Amid Russia-USA diplomatic crisis: Belarus counts on consular department expanding work in Minsk


Belarus expects the consular department of the U.S. embassy in Minsk to expand work, Dzmitry Mironchyk, Spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says.

The U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia will no longer accept nonimmigrant visa applications from citizens of Belarus, the U.S. Embassy in Russia said on Monday.

“The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg will no longer accept new visa applications for residents of Belarus. Nonimmigrant visa appointments for Belarusian applicants who have already paid the application fee will be rescheduled. Residents of Belarus are encouraged to schedule nonimmigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw; the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv; or the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius,” the statement reads.

Due to the Russian government-imposed cap on U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia, all nonimmigrant visa operations across Russia will be suspended on 23 August, they added.

According to Dzmitry Mironchyk, Belarus hopes that the American side will be able to find a way to expand the operation of the consular department of the U.S. embassy in Minsk.

“It is regretful that relations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America continue deteriorating and start having a negative impact on ordinary Belarusians. With interests of Belarus and its citizens as our top priority, we hope that Russian-American relations will be normalized as soon as possible. We are convinced that the normalization of these relations would have a positive effect on the situation in the world as a whole,” the top official said.

belsat.eu, following BelTA

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