U.S. diplomats to restore (partial) visa services at America's consulates in Russia

Beginning on December 11, the U.S. government will resume visa processing at its three Russian consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok, albeit in a limited capacity, due to reduced staff.

Moscow issued its diplomatic-cutback demands to the United States on July 28, 2017, describing the measure as a response to Washington’s decision to expel 35 diplomats from the U.S. in December 2016. In August 2017, American officials announced that they would stop issuing visas at the U.S. consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok, making the U.S. embassy in Moscow the only place to get an American visa in Russia.

In early November, special report by Meduza found that a de facto tightening of the U.S. visa regime in Russia has led more Russians to apply for American visas in the “near abroad,” traveling to places like Tbilisi and the Baltic capitals to wait in shorter lines.