 - under 0.5 month; petition-based work visas (H, L, O) - under 0.5 month; students (F, M, J) - under 0.5 month.

Per the embassy and State Department pages

Non-citizens of Poland may book at Warsaw or at the Krakow consulate even if they do not live in Poland. In Warsaw the "non-resident" category is only for B1/B2; O-1, H-1B, L-1, F-1 and all other visas use "regular".
The call center speaks English, Polish and Russian; interviews in Warsaw are generally held in Polish, English or Russian. An interpreter must be requested by email at least 7 business days before the interview.
The MRV fee is paid before booking; someone else may pay, but in the applicant's name. After approval the visa takes 3-5 business days to print, and the passport is collected at an MBE courier point in Warsaw or Krakow; home delivery only to a Polish address. A Friday interview means staying in Poland over the weekend.
The next appointment per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 is under 0.5 month in every category; for non-resident B1/B2 applicants the embassy listed 30 days (update of Apr 13, 2026).

What the chats report: 135 messages on nonimmigrant visas in 12 chats, Jan 1 - Sep 30, 2026

The main obstacle is getting there: a Schengen visa is needed, and members enter through the country that issued it (most often Hungary), then travel on to Warsaw.
In September O-1 slots were described as available; rescheduling is limited by reports - members mention three reschedules. Some asked for an O-1 renewal slot before the end of the month.
The embassy does not forward a passport with a B1/B2 visa to Russia - only intermediaries do, so people wait for it in Poland or come back for it.

Member reports paraphrased without names or quotes, not embassy data. The US post in Warsaw: all reports

Renewing a US visa in Astana

The second designated post for Russian nonimmigrant visas; Russian immigrant visas are not handled here (they go to Warsaw, and IR-5 also to Almaty and Tashkent). Living in Kazakhstan is not required.

Without an interview: For a Russian without Kazakh residence - no, for the same reason as in Warsaw: the post is designated, not the country of nationality or residence.
Next appointment (State Department, 2026-09-17): B1/B2 - 1 month; petition-based work visas (H, L, O) - 1 month; students (F, M, J) - no data (NA).

Per the embassy and State Department pages

Since May 2, 2025 the consular sections in Astana and Almaty finalize appointments at 5:00 pm three business days before the interview: by then the DS-160 must be complete and submitted.
Booking, payment and support go through the official appointment site the embassy page links to; the fee is neither refunded nor transferred.
The next appointment per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026: B1/B2 - 1 month, petition-based work visas (H, L, O, P, Q) - 1 month, no data for students (F, M, J).

What the chats report: 54 messages on nonimmigrant visas in 10 chats, Jan 1 - Sep 30, 2026

O-1 interviews in September were described as 10 minutes of simple questions about the work and US plans; O-1 visas issued were reported in April, July and September.
Slot-wait estimates diverge: June reports spoke of 4-6 months, a Sep 30 message of "another half year", while on Sep 16 a member booked a little over a month ahead.
Checks happen too: an IT O-1 went to administrative processing in June, and an H-1B with a 221(g) sheet and a request to open social media waited 8.5 months and ended up in a mandamus suit.

Member reports paraphrased without names or quotes, not embassy data. The US post in Astana: all reports

Renewing a US visa in Belgrade

The embassy books nonimmigrant visas in the country of residence or nationality. A Russian needs Serbian residence; without it, under the State Department rule of Jul 15, 2026, the filing goes to Warsaw or Astana, and at another consulate the visa is harder to get and the fee is not refunded.

Without an interview: With Serbian residence - yes, for B1/B2 under the Sep 18, 2025 rule (expired within 12 months, full validity, no refusals); members reported such issuances in August 2026.
Next appointment (State Department, 2026-09-17): B1/B2 - 1.5 months; petition-based work visas (H, L, O) - 2 months; students (F, M, J) - under 0.5 month.

Per the embassy and State Department pages

The embassy: book a nonimmigrant visa in the country of residence or nationality; visa fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Expedited appointments are requested only through the appointment website - the embassy considers no other channel.
The next appointment per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026: B1/B2 - 1.5 months, petition-based work visas - 2 months, students - under 0.5 month.

What the chats report: 10 messages on nonimmigrant visas in 3 chats, Jan 1 - Sep 30, 2026

In August 2026 a member wrote that two colleagues got B1/B2 visas through an interview waiver and a third after an interview.
Long checks are the main topic: a B1 after 1 year 4 months, a B1/B2 from July 2023 to February 2026, an H-1B filed in September 2023 cleared only after two mandamus suits (an April 2026 report).
People ask whether Serbian residence is needed; the chats answer the same as the official line - without residence, Russians go to Warsaw or Astana.

Member reports paraphrased without names or quotes, not embassy data. The US post in Belgrade: all reports

Renewing a US visa in Tbilisi

The embassy books nonimmigrant visas in the country of residence or nationality - a Russian needs Georgian residence. The immigrant visa unit handles residents of Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Without an interview: With Georgian residence - yes, for B1/B2 under the Sep 18, 2025 rule; without residence, by reports, there is no appointment at all.
Next appointment (State Department, 2026-09-17): B1/B2 - under 0.5 month; petition-based work visas (H, L, O) - under 0.5 month; students (F, M, J) - under 0.5 month.

Per the embassy and State Department pages

The embassy: nonimmigrant visas are booked in the country of residence or nationality; the fee is neither refunded nor transferred.
Since Aug 3, 2026 Georgian nationals approved for B1/B2 must post a $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 bond and get a single-entry 3-month visa. The bond follows nationality, not the post, so it does not apply to Russians with Georgian residence.
The next appointment per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 is under 0.5 month in every category.

What the chats report: 7 messages on nonimmigrant visas in 4 chats, Jan 1 - Sep 30, 2026

In June 2026 members wrote that the VFS visa center in Tbilisi will not book without Georgian residence; in May a member described a refusal where residence was checked three times on the way to the window.
EB-1A immigrant cases were assigned to Tbilisi even when one spouse had no residence, and transfer letters to Poland did not help.

Member reports paraphrased without names or quotes, not embassy data. The US post in Tbilisi: all reports

From English-speaking community reports (Reddit), October 2025 - September 2026, 36 posts

B1/B2, F-1, H-1B and O-1 posts about Warsaw, Astana, Tbilisi, Belgrade, Istanbul and Tashkent. Per-city details are on each consulate page.

Warsaw, B1/B2 for Russians (September 2026): a 3-year visa and the passport the next day; the same author counted 12 approvals and 11 refusals in 45 minutes.
Refusals under 214(b) after a short interview with no documents reviewed - 4 stories (Belgrade, Warsaw, Istanbul, Tashkent); in two the authors are young applicants with a new or remote job.
F-1 and H-1B in Istanbul and Tashkent: a 221(g) social-media check with the passport held at the embassy lasted from three weeks to over a month; one such story ended in a refusal.
Booking: in spring and summer 2026 students found no slots for weeks in Warsaw, Istanbul and Tashkent. In Tbilisi the scheduling service warned a third-country national that applying there was at his own risk.

A retelling of individual stories from public Reddit discussions (read Oct 2, 2026), without names or quotes. These are individual stories, not State Department statistics and not legal advice: official wait times and rules are on travel.state.gov and above on this page.

How to renew a US visa: five steps

Step	What	How	More
1	Check waiver eligibility	since Oct 1, 2025 only B1/B2 (and H-2A): expired no more than 12 months ago, issued for full validity, you were 18+, no refusals, filing in the country of nationality or residence; for Russians only with a residence permit elsewhere	what is open to Russians
2	DS-160 and the fee	a new form and the consular fee; a fee paid for filing in the wrong country is neither refunded nor transferred (State Department, Jul 15, 2026)	paying the fee
3	The interview if no waiver	for Russians Warsaw or Astana (the posts the State Department designated) or the country where you live; questions about trips on the old visa and status	consulates
4	Renewing O-1 on the petition	Russians get the O-1 stamped for 2 years by reciprocity; the remaining year on an approved petition was obtained in Belgrade in one short interview	the O-1 visa
5	The risk: leaving to renew	applicants with jobs and families in the US were sent into 221(g) for months; extending status inside the country through I-539 covers the status only, not the visa	administrative processing

Community experience: renewals, waivers, leaving to renew

From community discussions

«You cannot extend your visa within the country; you have been told this many times. You can try to extend your tourist status, but only once and for a maximum of 6 months! And waiting for several years will not help you, even if you are not denied (but given that you were given a one-month stay - you will be denied, no need to consult a fortune teller).»
community member · from public community chats
«I received it in January 2020 with residency in Germany; there were no problems or questions, and this summer I extended it without an interview, and again, no problems occurred. It actually helps, as you can easily obtain a visa in the country where you have residency. Almost without long queues for the interview.»
Olya Sh. · from public community chats
«A small follow-up #success. As you know, with a three-year approved petition, the visa is issued for 2 years for Russians. I decided to extend the visa until the end of the petition and requested the remaining year in Belgrade under the approved petition. Today it was approved; everything took about 40 minutes from entering to leaving the consulate.»
Alexis · from public community chats
«A person lived in the U.S., worked, supported a family, rented housing, bought a car, and so on. They left to renew their visa and cannot return. The AP is in progress. In an instant, they got stuck between two worlds. It's a very complicated situation.»
Nadezhda P. · from public community chats
«I'm not saying that everyone is denied, but I would think 10 times before leaving the U.S. after the admission deadline to renew the visa.»
Ksenia · from public community chats
«Meanwhile, in the DV chat, another couple received their visa without an RFE. I am the only one from the small DV group who ended up with an RFE. But... my husband and I are the only ones who achieved real results in Russia (this is about our small group, not all DV participants).»
Lena · from public community chats
«There was a post on Vinsky's forum today, so someone is still getting through!: Hi everyone! I'm ready to share updates on my RFE. November 2022 - L-1 interview and RFE started in Frankfurt. December 2023 - DV interview and RFE started/continued in Warsaw. January 2024 - completion of RFE for L-1, completion of RFE for DV. In total: 432 days on RFE.»
Alina · from public community chats
«I'm not talking about rare situations, but about overall trends. It's better to focus on the general trend. My comment mainly referred to EB and O visas. Lottery winners are released in large numbers every year in August regardless of TAL, since they have deadlines. We do not have deadlines. It's not due to a lack of workers, but because of the flawed adjudication process when it extends beyond the consulate. I don't know what's better: to be an optimist and get upset every month, or to be a pessimist and not get upset every month.»
Denis · from public community chats

Personal opinions of community members from public discussions, not legal advice.

Community answers

How does traveling for O-1 visa stamping work after petition approval in the United States?: Petition approval is not a visa in the passport: to enter after leaving the United States, you usually need a consular appointment and must complete the visa process. Eligibility for an interview waiver depends on the country, the applicant's status, and the current rules of the specific consulate.

Rules and tips from the chats

ruleAn I-485 interview can be canceled and then scheduled again even after the case moves toward a final decision. An interview waiver is not always final, so it is worth being prepared for an interview until actual approval.

Questions and answers on the site

Can a Russian renew a US visa without an interview?

Distilled from the public community chats, anonymised; corpus as of June 2026. These are participants' observations, not legal advice and not USCIS statistics.

Frequently asked questions

Can I renew a US visa without leaving the US?: No. Only a consulate abroad issues visas. Inside the US you extend status through I-539 (or a new petition for O-1), and you will still need a new visa to re-enter after leaving.
Does a waiver guarantee no interview?: No: under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025 a consular officer may still require an in-person interview case by case, for any reason. A waiver is an option, not a right.
Can I renew a US visa in Moscow?: No. Per the US Embassy in Russia page (Sep 25, 2026), the Moscow embassy no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services, and the State Department designated the embassies in Warsaw (Poland) and Astana (Kazakhstan) for Russian nonimmigrant visa applicants. If you live in another country, apply there.
How do I renew a US visa now, if it is about to expire?: The same way as getting a new one: a new DS-160, the consular fee and an appointment - for Russians in Warsaw or Astana (the posts the State Department designated) or in the country where you live. Since Oct 1, 2025 only a B1/B2 (or H-2A) visa can be renewed without an interview: within 12 months of the prior visa expiring, the prior visa issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, no refusals, filing in the country of nationality or usual residence. O-1, H-1B, L-1 and other work visas are renewed through an interview. A visa cannot be renewed inside the US - there only status is extended, through I-539.
Renewing a US visa without an interview - who qualifies?: Since Oct 1, 2025, under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025, only when renewing a B1/B2 (or H-2A) visa: the prior visa expired no more than 12 months ago and was issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, you file in your country of nationality or usual residence, you have no refusals (or overcame them) and no apparent ineligibility. The consul may still call an interview. Russians living in Russia cannot meet that: Moscow issues no visas, and Warsaw and Astana are not their country of nationality or residence. With a residence permit elsewhere they can apply there: members report renewing without an interview on a German residence permit.
Where do Russians renew a visa: Warsaw, Astana, Belgrade, Almaty?: Per the State Department instruction (page updated Jul 15, 2026) a nonimmigrant visa is filed in the country of nationality or residence, and nationals of countries without visa services file at the designated embassy: for Russians that is Warsaw and Astana. Filing at another consulate, per the State Department text, may make it harder to qualify, appointment waits are longer, and the fee is neither refunded nor transferred. The chats advised the same in October 2025: "either Warsaw or Astana, if you have no permanent residence in Europe". The reports on Belgrade, Almaty and Yerevan in the chats are mostly from 2024-2025, before this rule.
Getting a US visa in Belgrade: how is an O-1 renewed there?: Russians get the O-1 on a three-year petition stamped for 2 years by reciprocity; a member requested the remaining year in Belgrade on the same approved petition - approved in one visit, about 40 minutes from entering to leaving (member report, November 2024). By 2025 reports an O visa in Belgrade was also processed by mail, with documents couriered within Serbia. 221(g) checks happen there too and run from months to over a year. Mind the State Department rule updated Jul 15, 2026: without residence in Serbia, Russians are expected to apply in Warsaw or Astana, and another consulate makes the visa harder to get. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next Belgrade appointment is 1.5 months for B1/B2 and 2 months for petition-based work visas.
Renewing a US visa in Warsaw: how does a Russian book?: A new DS-160, the MRV fee (someone else may pay, in your name) and an appointment: you do not have to live in Poland. B1/B2 uses the "non-resident" category, O-1, H-1B, L-1 and F-1 use "regular". The Warsaw interview can generally be in Russian. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next appointment is under 0.5 month; for non-resident B1/B2 the embassy listed 30 days. A Russian without Polish residence cannot renew without an interview. You need a Schengen visa to get there and 3-5 business days for the visa to print after approval.
Can I renew a US visa in Astana?: Yes, for a nonimmigrant visa (B1/B2, O-1, H-1B, L-1, F-1): Astana is the second post the State Department designated for Russians, and Kazakh residence is not needed. Russian immigrant visas go to Warsaw. The DS-160 must be submitted by 5:00 pm three business days before the interview. Per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026 the next B1/B2 and work-visa appointment is 1 month, though 2026 chat reports also spoke of 4-6 months. The interview is mandatory.
A US visa in Tbilisi: is it possible without Georgian residence?: For a nonimmigrant visa - no: the embassy books in the country of residence or nationality, and in 2026 members wrote that the visa center will not book without residence and that residence is checked at the entrance. With Georgian residence booking is fast (under 0.5 month per the State Department table of Sep 17, 2026), and a B1/B2 can be renewed without an interview under the Sep 18, 2025 rule. The B1/B2 bond since Aug 3, 2026 applies only to Georgian nationals.
Booking a US visa without an interview: how does it work?: There is no separate "no interview" queue: you file the DS-160, pay the fee and book as usual, and waiver eligibility is checked under the State Department rule of Sep 18, 2025 - a B1/B2 (or H-2A) renewal within 12 months of the prior visa expiring, issued for full validity, you were at least 18 then, no refusals, filing in the country of nationality or usual residence. Each embassy sets its own drop-off procedure, published on its site. The consul may still call you for an interview.
Renewing a visa for America: do I fill in a new DS-160 and pay the fee again?: Yes: a renewal is a new application, so you need a new DS-160 and the consular fee in the country of filing. Russian-issued cards, in community experience, cannot pay the fees - members use cards from other countries or help from someone holding one. With an interview waiver (since Oct 1, 2025 only B1/B2) the passport and documents are submitted without an interview; without one you book an interview.
My US visa is expiring while I am inside the US: should I leave to renew it?: Inside the US you extend status (through I-539 or a new petition for O-1), not the visa; a new visa is needed only to re-enter after leaving. The community reports that leaving to renew is the main risk: applicants with jobs and families in the US were sent into administrative processing for months, and a person, in a member's words, got "stuck between two worlds in an instant". Members advise "thinking 10 times" before such a trip (member reports, 2024-2025).
Can I leave the US on the day my visa expires, or later?: Yes. The visa expiry only limits entry; how long you may stay in the US is set by the Admit Until date in the electronic I-94 record. The visa can expire while you are in the country - you do not need to leave before it does; what matters is not staying past the I-94 date.
What happens if I stay past my I-94 date?: By statute the visa becomes void after the authorized stay ends (INA 222(g)), and a new nonimmigrant visa has to come from a consulate in the country of nationality or, if there is none, the one the State Department specifies (for Russian nonimmigrant visas it designated Warsaw and Astana). Unlawful presence of more than 180 days but under a year bars re-entry for 3 years after departure; a year or more - for 10 years (INA 212(a)(9)(B)).
Can I renew a US visa that has already expired?: Yes - it is effectively a new application (a new DS-160, the fee, a consulate), and an expired visa does not prevent it. The difference is only in the right to file without an interview: since Oct 1, 2025 it exists only for a B1/B2 expired no more than 12 months ago, filed in the country of nationality or residence. If more time has passed, the visa is a work visa, or you are a Russian without a residence permit elsewhere - an interview in Warsaw or Astana.

Where next

Community questions on this topic

Consulates Russians travel to

Warsaw Astana Belgrade Almaty Yerevan Tbilisi Tashkent

Sources

This page is reference, not legal advice; rules and practice change - verify on uscis.gov.

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