#3 - JRL 8190 - JRL Home
From: "Leary, Thomas M" <learytm@state.gov>
Subject: Contribution from Moscow Consul General
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004

David,

U.S. Embassy Moscow Consul General James Pettit asks that you include this reply to a recent contributor's comments.

Regards,

Tom

Thomas M. Leary
Press Attache
U.S. Embassy Moscow
phone: (7 095) 728-5131
fax: (7 095) 728-5203

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From

James D. Pettit
Consul General
US Embassy Moscow

I would like to respond to Mr. David Rowell’s visa question carried in your April 27th edition (#8183) regarding the annotation printed on a visitor visa issued by our office to a “single attractive young lady” (sic). The annotation reportedly reads: “Annotation: Indicates 1 month stay in NY." Mr. Rowell then goes on to question whether this represents a new policy introducing travel restrictions on private Russian citizens traveling to the United States.

I can assure Mr. Rowell and your readers that there has been no such change in the visa regulations. It has been common worldwide practice for many years for consular officers to make such annotations on visas when they have concerns regarding the visa applicant’s intentions. The annotation is informative, rather than prescriptive. In other words, it informs the immigration inspector what the applicant told the consular officer-- it does not restrict the itinerary or activities of the traveler. In this case, the consular officer’s concerns appear to have been well-founded, since the traveler admittedly concealed the actual intended itinerary and, possibly, purpose of her trip. While there is no legal impediment to her entering the United States through San Francisco, the immigration inspector probably will want to clarify how and, especially, why the traveler’s plans have changed. If she has a reasonable explanation for the changed itinerary, there would be no legal reason to prevent her from continuing her modified travel plans. Her onward ticket to New York, for example, should allay any concerns the immigration inspector might have.

I would also like to lay to rest the popular myth that consular officers always turn down “single attractive young ladies.” Young people male and female, attractive and not so attractive generally have a more difficult time demonstrating compelling ties abroad and are, therefore, more likely to be refused a visa than older, more established applicants. On the other hand, we issue thousands of visas to young Russians each year traveling to the US for tourism, study and other purposes.