A US visa from Georgia 2026: filing, waits and the bond

Applying for a US visa from Georgia is a workable route for people who live here. The rules changed noticeably during 2026, and some instructions online lead into a dead end at the first step.

Here is the current order: where you actually book, what the categories are, how long the wait is and what happened with the bond.

Who can file in Tbilisi

The State Department puts it gently: an applicant should book in their country of citizenship or residence.

Technically you can file in a third country. The practical consequences: the fee is neither refunded nor transferred, the wait for an appointment is noticeably longer, and qualifying for the visa is harder.

For Russian citizens the designated posts are Warsaw and Astana; for Belarusians, Vilnius and Warsaw. Tbilisi is open to them on the grounds of living in Georgia.

That residence has to be demonstrated. Neither the embassy nor the booking portal publishes a single list of documents, and the wording stays general — the applicant shows that they live in the country. A residence card is the clearest argument here: residency through business is arranged from $170, residency through buying property from $340.

Where you actually book

The commonest mistake is confusing two websites.

The DS-160 form is completed separately, on the consular electronic application site.

The order of steps

1. 1Choose the visa category that matches the purpose of the trip.
2. 2Complete the DS-160, save the application number and print the confirmation page with the barcode.
3. 3Register in the booking system and pay the non-refundable fee.
4. 4Book the interview and gather documents.
5. 5Attend the interview and give biometrics.

Booking requires a valid passport, the fee receipt, the DS-160 confirmation page and an email address. Petition-based categories also need an approved petition.

Categories

Most work categories first require a petition from a US employer approved by the immigration service. For H-1B, since 21 September 2025 a restriction applies: no visa is issued unless a new petition was accompanied by a payment of $100,000.

The bond for Georgian citizens

The main change of 2026. Georgia is included in the visa bond programme: an applicant with a Georgian passport found eligible for a tourist visa posts a cash bond, and the visa is issued as single-entry and short-term rather than the usual multi-year one.

How the bond works

What matters about the mechanics:

• the bond follows citizenship: filing in a third country does not avoid it;
• it is paid only through the government payment system, via a direct link from the consular officer;
• entry is allowed through commercial airports and preclearance points; land borders, sea and private aviation are closed;
• leaving on time returns the money automatically, overstaying forfeits it entirely.

Citizens of Russia and of other countries outside the programme are not covered by the bond, even when they file in Tbilisi.

Waits and fees

As of September 2026 the State Department's wait times table shows Tbilisi at under half a month across all lines — tourist, student, work and transit. The table is updated monthly and shows the nearest available slot on the cut-off date, while actual dates appear in the applicant's account.

Two figures circulating online that do not apply to Georgia:

• the $250 visa integrity fee is not in the official fee schedule and is not charged;
• the voluntary $750 fee for an expedited interview applies only at pilot embassies in North and Central America, and Tbilisi is not among them.

Small things that cost time

The six-month passport validity rule beyond the trip does not apply to citizens of Georgia or Russia: both countries are on the list where a passport covering the period of stay is enough.

Only applicants under 14 bring a printed photograph to the interview. Everyone else uploads a digital photo with the form. The printed format is 2×2 inches, taken within the last six months, without glasses.

If your stay in Georgia currently rests on visa-free entry and you plan to file from here, it is sensible to settle your status first. What that takes and which deadlines apply is covered in the piece on work permits and residency in Georgia.