In accordance with the new procedure, from next month virtually all applicants for nonimmigrant visas in all countries of the world will have to appear in person for an interview with a consular officer of the U.S. Embassy. Due to the increased workload, those wishing to enter the United States are advised to submit a visa application 6-8 weeks before the intended date of entry.
A visa may be granted without an interview to persons up to and including 16 years of age and over 60 years of age, applicants for diplomatic or official visas, as well as persons applying for a visa of the same category they previously received within one year after the visa expired. However, any visa applicant may be called for an interview, according to a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Urgent interviews will be conducted only in exceptional cases involving death or serious medical problems.
As Vremya Novostey reports, while a few days remain before the introduction of the total interview regime, new requirements for visa photographs take effect already on July 22. The applicant must take photography seriously. He must look directly into the camera, not down or to the side. Eyes in the photo must be at a level of 2.8 to 3.5 cm from the bottom edge of the photograph. At the same time, "the applicant's head must be positioned in the center of the photo and fully visible - from the top of the head to the chin and to the hairline on the sides." In addition, "it is desirable that the ears also be visible."
Starting July 22, the U.S. Embassy will use new visa application forms. Now all visa applicants must submit two applications. One of them may be a copy of the completed original, but the signatures on both copies must be original.
All those wishing to visit the United States should also remember that starting January 1, 2004, all foreigners arriving in the U.S. will have to provide fingerprints. Guests will again be photographed and their documents scanned to check for affiliation with terrorist organizations. All this information will be entered into a database. It is possible that in the near future fingerprinting will be done at embassies when applying for a visa.