Russia
U.S., Russia Streamline Visa Fees, Process
The visa fee for Russian students wishing to study in the United States has been reduced from $500 – an average month’s salary for some in Russia – to $65.
Not only have visa fees been slashed both in Russia and the United States, but the time both countries take to process the paperwork has been cut in half. Previously, visas took weeks to process; now they take 10 days.
The changes went into effect June 1, not long after a meeting between the two countries’ presidents, Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush.
— The Chronicle of Higher Education [1]
June 21, 2002