The number of applications for visas to travel to Russia by US citizens has increased significantly in 2024, according to the Russian Consul General in New York, Alexander Zakharov. He noted that almost all consular services remain in demand, including passport processing, notarial services, and issuance of certificates.

“We also note a slight increase in the number of visas issued, which indicates a growing interest in traveling to the Russian Federation.”, Zakharov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to the diplomat, over the past year, the consulate also recorded a significant number of requests from Ukrainian citizens wishing to obtain Russian citizenship. In total, 54 Ukrainian citizens applied to the Russian consulate in New York, many of whom previously lived in the territories of the DPR, LPR, Kherson Oblast, Zaporizhia Oblast, Mariupol, Crimea and Sevastopol.

In the spring of 2024, Ukrainian authorities asked citizens of draft age abroad to register for military service. This became one of the reasons for the increase in the number of requests to the consulate regarding obtaining Russian citizenship and the procedure for its registration.