Hi everyone ,
I just wanted to ask how hard is it to get the U.S tourist visa 2nd time , we got the visa last summers and now at the new year time we are planning to visit U.S 1se more .




thanks

The second time should be nearly automatic. You should have no problems at all.

As far as I know it is renewed by mail, without even the interview.

That's pretty cool! I didn't know it was that easy to get it renewed. So, the first one is the only real hard part?

As long as you didn't overstay or break any laws, getting a new B-1/B-2 is fairly easy.

Depends on where you apply. For example in Moscow it can be renewed through the mail if it is renewed within 12 month of the visa expiration date.
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/consular/consu...rd_id=nivinterv
However, if you apply at Yekaterinburg this option is not available and interview must be had each time.
http://yekaterinburg.usconsulate.gov/en/consular/niv.php
Vladivostok also allows the exception:
http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/wwwhprelease1.html
And no information could be found on the St. Petersburg consulate website.

Our visa is going to end on 20th of this month and we will apply from Moscow . so lets see what happens )
Anyways thanks to all for the help .

I wanted to ask one more thing do the U.S embassy in Moscow give the long time tourist visa like 5 years or something to the Russian citizens ? last time we got 1 year visa

To my best knowledge, if you have visited US more than 5 times, haven't overstayed, haven't broken any laws, 5-year multi-entry visa may be issued and Moscow embassy does that.

That is good logic, but the answer is you can only get a two year multiple entry visa.
http://yekaterinburg.usconsulate.gov/en/co...s/VisaTypes.php
Scroll down to validity.
However, citizens of other countries can receive up to 10 year multi entry visas.
Example:
India:
http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/consu20yrpass.html
Basically if the countries have a bilateral agreement longer visas can be issued. Russia and the US obviously do not have anything beyond 2 years.

I personally know the guy who is on his second 5-year visa issued in Moscow.

It is my understanding that in the past some time after 1992 until some period thereafter, lengthier validity visas were given out. But that is not the case today. Check to make sure this "guy" is using his Russian passport to travel. And secondly, perhaps under some strange provision he is able to continue to renew older lengthier validity visas.