Referral Guidelines for the American Chamber of Commerce in Hugnary

Referral Guidelines for the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia

Following are guidelines for nonimmigrant visa cases that may be submitted to the Consular Section by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham).

Applications will be accepted by the Embassy via Pony Express. Applicants will then be assigned a particular date and time to appear for an interview, usually two business days after the application is submitted. Following interview, passports will be returned to the applicant through Pony Express.

The Forms

Each applicant must submit the following:  A valid Passport.  A fully completed and signed application form (DS-156), regardless of the age of the applicant. Applications must be completed in English using new on-line procedures that result in bar-coded documents with a third scanner-compatible page;  A supplemental form (DS-157), completed by all males between the ages of 16 and 45;  MRV receipt for payment of the $131 processing fee.  Endorsement stamp on application form from AmCham.  Letter from employer (AmCham member company) stating employee’s start date, monthly salary, purpose of travel and persons accompanying (if applicable).

Applicants will submit their applications through Pony Express but will be given a special interview time slot. The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia may endorse the application for visa applications on behalf of its members who meet the following criteria:

 Applicants must be full-time employees of AmCham member companies. [If spouse and children under the age of 18 of employees of member companies are traveling WITH the employee, they are also eligible for AmCham submission].  Applicants may be traveling to the United States for short-term business or tourism only.

Applicants who do not meet the above guidelines may call to schedule a regular interview time slot through Pony Express.

Please do not submit cases for the following employees:

 Employees seeking to travel to the United States for purposes other than short term business and/or tourism.  Employees who are part-time, on internships or temporary employees.  Contractors of AmCham member companies.  Employees with U.S. visa refusals within the past two years.  Any individual who has lost a passport containing a valid U.S. visa.

Referral by AmCham does not guarantee issuance of a visa.

January 2008