US Embassy suspends issuing nonimmigrant visas in Russia

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM The U.S. Embassy in Russia is suspending nonimmigrant visa processing for eight days and will stop issuing visas at its consulates throughout Russia following the country's requirement to reduce its diplomatic staff to 455 people by September 1, ABC reports.

The statement issued on Monday says the embassy would resume issuing visas in Moscow on Sept. 1 but would stop issuing them at consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok.

According to Sputniknews , the embassy also said it was suspending accepting visa applications from the citizens of Belarus and recommended them to turn to US embassies in Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania.

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Ministry ordered the US to cut the embassy and consulate staff by 755, or by two-thirds, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow after US Congress approved sanctions against Russia.